Shopping for plants? These perennials work well in the Houston area
If you are one of those gardeners scouring plant catalogs this time of year, here are a few perennials suggestions. Make sure catalog varieties are listed as suitable for our climate, which is Zone 9.
Veronica will grow in Houston-area gardens and will flower from late spring well into fall if given sun and a fertile, well-draining soil. Some varieties may need staking. Dead-head to promote further flowering.
‘Sunny Border Blue,’ which produces deep violet-blue flowers on 2-foot spikes above a compact plant with crinkled foliage, is one veronica that has done well here.
Erigeron, or fleabane, is a favorite perennial. The white version, ‘Profusion,’ continuously blooms from late spring into fall. This very low-maintenance member of the aster family is a free-bloomer, with two or more rows of threadlike rays, usually around a yellow center. The flowers are small, about an inch across, but profusely cover the low-growing, spreading clump. Mature height ranges from 6 to 12 inches. Plant in sun and a sandy, well-draining soil.
Our native cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis, is an increasingly popular perennial here, thanks to the 2-inch red flowers, arranged in long spikes, that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. This 2- to 4-foot plant likes partial shade
or sun and tolerates less-than-ideal drainage.
Other perennial lobelias will grow here as well, including some of the Lobelia x speciosa Fan series hybrids. ‘Fan Deep Red’ has been grown in area gardens and is classified as a short-lived, multibranching perennial that likes sun with afternoon shade.