There are many benefits to adding native plants to your garden, and the state of Arkansas happens to be home to many beautiful perennials. Native plants have adapted to their environment and are a natural part of the ecosystem, making them exceptionally easy to care for. They rarely need special treatment such as fertilizers, winter mulching, or pest removal, which every gardener can appreciate! After all, who doesn’t like a low-maintenance garden?
Native plants also often have pre-existing relationships with wildlife, so they will draw birds and pollinators to your garden as they seek food and shelter. While it’s easy to jump on the bandwagon for the hottest trending plants, sometimes the best ones to grow are right under our noses! Read on to learn about our favorite native perennials to grow in Arkansas gardens.
Purple coneflower is a native perennial found growing in prairie land or wooded areas here in Arkansas. These are highly popular perennials for their gorgeous daisy-like flowers. They are great for providing all-year interest as the foliage turns a brassy color in the fall and the seed heads provide winter food for birds.While tolerant of partial shade, coneflower prefers a location that will give bright sunlight for at least 6-8 hours a day. Coneflowers are drought-tolerant, so if they begin to grow too leggy, that’s often an indication that you’re giving them too much water.
Fern-lovers will be pleased to discover that Arkansas is home to many native perennial varieties. We particularly love the Christmas fern, which is named so because it stays green even during cooler winter months when everything else in your garden will have slipped into dormancy.Christmas ferns are perfect additions to gardens with shady areas as they prefer to grow in partial to full shade. As a deciduous evergreen, Christmas ferns are perfect for filling in gaps and can even be used as a groundcover.
Often found in Arkansas on rocky bluffs or in forest clearings. The brilliant yellow flowers of evening primrose are unique as they open during the night (hence the name); this helps attract nighttime pollinators like moths. But don’t let the fact that it blooms at night fool you! Evening primrose loves sunlight and will do best in full to part sun as long as it gets between 6 and 8 hours a day.
Also known as foxglove beardtongue, the Arkansas beardtongue produces long-blooming, snowy white flowers that resemble a smaller version of foxglove blooms. These native perennials grow in the Arkansas prairies and wooded areas. Beardtongue can grow up to 5 feet tall, perfect for gardeners looking to add more depth and texture to their garden. Plant this perennial in a spot with full sun and enjoy its flowers during the early summer months.
These pretty perennials grow in the Ouachita Mountains right here in Arkansas. The plant produces small but showy blue star-shaped flowers that bloom in early spring. Due to their native origins, Arkansas blue star would make a perfect addition to a rock garden and provides brilliant foliage color in the fall when it turns a brassy gold color. Prefers bright, full sun to part shade and can grow quite tall. Growing native perennials already adapted to our Arkansas climate ensures a robust, low-maintenance garden filled with wildlife. Stop into one of our Westwood Gardens locations here in Northwest Arkansas to shop our native perennial plant selections today!
