These tough plant will thrive despite less than ideal ground conditions .
Clay soil can make horticulture challenge . It does n’t let piss drain easily and broil substantial when ironic . However , it does n’t mean you ca n’t get gorgeous plants . These 24 options are the bestperennial flowersfor Henry Clay grease , where it can be hard to grow other variety .
Aster
Lighting up the late - season landscape with its abstruse violet to lavender - pinkish blooms , astersprovide color and contrast to the fall perennial molding front . Thesenectar - racy flowersare a pollinator favorite . If the plant ’s height needs to be hold , twinge back the stems before mid - July to delay inflorescence and serve decrease the need for staking .
time of year of Bloom : Late summertime to fall
produce condition : Full sun and moist , well - drained grunge
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Size : Up to 6 feet tall
Zones:4 - 8
Baptisia
Also called blue false indigotin for its juicy spring flowers , baptisiais a native prairie plant with recondite roots . It ’s one of the good perennial bloom for stiff dirt since it can push through clay soil ’s dense texture . Other selections extend baptisia ’s colour range to bloodless , yellowish , and purple . Its lupine - like flowers turn into blacken seed pods which are often used indried flower arrangements .
Season of Bloom : Late spring
Growing Conditions : Full sun to part tincture and well - debilitate soil
Credit: Greg Ryan
Size : Up to 4 foot marvelous
Zones:3 - 9
Bee Balm
An sometime - fashioned favorite perennial , bee balmfeatures brilliantly colored flowerheads in shades of red , pinkish , lavender , and purple that resemble unkempt mopheads . This fragrant flora is attractive tobees , hummingbirds , and butterfly , specially when grouped in aggregated plantings . It ’s also one of thetop rabbit - resistant industrial plant alternative for your garden .
In small garden options , some motley of bee balm can out - compete less strong-growing neighbors , so be measured where you constitute them .
Season of Bloom : Summer
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
develop term : Full sunlight to part spectre and moist , well - drain soil
Zones:4 - 9
Black-Eyed Susan
A summer staple for sunny borders , black - eyed Susanis one of the most popular garden perennial flowers . Its daisy - like scandalmongering efflorescence that grow up to 4 column inch in diam are an excellent addition to repeated borders , bungalow garden , prairies , or naturalized areas . ' Goldsturm ' is among the most popular varieties for its vigorous growth and profuse blooms . It spreads apace , but not invasively , to fill a planting layer with long - lasting color .
Season of Bloom : other summer
Growing Conditions : Full sun and well - drained soil
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Size : Up to 3 feet marvellous
Blazing Star
A must - have perennial for butterfly gardens , blazing staris anative prairie plantthat has become a democratic cut of meat flower . It pop the question spike of fluffy , deep purple blossom forefront atop leafy flower stalk . This works is an attractive increase to containers , cut garden , bloom beds , and naturalised plantings .
Zones:3 - 8
Bluestar
Nativethreadleaf bluestaradapts to most growing conditions , from soggy sites to dry cadaver and full sun to part shade . It shines in former spring with steel - blue , star - shaped flower and again in fall when the lustrous feathery foliation turns brilliant gold . After flowering , consider cut back stems to promote shaggy-coated growth .
Zones:5 - 9
Canna
Tropical - lookingcannaoffers striking foliage and bright efflorescence . Its colorful flower stiletto heel ride atop stems with large paddle - shape farewell . Look for a all-inclusive range of salmagundi — some acquire only 2 feet tall ; others tower over 6 feet . This perennial grows well in badly drain grime and even permit endure water , but it postulate some extraplant maintenanceto keep it healthy and healthy .
Size : Up to 8 invertebrate foot tall
Zones:7 - 10
Credit: David Speer
Common Yarrow
The beautifulyarrowis one of the best perennial flowers for corpse soil and can easy flourish in unvoiced - to - produce spaces in your garden . milfoil is broad of drought and heat and excellent for fresh - emasculated and dried flowers . Its fern - same , silver - grizzly foliage and clump of golden - icteric blooms are especiallyattractive to butterfly stroke .
sizing : Up to 2 feet marvellous
Coral Bells
If you require to bring color to your garden , coral bellsor alumroot will supply impressive flower colors ranging from livid and pinkish to light precious coral and deep red . The perennial gets its name from its spikes of tall , bell - shaped prime , but it ’s highly recognized for itsattractive leafage colour , with specter ranging from deep purpleness to bronze , sing , and Ag .
Coreopsis
The long - flower summertime perennial flower , coreopsis , is a superb border plant that makes a great cut flower . With their hopeful and cheery lilliputian blossoms , coreopsis can be greatcompanion plant to ornamental grassesand other tough yearbook and perennials , specially in containers . It turn in dense , shaggy-haired clumps , and it has yellow , daisy - like flowerswith lily-livered centre disks . Deadhead spend flower stalks to encourage additional blooms and to forestall unwanted ego - seeding .
' Zagreb ' threadleaf coreopsis , shown here , has fine feathery foliage and spreads to make an effectivesun - loving groundcoverin sullen clay soil .
Daylily
A highly adaptable perennial flower for clay grease , daylilyis easy to grow in garden , edge , and edge . True to its name , daylily ’s horn - shaped bloom each last only a 24-hour interval , but plantscan remain in flower for several weeksbecause they produce so many blossom bud . With blooms up to 8 inches across in a smorgasbord of colors and textures , it ’s no wonder there are more than 60,000 cultivars registered with theAmerican Hemerocallis Society .
time of year of Bloom : Spring to later summertime
Size : Up to 3 foot tall , bet on variety
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Zones:3 - 10
False Sunflower
It ’s hard to beatfalse sunflower , also call oxeye daisy , for garden performance . This knotty perennial blooms all summertime and boasts telling oestrus and drouth tolerance . This clump - forming , helianthus - alike plant sport daisy - comparable bloom and resembles the factual helianthus . The gnome false sunflower variety , ' Tuscan Sun ' , remains under 3 feet grandiloquent and is perfect forsmall - space gardens .
Fountaingrass
A tight - growing perennial , fountaingrassoffers fluffy , burgundy - over-embellished flowers in bottlebrush - similar spike heel that gracefully arc outward from a mounded plant . The plant configuration resembles waterspraying from a fountain , hence its common name . Thislow - maintenance decorative grassprovides fantabulous texture , color , and contrast to borders and opened areas . ' Hameln ' , picture here , is a dwarf motley that originate about 2 - 1/2 metrical unit grandiloquent and encompassing .
Season of Bloom : Midsummer to fall
size of it : Up to 5 feet marvelous
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Zones:9 - 10
Goldenrod
roll in the hay for its bright yellow flower spikes , goldenrodlights up garden when it blooms in late summertime to fall . It ’s very attractive to bee and butterfly and also makes for agood contract blossom . goldenrod are more often than not unspoilt blossom for corpse soil and they can grow up to 5 feet marvelous . ' Crown of Rays ' is just as pretty but stays more succinct at 2 feet tall .
Hosta
A favorite in theshade gardenfor its attractive leaf , hostasare an ideal low-down - upkeep garden perennial . Many hostas produce pretty spike of snowy or lilac-colored blooms . This popular perennial can be grown as agroundcoveror mixed with other perennial in shady border , shade garden or woodland garden . ' Patriot ' genus Hosta , visualize at left-hand , has blue - dark-green leave dramatically edged in pure white .
Growing shape : Part shade to full nuance and well - drained soil
Size : Up to 3 feet tall ( 5 foot with flowers )
Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
Ironweed
With a name likeironweed , you know that this perennial flower for Henry Clay soil is toughened . It tolerates summer estrus and withstands recollective periods of drought . In late summer , it stomach royal flowers that attract butterfly stroke . This tall , rough-cut perennial with elusive stems is a great background plant forborders .
time of year of Bloom : Late summer
Little Bluestem
A gorgeous cosmetic weed from the North American prairie , little bluestembears blue - green foliage that turn crimson in fall . purple - bronze flowers seem on branched stems above this plant ’s leafage , survey by clusters of fluffy , silverish - white seed oral sex .
time of year of Bloom : Late summer to recent wintertime
Growing Conditions : Full sunand moist , well - drained soil
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Perennial Geranium
The most common species of geranium grown in the United States , perennial geraniummakes an splendid groundcover on sites with clay dirt . Also called bally cranesbill for the crane - similar form of its seedpod and crimson flowers , this plant develop in a hummock with white - hairy trailing staunch that spread up to 2 foot all-inclusive . After thefirst fall frost , the foliage commonly turns an attractive shade of red .
Season of Bloom : later Spring
size of it : Up to 18 in tall
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Purple Coneflower
A butterfly stroke - and - Bronx cheer magnet for sunny sites , purplish conefloweris an easy - to - spring up perennial indigen to many prairies , meadows , and Wood in the United States . Its showy daisy - similar flowers flower atop stiff stems with dismal green leaves that make a greatfresh - slue bouquet . ' Ruby Star ' , pictured here , is one of many varieties available . Also , look for hybrids with colors ranging from pinkish to white , orange , burgundy , and flushed .
Size:3 - 5 groundwork tall
Russian Sage
Russian sageis a woody - based perennial of the mint family with aromatic gray - fleeceable leave on square stems and whorls of light blue flush tiered in biramous panicles . Its wispy lavender flower spikes andsilvery foliagemake it an anchor of the summer border . Russian salvia grows so well in blistering , juiceless , sunny Henry Clay that it ’s considered aggressive in some area , so chequer local restrictions before planting it .
time of year of Bloom : Midsummer
Sea Holly
If you ’re count to sum up grain to your landscape , consider addingsea hollyto your flower bed and border . This perennial offers toothed leaves with clusters of brand - gamey peak wall by a crown of setose - looking bracts and has become pop in cut floral arrangements . Related to thistles ( though it does n’t spread like them ) , sea holly is alsodeer- and cony - resistant . Rattlesnake master and Miss Willmott ’s ghost are other types ofEryngiumthat are good perennial for the Great Compromiser ground .
Sedum
The drouth - tolerant recurrent flowersedumis an excellent plant forrock gardensor boundary line fronts . It features raft of lilliputian , star - like flowers which emerge pink , step by step change to deep rosebush - redness , and then change to coppery - rust in the pin . The flattened heads of flowers sit atop theme of greyish - green , succulent - like leaves and are attractive to butterflies throughout the time of year .
time of year of Bloom : Fall
Switchgrass
Among the most versatile of cosmetic Mary Jane , switchgrassthrives in moist , dry , or Henry Clay soil — and even in part wraith . It propose wispy seedheads that sway gracefully in the breeze . Some varieties , such as ' Heavy Metal ' , have blue - unripe leaf ; others rick shades of redness and maroon in autumn .
Season of Bloom : Summer to winter
Yucca
Also called Adam ’s needle for its sharp , pointed leaves , yuccashines in the early summer garden when it sends up a towering candle of waxy white blooms . Perfectly at home indesert clime , yucca is also a good recurrent prime for Lucius DuBignon Clay territory in more humid regions . Plant it as an architectural idiom in your garden , or find out it flourish in a large container .
Zones:5 - 10
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Credit: Bob Stefko
Credit: Jacob Fox
Credit: Edward Gohlich
Credit: Doug Hetherington
Credit: John Reed Forsman
Credit: Scott Little
Credit: Denny Schrock
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Credit: David Speer
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Denny Schrock
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Bob Stefko
