9 Native Perennials You Can Start from Seed
Looking for low-maintenance plants that support local wildlife? Garden expert Madison Moulton shares 9 native perennials you can easily grow from seed, perfect for both beginner and experienced gardeners.
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If you’re struggling to decide what to plant next in your flower garden, look no further than native perennials. The numerous benefits they provide place them at the top of my to-plant list.
Plants native to your region grow far better with less effort, as they’re accustomed to their environment. In other words, you have less to worry about (and less maintenance) to keep them thriving. Another major benefit of growing native plants is the support they provide for wildlife, including pollinators, birds, and other mammals. They contribute a lot to your garden without demanding much in return.
Many North American native perennials can also be grown from seed, including the nine on this list. Simply sprinkle them around your garden and watch the magic happen.
Anise Hyssop
Native to the midwestern United States, you’ll find anise hyssop in gardens all over the country. It’s also known as lavender hyssop and licorice mint, names that hint at its membership in the mint family.
As part of the mint family, the leaves and flowers are edible. They have a slight anise flavor (hence the common name), perfect for a refreshing tea or decorating salads.
The flowers add wonderful ornamental value in the garden and attract a range of pollinators, particularly butterflies. You’ll also see hummingbirds and bees congregating around these blooms. They are perennials in USDA zones 4 to 8 and readily self-seed, ensuring an endless supply in your garden.
Start the seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost date or winter sow in late fall for spring germination. The purple flower spikes pop up in summer and make great cut flowers for indoor arrangements.
Black-Eyed Susan
Black-eyed Susans are perennials native to the Eastern US, although the plant is naturalized in many areas. This native wildflower is also the state flower of Maryland, beloved for its sunny blooms and dark brown centers.
Black-eyed Susans have a long blooming period, brightening up your garden throughout summer until frost. Even when the blooms die back, the winter seed cones supply food for birds during the colder months when food sources are scarce.
While it’s considered a short-lived perennial in USDA zones 3 to 7, you’ll continue to see the flowers pop up each season due to its self-seeding nature. Like anise hyssop, black-eyed Susan is a good candidate for winter sowing and fall planting. Otherwise, stratify them in your fridge before planting a few weeks before your last frost date.
Blue Grama Grass
If you’re looking for something different from the traditional garden flowers on this list, try blue grama grass. This grass is native to the Midwest and western US—the most heat and drought-tolerant native grass you can grow.
The inflorescences have a fascinating growth pattern, growing horizontally with the flowers appearing in a row. They turn a golden brown or red in the fall, changing with the seasons. Skipper butterflies use this grass as a host plant, and birds enjoy the seeds.
The grass stays short, while the flower stems and seed heads grow tall above the foliage, creating wonderful movement in any breeze. Plus, the flowers look just as interesting in dried arrangements as they do in the garden.
Blue grama grass is a native perennial in USDA zones 3 to 10 and prefers a full sun position to perform its best. Sow the seeds 10 to 12 weeks before your average last frost date indoors or sprinkle them outdoors in late summer or early fall for spring growth.
Chocolate Flower
The name of this interesting flower says all you need to know about its benefits. The bright yellow blooms have a delicious chocolate fragrance that is most intense in the morning or late afternoon.
Besides the ornamental value they add, the flowers are perfect for lining pathways or in beds close to windows. This ensures you can enjoy their scent as you walk around your garden and home.
Chocolate flowers come from the Southwestern US and are some of the toughest native perennials you can grow from seed. They don’t mind drought, heat, or poor-quality soil and bloom prolifically in summer without much attention. They’re great for attracting beneficial insects or for tough areas of the garden with poor soil where other non-natives may struggle to grow.
Chocolate flower is a perennial in USDA zones 4 to 10. Outdoor sowing is recommended around 1 to 2 weeks before your average last frost date. Be patient, as they take up to a month to germinate. Once the flowers emerge in summer, you’ll see why they are well worth the wait.
Columbine
Columbine is one of the most popular North American native flowers, known for its intricate blooms in a range of colors. Specific types are associated with specific regions, like Rocky Mountain Blue, which is the state flower of Colorado.
Columbines are a great backbone of a perennial garden, with reliable blooming and delicate foliage that softens garden beds. They are beloved for their ability to flower well in partial shade, so you can save full sun spots for some of the other natives on this list.
Flowering in spring and continuing into summer, columbine is perennial in USDA zones 3 to 10. Sow the seeds in trays indoors around 10 to 12 weeks before your average last frost date. If you want to wait to sow outside, direct sow 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date.
Coneflower
Echinaceas are the backbone of any perennial garden and are particularly appreciated for their ability to attract pollinators. If you plant masses of them, your garden is bound to become a haven for wildlife in your neighborhood.
Coneflowers have large blooms, usually in purple, but also in a range of other colors, depending on which cultivar you choose. The petals begin to droop as the central cone gets larger, attracting wildlife (particularly birds) as the plant dies back in fall and winter.
Coneflowers are remarkably low-maintenance and thrive in a range of conditions, tolerating heat, drought, and poor soil with ease. They are good hardy perennials for cooler climates, growing best in USDA zones 3 to 8. If you live in a warmer climate, you can still plant them, but they may not come back as prolifically in subsequent seasons.
To get your echinacea to bloom the first year after planting, plant indoors 10 to 12 weeks before your average last frost date. If you’re happy to wait until next season to see flowers, plant these native perennials from seed outside 2 to 4 weeks before your average last frost date. These seeds don’t need to be sown too deeply—sprinkle them onto the soil and cover lightly before watering to encourage germination.
Lupine
There are many species of lupine to choose from, some of which are native to North America (particularly in the western parts of the continent). Lupines can be quite controversial as they are considered invasive in some areas, so make sure you check your local resources when you plant, and choose your varieties wisely.
Lupines produce tall flower spikes that really stand out in the garden. Beyond the different species, there are many cultivars to choose from with an array of stunning colors. ‘Russell Blend’ is one that can be planted from seed with a combination of purple, pink, yellow, blue, and red blooms, creating a kaleidoscope of color in your garden.
Native lupines are grown as short-lived perennials in USDA zones 4 to 7. However, they are known to spread. If you want to see as many flowers as possible, choose a position in full sun with well-draining soil.
Sow these native perennial seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Plant them in biodegradable pots that can be moved directly to the ground, as they don’t appreciate root disturbance. If you would rather wait for the outdoor sowing window, plant 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date.
Milkweed
A staple in butterfly gardens across the US, milkweed is a wonderful native plant found throughout the country. Different varieties are native to different areas, so check which one fits best in your region. In the western US, showy and common milkweeds grow well, while in the eastern US, swamp milkweed or butterfly weed is the best option.
Although they are important for the life cycle of butterflies (particularly monarch butterflies), milkweed is known to spread aggressively. If you’re considering planting this native, make sure you’re willing to put in the effort to contain them. Also check local restrictions in your area before planting.
These flowers are perennials in USDA zones 3 and up, producing their butterfly-attracting flowers throughout summer. When sowing these native perennials from seed, start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date or outdoors 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost. They are also good candidates for winter sowing.
Penstemon
Penstemons are often overlooked in perennial gardens, but these reliable plants are great additions for their vibrant blooms and ability to attract pollinators. Some are native to the US, like the ‘Rocky Mountain Blue’ heirloom. The flowers bloom for about a month in early summer and then produce teardrop-shaped seed pods that attract wildlife.
They also change color in the fall and emerge again in spring, coming back year after year in USDA zones 4 to 9. Penstemons are low maintenance, hardy, and drought-tolerant, ideal for planting in a no-fuss garden bed.
Sow these native perennials from seed 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date. They germinate better in cooler soils. You won’t get much of a head start planting in trays, so it’s best to direct sow outdoors in their final spots. They don’t need to be planted deeply—sow the seeds on top of the soil and wait for them to germinate when the time is right.
