Skip to main content

The best and brightest zone 7 perennials to grow in your garden

The loveliest zone 7 perennial flowers to add to your garden

If you’re new to growing flower gardens or are bored with the flowers you typically grow, you might want to check out this list of zone 7 friendly perennials. Of course, this is not an extensive list of all the flowers you can grow in zone 7, but these are some of our favorites. They are unique, colorful, and low maintenance so that you can grow them no matter your gardening experience level.

Liriope flower
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Liriope muscari ‘Variegata’

The Liriope muscari can survive in full sun or full shade, and they’re also very drought tolerant. This means they’re low maintenance and fantastic for beginner gardeners. The tiny purple blooms appear between August and September and look amazing against the bright green and yellow variegated leaves. And more good news — deer won’t eat them, and they act as an excellent ground cover! Prune the dead foliage down to the ground in winter and watch them pop back up in the spring.

Swamp milkweed
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Asclepias incarnata ‘Cinderella’

One of the common names for the Asclepias incarnata is Swamp Milkweed. While that might not sound very pretty, this blooming perennial is adorable with its bursting flowers. These bright pink firework-shaped blooms appear sometime between June and August, and they’re deer resistant! Not only are the tiny flowers cute, but they also smell like vanilla and will attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. They enjoy full sun the most but can tolerate a bit of shade; they will want their soil to stay moist. They didn’t nickname it the swamp milkweed for no reason.

peony flowers
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Peony ‘Paeonia’

You’re probably familiar with the fluffy, full blooms of the peony. They sometimes are confused with roses because of their large petals and shape, but these beautiful flowers will be an excellent addition to your flower garden. The blooms will appear sometime in June, but don’t be surprised if you don’t see any the first few years after planting. They often take a while to get their footing.

White iris flower
matthew stafford/EyeEm/Adobe Stock

Iris germanica ‘Immortality’

There are many different varieties of irises; this particular one is pure white and blooms once in June and again sometime between August and September. That’s to say, you’ll get two blooming seasons with one plant! It’s another deer-resistant flower that loves total sun exposure. The Immortality Iris also produces a sweet aroma that fills the garden and can be enjoyed every time you walk by it.

Because this is a plant with rhizomes rather than typical roots, it’s important not to overwater it. The rhizomes are prone to root rot, and this can kill your plant very quickly without you even realizing something is wrong. So be sure that the soil is dried out before watering and plant this in a location that won’t have standing water.

Butterfly weed
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Asclepias tuberosa

Also known as the Butterfly Weed, the Asclepias tuberosa produces brilliantly orange bloom clusters around July to September. While many flowers are pink or white, this vibrant orange beauty is a fun way to add a unique color to your garden. These plants love soil that holds onto moisture and a location with full sun. You’ll also be doing a good deed for the planet by planting this blooming beauty. Butterflies and other pollinators can’t resist this plant!

In winter, you can either leave the dying stems be, or you can deadhead them. Just be sure to leave about six inches of stems, so you know where they are and don’t accidentally plant something on top of them. Unfortunately, they are late to reappear in the spring, so this is a common issue that gardeners face.

Blazing star flowers
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Liatris spicata ‘Floristan White’

Looking for a flower that isn’t like all the rest? Look no further than the Liatris spicata, also known as the blazing star. This white flower looks like a cat’s tail and has “fuzzy”-looking tiny white blooms on tall stalks. It loves full sun exposure, blooms between July and August, and prefers well-draining to dry soil. Some gardeners even call it a bottlebrush flower because of the shape and look of its blooms. In Germany, these are a popular cutting flower added to floral arrangements, so be sure to cut and bring these indoors or share them with friends.

Globe thistle flowers
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Echinops ritro ‘Platinum Blue’

Have you ever read Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who? The echinops ritro, or globe thistle, looks like the adorable flower where the Who’s live! These unique plants bring a splash of purple and a conversation piece to your lovely flower garden. Plant these in a spot with full sun or partial shade, and you’ll be rewarded with these cute little ball-shaped blossoms between July and August. If you live further North, you might be able to encourage a second bloom by cutting the plant back when the first flowers are beginning to fade. This isn’t as likely in the South, but you can still try. Pruning the plant won’t hurt it, and it will keep the plant looking tidy.

So whether you plant all or one of these lovely zone 7 friendly perennials, we hope you find a new favorite and start getting excited to grow and enjoy your flower garden this season.

Editors' Recommendations

Rebecca Wolken
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rebecca's has written for Bob Villa and a Cincinnati based remodeling company. When she's not writing about home remodeling…
The 6 best dill companion plants to grow in your garden
Plants that benefit from being next to dill
Dill herb

Dill is a fast-growing annual that makes for a flavorful addition to food as well as a beneficial plant alongside other crops. While it goes to seed quickly, it’s a cold-tolerant herb that grows easily for a delicious garnish all year long. Dill features a sharp anise and citrus flavor, making it a great addition to pastas, salads, soups, and other savory dishes. And yes, it pairs perfectly with your preserved pickles!

Out in your landscape, dill makes for a wonderful fixture in gardens because it naturally attracts beneficial pollinators, such as bees. This tasty herb also repels unwanted pests such as spider mites, aphids, and, notably, cabbage pests, because it attracts predatory insects like ladybugs. Both these qualities make it great for companion planting, which is the concept that some plants can pair together to help encourage growth, repel pests, and attract pollinators. Ahead, we’ve rounded up six of the best dill companion plants so you can plan your garden accordingly.

Read more
Gardening 101: 7 easy seeds to grow in cups for a tiny, adorable, and low-maintenance indoor garden
How to choose seeds to start inside of cups
Two hands side by side, one holding seeds the other holding a seedling

Many gardeners start seeds indoors during the last weeks of winter or early spring to get a head start on the growing season. Vegetables, flowers, and even fruit trees can be started this way. If you want to start your seeds indoors, but don't have anything to plant them in, why not try growing your seeds in plastic cups?

Recycling these cups provides the perfect temporary (or even permanent) homes for your plants, and you'll get the cutest container garden in the process. In this guide to easy seeds to grow in cups, we'll explain how to choose your seeds, care for them, and avoid common pitfalls.

Read more
These are the best zone 9 fruit trees we’ve found
From lemons to peaches, here are the fruits to grow in zone 9
Peaches in a container

There are 13 climate zones on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, and zone 9 offers one of the best areas to grow fresh produce, including several fruits that you probably already love. Long summers and mild winters define this region, which stretches across the southernmost part of the U.S. Though the short winters can pose challenges for plants that require a chilling period to grow and bloom, the extended growing season in this area is welcoming for fruit growth. Long story short, there is never a shortage of zone 9 fruit trees to try out.

If you live in zone 9, pull out your favorite fruit recipes — below, we've put together a guide that tells you everything you need to know about zone 9, as well as the lush fruit trees that thrive in it!

Read more