Plant care guides

Browse in-depth care guides for every plant: light, water, troubleshooting, pet and child safety, and more.

AeoniumAeoniumSupply strong light, an abrasive substrate, and a dry summer rest, and this cool-season grower holds its rosettes plump and firm.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyAfrican DaisyOsteospermum ecklonisMatch it to full sun, sharp drainage, and cool temperatures, and the African daisy flowers prolifically.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyAfrican SpearDracaena angolensisSite it in bright light and let the mix dry fully between waterings, and this drought-adapted snake plant largely maintains itself.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–30 daysToxicEasyAfrican VioletStreptocarpus ionanthusSupply bright indirect light and tepid water delivered from below, and the African violet will flower across most of the year.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeModerateAgaveAgave americanaSite it in full sun and gritty, fast-draining soil, water it sparingly, and agave performs best under near-total neglect.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasyAgeratumAgeratum houstonianumFloss flower carries soft blue blooms from late spring to frost when given full sun and steady moisture.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasyAir PlantTillandsiaNo pot and no medium required. Supply an air plant with bright light and a weekly soak and its leaves manage the rest.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyAlfalfaMedicago sativaCorrect the soil pH and drainage first, because everything from nodulation to winter survival in this taprooted legume follows from it.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateAlmondPrunus dulcisMatch it to full sun, deep well-drained soil, and a frost-free bloom, and the almond returns decades of kernels.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicDemandingAlocasia 'Polly'Alocasia × amazonica 'Polly'Supply warmth, humidity, and bright indirect light, and the African mask plant returns striking arrowhead foliage.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemandingAlocasia ZebrinaAlocasia zebrinaEach arrow-shaped blade rides a petiole banded in zebra-like markings, a foliage plant built like a sculpture.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemandingAloe VeraAloe veraBuilt to ration its own moisture, aloe thrives on strong light, sharply drained soil, and a full dry-down between waterings.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyAmaranthAmaranthus caudatusProvide full sun and warm soil, and amaranth produces its trailing tassels from summer into fall.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasyAmaryllisHippeastrum hybridumPot the bulb, supply warmth and water, and a dormant bulb sends up a tall stalk of trumpet flowers within weeks.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyAmerican BasswoodTilia americanaA broad native shade tree carrying fragrant summer flowers that draw heavy bee traffic.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyAmerican BeechFagus grandifoliaProvide rich, acidic, moist soil and ample room to spread, and the American beech matures into a shade tree that persists for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateAmerican ElmUlmus americanaA fast-growing vase-shaped shade tree brought back from near-collapse through breeding for resistance.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateAmerican HornbeamCarpinus carolinianaGive it moist soil and a little shade, and this tough, slow-growing native holds its form for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyAmerican Pitcher PlantSarraceniaGive it full sun, rain-pure water, and a cold winter rest, and the pitcher plant catches its own dinner.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeModerateAmerican Smoketree (Tree Form)Cotinus obovatusGrown on poor, dry ground in full sun, the American smoketree produces its hazy summer plumes and its strongest fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyAmerican SycamorePlatanus occidentalisGive it room and moist ground and the American sycamore matures into one of the East's largest shade trees.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateAngel Wing BegoniaBegonia coccineaSupply bright light and a disciplined pinch, and the cane-type angel wing begonia returns silver-spotted leaves and pendulous red flowers.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyAngeloniaAngelonia angustifoliaSupply full sun and heat, and angelonia produces spires of bloom from summer to fall with minimal intervention.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyAnisePimpinella anisumSow once, leave the taproot undisturbed, and a long warm season carries anise through to fragrant ripe seed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateAnnual RyegrassLolium multiflorumSow it in fall and annual ryegrass delivers fast cover, nitrogen-scavenging roots, and a stand that mostly self-terminates by spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyAnnual VincaCatharanthus roseusMeet its need for heat, full sun, and sharply drained soil, and Catharanthus roseus flowers from late spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyAnthuriumAnthurium andraeanumSupply warmth, even moisture, and humid air, and the anthurium will push its glossy spathes for months on end.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemandingAppleMalus domesticaProvide full sun, a pollination partner, and an annual prune, and an apple tree will feed you for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateApricotPrunus armeniacaSite it for full sun, sharp drainage, and shelter from late frost, and an apricot tree will set sweet golden fruit by early summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateAreca PalmDypsis lutescensSupply bright indirect light, clean water, and humid air, and the areca palm fills a corner with soft, feathery green.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyArrowhead PlantSyngonium podophyllumVigorous and quick to establish, the arrowhead plant climbs or trails to suit its support, provided it receives bright indirect light.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyArrowwood ViburnumViburnum dentatumA resilient native shrub delivering spring flowers, blue-black fruit, and strong fall color with minimal input.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyArugulaEruca vesicaria subsp. sativaStart it during cool weather and peppery foliage is ready to cut in roughly a month.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–3 daysPet & child safeEasyAsian PearPyrus pyrifoliaProvide full sun, a pollination partner, and an open framework, and the Asian pear delivers crisp, juicy fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateAsiatic JasmineTrachelospermum asiaticumTough, glossy, and happy in sun or deep shade, Asiatic jasmine carpets the ground and demands next to nothing.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyAsiatic LilyLiliumSet the bulbs once and Asiatic lilies return the first major blooms of summer, season after season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasyAsparagusAsparagus officinalisEstablish the crowns once and a sound asparagus bed yields every spring for 15 to 20 years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModerateAsparagus FernAsparagus aethiopicusSoft, feathery, and remarkably drought-tolerant thanks to its water-storing roots.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–10 daysToxicEasyAsterSymphyotrichumSite it in full sun and well-drained soil, and the aster extends the garden's color well into fall.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyAstilbeAstilbe × arendsiiGive it shade and soil that stays damp, and astilbe fills the dark corners with feathery plumes.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyAutumn CrocusColchicum autumnaleBare lilac-pink blooms surface in fall, yet every part conceals deadly colchicine.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyAutumn FernDryopteris erythrosoraSited in moist shade, the autumn fern opens each season with copper-red new fronds.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–7 daysSafety unverifiedEasyAvocadoPersea americanaWith full sun, sharp drainage, and frost protection, an avocado will hold a canopy over a yard for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateAzaleaRhododendronProvide acidic soil, dappled shade, and steady moisture, and the azalea answers with a spring display that holds the eye.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateBaby Rubber PlantPeperomia obtusifoliaBecause its semi-succulent leaves bank their own moisture, this peperomia thrives on bright indirect light with infrequent, thorough watering.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyBaby ToesFenestraria rhopalophyllaBright light and a near-dry mineral mix suit it best, because the windowed leaves are built to ration water.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeModerateBacopaSutera cordataHold it at even moisture in sun or light shade, and bacopa cascades in white bloom from summer to frost.☀️ Partial sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeEasyBahiagrassPaspalum notatumTough, drought-proof, and happy in poor sandy soil, bahiagrass holds ground where finer lawns give up.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyBald CypressTaxodium distichumA bottomland conifer that withstands flood, drought, and alkaline-free urban soil and colors rust-orange before leaf drop.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBalloon FlowerPlatycodon grandiflorusSite it in full sun with sharp drainage, and the inflated buds keep bursting open each summer for years on end.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyBamboo PalmChamaedorea seifriziiMatch its forest-floor origins with bright indirect light and clean water, and the bamboo palm builds a soft, feathery green corner.☀️ Medium indirectPet & child safeEasyBananaMusa acuminataSupply warmth, rich soil, and steady water, and this giant herb regenerates new stems from its rhizome for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateBarrel CactusFerocactus wislizeniSite it in full sun and gritty, sharply drained soil, irrigate sparingly, and this desert barrel persists for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–28 daysPet & child safeEasyBarren StrawberryWaldsteinia ternataA durable yellow-flowered groundcover that carpets dry shade where most plants give up.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyBarrenwortEpimedium grandiflorumRhizomatous, deer-proof, and happy in dry shade, barrenwort colonizes the difficult ground beneath trees where little else persists.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBasilOcimum basilicumSupply steady warmth, strong sun, and regular pinching, and basil yields fresh kitchen leaves across the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasyBay LaurelLaurus nobilisAn evergreen Mediterranean laurel that, grown slowly and sheltered from frost, yields kitchen leaves for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateBearded IrisIris germanicaSet the rhizome shallow in full sun, keep it lean and well drained, and the bearded iris flowers reliably each spring for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyBeardtonguePenstemon digitalisGrow it in full sun with sharp drainage, and this hardy native raises white spikes that pull in foraging bees.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBeautybushKolkwitzia amabilisA dependable, arching shrub whose old-wood branches carry pink, bell-shaped flowers each spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBee BalmMonarda didymaFull sun, consistent soil moisture, and open spacing are what drive heavy bloom and low mildew pressure in Monarda didyma, and pollinators work the flowers all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyBeetBeta vulgaris subsp. vulgarisDirect-seed it, thin it early, and lift it young, and the beet returns sweet roots along with a crop of edible greens.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyBell PepperCapsicum annuumMeet its requirements for full sun, consistent moisture, and warm ground, and Capsicum annuum bears steadily from midsummer until the first frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyBellflowerCampanula persicifoliaProvide cool weather, sun, and well-drained soil, and the bellflower rings out blue bells every summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyBells of IrelandMoluccella laevisTall green spires of bell-shaped calyces suited to cool weather and prized for drying in the vase.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateBermuda GrassCynodon dactylonHeat-driven and quick to knit together, bermuda grass builds a hard-wearing lawn that withstands sun, drought, and steady foot traffic.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyBidensBidens ferulifoliaSet it in full sun and average soil, and bidens carries golden flowers from spring right through to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyBig BluestemAndropogon gerardiiSet it in full sun and lean soil, and this towering native grass holds its form from summer deep into winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyBird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginaeGive it all the sun you can and a few patient years, and the crane flower repays you with one of the most striking blooms you can grow indoors.☀️ Full sunToxicModerateBird's Nest FernAsplenium nidusSupply warmth, steady moisture, and humid air, and this shade-adapted fern unfurls glossy fronds for years.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–9 daysPet & child safeModerateBlack ChokeberryAronia melanocarpaCold-hardy, soil-tolerant, and edible from spring bloom through winter fruit, chokeberry makes minimal cultural demands.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyBlack LocustRobinia pseudoacaciaA tough, nitrogen-fixing tree with brittle wood and a serious toxic streak.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysToxicEasyBlack Mondo GrassOphiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'Few plants come this close to true black, and a little sun is what keeps the leaves their darkest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyBlack Velvet Elephant EarAlocasia reginula 'Black Velvet'A compact jewel alocasia whose near-black, silver-veined leaves reward precise, attentive care.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemandingBlack-eyed SusanRudbeckia hirtaSited once in full sun, this golden daisy renews itself each year through the seed it sets.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasyBlack-eyed Susan VineThunbergia alataProvide full sun, steady water, and something to climb, and this twining annual carries flowers from summer to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyBlack-gold PhilodendronPhilodendron melanochrysumSupply it warm, humid air and a pole to climb, and this velvet-leaved philodendron develops deep, glittering foliage.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerateBlackberryRubus fruticosusProvide full sun and ample room, and a blackberry returns heavy crops for many seasons.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyBladderwortUtriculariaPure water, lean soil, bright light: this tiny carnivore feeds itself.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeModerateBlanket FlowerGaillardia × grandifloraSite it in full sun and lean, dry soil, and the blanket flower carries color from June to frost.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyBlazing StarLiatris spicataSet the corms once and blazing star returns each summer with tall purple spikes for pollinators.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyBleeding HeartLamprocapnos spectabilisGive it shade, steady moisture, and rich soil, and bleeding heart suspends its rows of pink hearts along arching stems each spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyBlood OrangeCitrus × sinensisPair full sun with cold winter nights, and the blood orange lays down flesh the color of garnet.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateBloodgood Japanese MapleAcer palmatumThe why behind keeping a Bloodgood maple healthy, from soil moisture to leaf color.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateBloodrootSanguinaria canadensisA short-lived white spring ephemeral for shade, with a sanguinarine-laden red rhizome to handle in gloves.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateBlue FescueFestuca glaucaA compact silver-blue tuft built for hot, dry, lean ground that defeats less frugal plants.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBlue Oat GrassHelictotrichon sempervirensGrown in full sun and poor, dry soil, blue oat grass keeps a compact, steel-blue mound across the year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBlue StarAmsonia tabernaemontanaSited in full sun and sheared after bloom, Blue Star transitions from spring flowers to gold fall color with minimal intervention.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyBluebeardCaryopteris × clandonensisRenew bluebeard with a hard spring cut and it repays the work with a haze of blue flowers as the season turns.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBlueberryVaccinium corymbosumHold the soil acidic and a compatible cultivar nearby, and the blueberry returns fruit each summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateBlushing BromeliadNeoregelia carolinaeKeep the central cup charged with fresh water and site it in bright, indirect light, and the blushing bromeliad colors up indoors with minimal input.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBok ChoyBrassica rapa subsp. chinensisSow it in cool weather, keep it watered and growing fast, and bok choy fills the bed in barely six weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyBorageBorago officinalisSow it a single time and the blue star flowers and bees return season after season unaided.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyBorder ForsythiaForsythia × intermediaPlant it for the first burst of yellow that opens long before anything else wakes up in spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBoston FernNephrolepis exaltataSupply steady moisture and humid air, and Nephrolepis exaltata develops into a fountain of soft green fronds.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyBoston IvyParthenocissus tricuspidataGrown for its sheet of crimson fall color, it needs masonry to climb rather than your siding.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyBougainvilleaBougainvillea spectabilisRun it hot, lean, and a touch dry, and bougainvillea repays you with sheets of color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateBoysenberryRubus ursinus × idaeusGive it full sun, a sturdy trellis, and a yearly prune, and the boysenberry crops with big, wine-dark fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateBradford PearPyrus calleryanaFast and adaptable, the Bradford pear pairs storm-prone branch unions with aggressive invasive spread, which is why it no longer belongs in the landscape.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBrazilian Pansy OrchidMiltoniaGive it warmth, steady moisture, and humid air, and the Brazilian pansy orchid returns star-shaped blooms.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateBroccoliBrassica oleracea Italica GroupGrown for cool weather and steady moisture, broccoli yields a main head followed by weeks of side shoots.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeModerateBroccoli RabeBrassica rapa Ruvo GroupSow it through the cool shoulders of the season, cut while the buds stay tight, and broccoli rabe returns sharp, savory greens.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyBromeliadBromeliaceae (family)A topped-up cup plus bright but indirect light buys you months of color from a single rosette.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBrunneraBrunnera macrophyllaSited in shade with steady moisture, Brunnera illuminates dark corners with silvered leaves and small blue spring flowers.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeEasyBrussels SproutsBrassica oleracea Gemmifera GroupPlant for fall and let a light frost finish the job, and the sprouts come in firm and sweet.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateBuckwheatFagopyrum esculentumGiven warm soil, buckwheat closes over open ground, suppresses weeds, and feeds pollinators in just a few weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyBuffalo GrassBouteloua dactyloidesA native shortgrass-prairie turf that holds green on a fraction of the water conventional lawns demand.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–28 daysPet & child safeModerateBugleweedAjuga reptansGive it part shade and good drainage, and bugleweed lays down a fast carpet of color, provided you hold it within its bounds.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyBunny Ear CactusOpuntia microdasysBright sun and a dry, gritty pot meet nearly every need of Opuntia microdasys.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–28 daysPet & child safeEasyBur OakQuercus macrocarpaBur oak is the white oak group's iron candidate, a slow, long-lived shade tree built to hold ground others cannot.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateBurning BushEuonymus alatusSite it in full sun and the autumn foliage ignites to a deep scarlet visible clear across the yard.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyBurro's TailSedum morganianumGive it bright light and dry roots, and this trailing succulent cascades over the pot for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysPet & child safeEasyButterfly BushBuddleja davidiiSite it in full sun and prune it hard each spring, and the butterfly bush fills with flowers and pollinators all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyButterfly WeedAsclepias tuberosaPosition it in full sun on lean, fast-draining ground, withhold extra care, and let the monarchs locate it.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasyButterwortPinguicula moranensisSupply bright light, rainwater, and a lean gritty mix, and the butterwort works through your gnats on its own.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 2–5 daysPet & child safeEasyButton FernPellaea rotundifoliaBuilt for rocky, well-drained ground, the button fern wants bright shade and restrained watering to thrive indoors.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyCabbageBrassica oleracea (Capitata Group)Supply steady moisture, fertile soil, and cool temperatures, and cabbage sets a heavy, tightly wrapped head.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateCaladiumCaladium bicolorSupply warm soil, dappled shade, and steady moisture, and the caladium answers with heart-shaped leaves marbled in red, pink, and white.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerateCalamondin OrangeCitrus × microcarpaA container citrus that carries fragrant bloom and sour fruit simultaneously, year round in a sunlit window.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateCalathea MedallionGoeppertia roseopictaSupply soft water, warmth, and steady humidity, and the medallion leaves open to their full painted pattern.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemandingCalathea OrbifoliaGoeppertia orbifoliaBroad, orbicular leaves marked with fine ribbon striping that closes at dusk, a nyctinastic habit typical of the prayer plants.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemandingCalathea White FusionGoeppertia lietzei 'White Fusion'Match the water quality and humidity to its rainforest origins and this living watercolour holds its brushstroked leaves.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemandingCalendulaCalendula officinalisSited in full sun on lean soil, pot marigold flowers from spring through to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyCalibrachoaCalibrachoa × hybridaMeet its three demands, full sun, steady moisture, and acidic media, and calibrachoa pours bloom from spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeEasyCalifornia LilacCeanothus thyrsiflorusSite it in full sun, sharp drainage, and almost no water, and California lilac answers with a wall of blue every spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 15–30 daysPet & child safeModerateCalla LilyZantedeschia aethiopicaSupplied with rich, moist ground and ample sun, the calla produces tall, sculptural blooms.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerateCamelliaCamellia japonicaProvide acidic soil, dappled shade, and steady water, and the camellia flowers when little else in the garden will.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateCandytuftIberis sempervirensSet it in full sun over fast-draining soil and candytuft answers with a sheet of white flowers each spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasyCanna LilyCanna × generalisGive it full sun, rich moist soil, and summer heat, and the canna throws bold leaves and flame-bright flowers until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–5 daysPet & child safeEasyCannabis / HempCannabis sativaGiven full sun, warm soil, and steady nitrogen, Cannabis sativa drives from seed to harvest within a single season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–7 daysToxicModerateCantaloupeCucumis meloGiven full sun, warm soil, and steady water, cantaloupe builds sweet, fragrant fruit that ripens by late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateCape PrimroseStreptocarpus rexiiProvide bright indirect light and disciplined watering, and Cape primrose will flower for much of the year.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyCape SundewDrosera capensisGive it bright sun and mineral-free water, and Drosera capensis holds its glistening, insect-catching dew through the year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeModerateCarawayCarum carviSited in full sun across its two-year cycle, caraway spends year one on leaf and root and sets fragrant seed in year two.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyCardboard PalmZamia furfuraceaA tough, sculptural cycad that asks for little, but its every part is dangerously toxic.☀️ Full sunToxicEasyCardinal ClimberIpomoea × multifidaSet it in full sun and lean soil, and this fast vine sends up scarlet trumpets that draw hummingbirds through the whole summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyCardinal FlowerLobelia cardinalisPair wet feet with light shade, and cardinal flower answers with scarlet, hummingbird-pollinated spikes in late summer.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasyCardoonCynara cardunculusSupplied with a long season, rich soil, and several weeks of blanching, the cardoon yields tender stalks the trade rarely offers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateCarnationDianthus caryophyllusProvide cool air, full sun, and sharp drainage, and the carnation returns the favor with fragrant, ruffled bloom.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasyCarolina JessamineGelsemium sempervirensSite it in full sun on a sturdy support, and this evergreen vine sets fragrant yellow trumpets in late winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyCarrotDaucus carota subsp. sativusBuild it deep, loose soil and a steady drink of water, and the carrot answers with sweet, straight roots.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateCashewAnacardium occidentaleA tropical tree that pays out twice over, cashew apple and nut, as long as its roots stay warm, sunny, and well drained.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateCassavaManihot esculentaA tough tropical root crop that rewards warm, well-drained ground and demands careful processing before it reaches the table.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicModerateCast Iron PlantAspidistra elatiorPlace it in the darkest corner of the room and the cast iron plant carries on regardless.☀️ Low lightPet & child safeEasyCatmintNepeta × faasseniiSite it in full sun and lean, dry soil, and catmint draws bees while throwing lavender-blue spikes across the whole summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCatnipNepeta catariaSite it in full sun and lean, dry soil, and catnip performs on neglect while your cat supplies the spectacle.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyCattailTypha latifoliaRoot it in mud or shallow water and the cattail flourishes, but allow it open ground and it colonizes the entire pond.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyCattleya OrchidCattleyaProvide bright light, a proper dry-out between waterings, and humid air, and the corsage orchid answers with show-stopping blooms.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateCauliflowerBrassica oleracea Botrytis GroupGive it cool air, ample feeding, and unbroken moisture, and the payoff is one firm, weighty head.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingCeleriacApium graveolens var. rapaceumProvide a long season, rich soil, and moisture that never lapses, and celeriac repays the effort with a knob no store can match.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemandingCeleryApium graveolens var. dulceCool air, organic-rich ground, and moisture that never lapses are what turn this demanding crop into crisp stalks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemandingCelosiaCelosia argenteaSet in full sun and warm, well-drained soil, celosia drives flame-bright plumes from summer through to frost.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyCentipede GrassEremochloa ophiuroidesFeed sparingly, withhold lime, and centipede grass holds a low-input lawn green all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyCereal RyeSecale cerealeSow it late, let it green up the off-season, and it builds your soil while smothering winter weeds.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyCherryPrunus aviumGiven full sun, deep soil, and moving air, a cherry tree will return fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateChervilAnthriscus cerefoliumCool air, gentle shade, and steady water reward you with fine lacy leaves.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateChestnutCastanea sativaSet it in well-drained, acidic soil with a compatible pollen source, and this beech-family tree will reward the grower with a heavy yield of roasting nuts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeModerateChickpeaCicer arietinumAn ancient legume that feeds itself from the air.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeModerateChili PepperCapsicum annuumSupply heat, sun, and steady water, and a chili plant loads up with fruit from summer into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerateChinese ElmUlmus parvifoliaA fast, adaptable shade tree that performs through poor soil, drought, and urban stress.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyChinese EvergreenAglaonema commutatumForgiving, shade-friendly, and reliably warm-loving, Chinese evergreen is a low-demand aroid built for understory conditions.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyChinese Fringe FlowerLoropetalum chinenseSite loropetalum in acidic, well-drained soil and it delivers colored foliage and fringed bloom with minimal intervention.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyChinese Money PlantPilea peperomioidesA compact Yunnan native with coin-shaped peltate leaves that earns its friendship plant reputation.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyChivesAllium schoenoprasumSite chives in full sun with consistent moisture, and a single divided clump remains productive for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasyChocolate CosmosCosmos atrosanguineusDeep maroon blooms that genuinely smell of dark chocolate, borne on a tender tuber you handle much as you would a dahlia.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateChocolate VineAkebia quinataFragrant chocolate-purple flowers and edible fruit on a climber whose vigor is both its asset and its liability.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCholla CactusCylindropuntia fulgidaGive it full sun and sharp drainage, then keep your distance from those barbed, grabbing joints.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyChristmas CactusSchlumbergera × buckleyiProvide bright, indirect light and cool fall nights, and this long-lived epiphyte initiates buds and blooms on cue for the holidays.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyChristmas FernPolystichum acrostichoidesSited in shade with sharp drainage, the Christmas fern carries evergreen fronds intact through winter.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyChrysanthemumChrysanthemum × morifoliumSite them in strong light, water consistently, and pinch the tips across the season; the lengthening nights of autumn then trigger a full canopy of bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasyCilantroCoriandrum sativumProvide cool weather and consistent moisture, and cilantro returns fresh foliage within a few weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyCinnamon FernOsmundastrum cinnamomeumSupply wet, acidic shade and cinnamon fern produces tall green sterile fronds and rust-colored fertile spikes year after year.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysSafety unverifiedEasyClematisClematisSet its head in sun and its feet in shade, and clematis builds a climbing wall of bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModerateCleomeCleome hasslerianaSown once in full sun, the spider flower reaches full height, blooms until frost, and reseeds itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyClimbing HydrangeaHydrangea anomala subsp. petiolarisA slow rooter that earns its keep with fragrant white lacecaps for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateClimbing RoseRosaTie it up, train the canes sideways, and a climbing rose will drape a wall in bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateCobra LilyDarlingtonia californicaHot hood, cold roots: the carnivorous bog plant that defeats anyone who treats it like an ordinary pot plant.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeDemandingCoconut PalmCocos nuciferaMatch its native conditions with full tropical sun, warmth, and sandy coastal soil, and Cocos nucifera performs for decades.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateCoffeeCoffea arabicaSupply warmth, bright indirect light, and humid air, and the coffee plant develops into a glossy evergreen capable of setting its own cherries in time.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysToxicModerateColeusColeus scutellarioidesGrown for its bold, painted leaves, coleus delivers color to a shaded corner or a sunny bed with minimal demands on the grower.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyCollard GreensBrassica oleracea (Viridis Group)An easy, cold-hardy brassica that goes on producing tender leaves well past the frost that closes down everything else.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyColorado Blue SprucePicea pungensSite it for full sun, cool air, and well-drained ground, and Picea pungens holds its silver color for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateColumbineAquilegia canadensisGiven dappled shade and moist, free-draining soil, columbine produces spurred spring flowers adapted to hummingbird pollination.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyComfreySymphytum officinaleA hardy, deep-rooted perennial that fuels your compost and refuses to quit once it establishes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyCommon BoxwoodBuxus sempervirensA slow, evergreen year-round broadleaf shrub that forms the structural backbone of a clipped, formal garden.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateCommon CamasCamassia quamashA meadow bulb that wants it wet in spring and dry at rest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyCommon FigFicus caricaSite it for full sun and steady summer water, and Ficus carica fruits reliably for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyCommon JasmineJasminum officinaleGive it sun, warmth, and a sturdy support, and common jasmine fills the summer air with scent.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateCommon LilacSyringa vulgarisSite it in full sun with open air around the canopy, and the common lilac returns decades of heavy spring fragrance.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCommon NinebarkPhysocarpus opulifoliusA cold-hardy native of the rose family, grown for exfoliating bark and pigmented foliage on a shrub that demands little.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCommon PeriwinkleVinca minorAn evergreen groundcover that holds dry shade with rooting stems, a vigor best confined to defined beds.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyCommon SneezeweedHelenium autumnaleGive it full sun and damp soil, cut it back in June, and sneezeweed sets the late border ablaze.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerateCommon SnowdropGalanthus nivalisSet the bulbs in fall and Galanthus nivalis rises through the last of the winter snow, flowering ahead of the season.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyCommon TansyTanacetum vulgareA hardy Asteraceae perennial that runs on almost nothing and colonizes ground given the chance.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyCoral BellsHeuchera sanguineaValued for its bold, year-round foliage as much as for its airy spring flowers, coral bells performs where shade rules.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeEasyCoreopsisCoreopsis grandifloraGive it full sun and lean, dry soil, and tickseed throws gold daisies from late spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCorkscrew RushJuncus effusus 'Spiralis'Hold its roots wet and never dry, and corkscrew rush returns a full season of twisting green coils.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeEasyCorn PlantDracaena fragransSlow, shade-tolerant, and undemanding, the corn plant repays one thing above all: clean, fluoride-free water.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyCorn PoppyPapaver rhoeasDirect-sow it in place, satisfy its demand for full sun and fast drainage, and Papaver rhoeas repays you with silky scarlet bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyCornflowerCentaurea cyanusSown into full sun and lean soil, cornflower returns true-blue flowerheads across the summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCosmosCosmos bipinnatusGrown hard in full sun and poor soil, cosmos flowers prolifically from summer to frost.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyCotoneasterCotoneasterDrought-hardy and reliably berried red through winter, cotoneaster rewards sound siting with years of low-input performance.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyCranberryVaccinium macrocarponSupply acidic peat, full sun, and steady moisture, and this low creeping vine returns a crop of tart berries each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemandingCreeping BentgrassAgrostis stoloniferaA fine, carpet-fine turf that reads like a putting green because it needs the management of one.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeDemandingCreeping FigFicus pumilaA vigorous, fast climber that clings by self-attaching rootlets and asks chiefly for bright shade and steady humidity.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasyCreeping JennyLysimachia nummulariaA low gold mat that performs in moist ground under shade or sun, and roots clonally fast enough to demand containment.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–5 daysPet & child safeEasyCreeping JuniperJuniperus horizontalisSite it in full sun with sharp drainage, and this rugged evergreen mat needs little from you.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasyCreeping MazusMazus reptansA low, moisture-loving carpet that roots between pavers and produces purple-blue bloom in early summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyCreeping PhloxPhlox subulataSited in full sun with sharp drainage, creeping phlox forms a dense spring carpet of bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCreeping ThymeThymus serpyllumSited in full sun with sharp drainage, creeping thyme forms a tough, aromatic mat built to withstand drought.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCrepe MyrtleLagerstroemia indicaSite it in full sun with open airflow and prune lightly, and Lagerstroemia indica flowers all summer before exfoliating into mottled winter bark.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCrimson CloverTrifolium incarnatumSow it in fall and crimson clover repays you with fixed nitrogen and a sweep of brilliant red bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyCrinum LilyCrinum × powelliiA large storage bulb and a settled clump are why the crinum lily lifts fragrant pink trumpets each late summer for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyCrossvineBignonia capreolataA vigorous southeastern native that carries a heavy spring flush of trumpets and reliably draws hummingbirds.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCrotonCodiaeum variegatumSupplied with bright light and steady, humid warmth, the croton develops leaves saturated in red, orange, and gold.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerateCrown ImperialFritillaria imperialisA commanding spring bulb topped with drooping bells and a skunky scent that teaches voles to keep their distance.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateCrown of ThornsEuphorbia miliiSupply direct sun, sharp drainage, and cautious handling, and crown of thorns will flower across nearly the whole year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyCucumberCucumis sativusSupply full sun, warm soil, and steady water, and a cucumber vine converts that into fruit faster than most gardeners can harvest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyCuminCuminum cyminumProvide full sun and a long, hot summer, and cumin will mature its own aromatic seed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingCup-and-saucer VineCobaea scandensProvide full sun and a tall, sturdy support, and this fast climber will sheathe a wall in bell-shaped flowers by late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyCupheaCuphea igneaSite it in full sun and pinch the tips on schedule, and cuphea flowers without pause from spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyCurrantRibes rubrumCold-hardy and reliably productive, the currant carries tart berries on a renewable framework of canes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyCurry PlantHelichrysum italicumA sun-loving Mediterranean subshrub whose silver foliage carries a curry-like scent, not a single grain of curry powder.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCymbidium OrchidCymbidiumSupply bright light and cool fall nights, and the cymbidium responds with long, arching sprays of bloom.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateCypress VineIpomoea quamoclitHand it full sun and a string to grip, and cypress vine returns feathery leaves and scarlet stars.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyDaffodilNarcissus pseudonarcissusSet the bulbs in fall and they deliver the first real color of spring, year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyDahliaDahlia × hybridaBuilt on full sun, rich soil, and steady moisture, the dahlia flowers from midsummer to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerateDaikon RadishRaphanus sativusSow it in late summer and let the deep taproot do the digging before winter terminates the plant.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyDate PalmPhoenix dactyliferaProvide full sun, sharp drainage, and desert heat, and the date palm returns sweet fruit for decades.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateDavid Austin RoseRosaOld-garden form and fragrance carried on a shrub bred for repeat flowering from late spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateDawn RedwoodMetasequoia glyptostroboidesA living fossil conifer that colors russet-bronze each fall and gains height fast enough to track season to season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–10 daysPet & child safeEasyDaylilyHemerocallis fulvaVigorous, adaptable, and quick to establish, the daylily turns full sun into a fresh bloom each morning through summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyDelphiniumDelphinium elatumTall spires of true blue built on hollow stems, demanding staking, steady moisture, and caution around children and pets.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysToxicDemandingDendrobium OrchidDendrobiumSupply bright light and a cool, dry winter rest, and the dendrobium responds with canes full of flowers.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateDeodar CedarCedrus deodaraSet in full sun on free-draining ground, this Himalayan cedar develops into a soft, sweeping evergreen that persists for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDesert RoseAdenium obesumHold it in full sun and let the soil run fully dry between waterings, and the desert rose answers with a swollen caudex and trumpet bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicModerateDiasciaDiascia barberaeA cool-season twinspur that flowers hardest in mild weather and never threatens your pets.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyDichondraDichondraA ground-hugging mat of coin-shaped leaves, useful as a barely-mown lawn or a silver cascade spilling from a pot.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateDillAnethum graveolensSow it once and let it run: dill germinates fast, flowers in heat, and seeds the next crop for you.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyDipladeniaMandevilla sanderiProvide full sun, warmth, and sharp drainage, and dipladenia produces trumpet flowers from early summer through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateDischidiaDischidia nummulariaMatch its epiphytic biology with bright light, fast-draining roots, and a full dry-out, and dischidia trails for years.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateDouglas FirPseudotsuga menziesiiProvide room, deep moist soil, and decades of patience, and the Douglas fir develops into one of the tallest trees in the forest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDragon FruitHylocereus undatusSupply this climbing cactus with sun, a load-bearing post, and a pollination partner, and it returns night-blooming flowers and bright pitaya.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDrooping LeucothoeLeucothoe fontanesianaMatch its native niche of shade, acidic soil, and even moisture, and this arching evergreen holds through every season.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateDumb CaneDieffenbachia seguineEasy in bright, indirect light, dumb cane answers a little warmth and humidity with bold, painted leaves.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyDusty MillerJacobaea maritimaGrow it for the silver foliage that lifts every neighboring color, give it sun and sharp drainage, and it demands almost nothing in return.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasyDutch IrisIris × hollandicaSeat the bulbs in fall and Dutch iris responds with tall, sleek blooms the following spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicEasyDutchman's PipeAristolochia macrophyllaA fast woody twiner that builds a wall of overlapping leaves and hosts the pipevine swallowtail.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyDwarf Alberta SprucePicea glaucaA slow, densely conical evergreen whose health hinges on full sun, steady moisture, and moving air.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDwarf FothergillaFothergilla gardeniiHoney-scented spring catkins and multicolored fall foliage on a slow, acid-loving native of the witch hazel family.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyDwarf Japanese MapleAcer palmatumProvide dappled shade, consistent moisture, and wind shelter, and a dwarf Japanese maple holds its form and color for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateEarth StarCryptanthus bivittatusMatch bright indirect light to steady humidity, and the earth star holds its pigment year round.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyEaster CactusRhipsalidopsis gaertneriProvide a cool winter rest and a position it can hold, and the Easter cactus responds with scarlet, star-shaped spring blooms.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateEastern HemlockTsuga canadensisSited in cool, moist shade, eastern hemlock develops into a soft, feathery evergreen that persists for generations.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateEastern Red CedarJuniperus virginianaA drought-hardened native conifer whose deep adaptability and long life make it a workhorse of difficult sites.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasyEastern RedbudCercis canadensisIt sets the leafless spring woods alight with rose-pink flowers borne straight on the wood well before any leaf unfolds.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyEastern White PinePinus strobusA fast-growing, soft-wooded conifer, eastern white pine forms a five-needled evergreen framework where acidic, well-drained ground gives its roots room.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateEcheveriaEcheveriaSupply bright light and a fast-draining substrate, and this rosette succulent largely manages itself.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyEggplantSolanum melongenaSupply heat, full sun, and even moisture, and eggplant sets glossy fruit through the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateElderberrySambucus canadensisSupply sun, steady moisture, and a second cultivar nearby, and elderberry returns heavy clusters of dark fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyElephant EarColocasia esculentaBuilt for wet ground and warmth, elephant ear converts rich soil and constant moisture into huge tropical leaves across the season.☀️ Full sunToxicEasyEmerald Green ArborvitaeThuja occidentalisSited in full sun with steady moisture and protected from deer and snow load, it delivers a dense green screen for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyEncore AzaleaRhododendronMatched to acidic soil, filtered sun, and steady moisture, the Encore azalea flowers in spring and reblooms into fall.☀️ Partial sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateEndiveCichorium endiviaGrown cool, evenly watered, and well-spaced, endive yields crisp salad leaves across spring and fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeEasyEnglish BluebellHyacinthoides non-scriptaSet the bulbs in fall and let them carpet the shade in violet-blue each spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasyEnglish IvyHedera helixShade-adapted, vigorous, and fast to fill a pot, English ivy trails or climbs wherever it is directed.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyEpazoteDysphania ambrosioidesGive it lean soil and full sun, pinch it often, and epazote returns that unmistakable Mexican kitchen flavor right through the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyEvergreen EuonymusEuonymus japonicusA tough, shade-friendly evergreen that shears cleanly into hedging and demands little once it is sited well.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyFairy Castle CactusAcanthocereus tetragonusA slow, sculptural cactus that runs on bright light and very little water, thriving on neglect rather than attention.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–21 daysPet & child safeEasyFalse IndigoBaptisia australisSite it once in full sun and lean, well-drained soil, and false indigo establishes for decades on almost no input.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyFalse ShamrockOxalis triangularisPurple, three-cornered leaflets that track the light by day and fold shut at night, rising from a colony of small bulbs.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyFalse SunflowerHeliopsis helianthoidesSite it in full sun and lean soil, and false sunflower yields gold from midsummer to first frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyFan FlowerScaevola aemulaGive it full sun and free-draining soil, and fan flower blooms steadily until frost cuts it down.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyFava BeanVicia fabaSow them into cold spring soil, supply sun and steady moisture, and these hardy broad beans crop early while temperatures stay cool.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyFeather Reed GrassCalamagrostis × acutifloraSited in full sun, feather reed grass holds a tall, feathered column from its June bloom right through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyFenugreekTrigonella foenum-graecumDirect sown into cool soil, fenugreek delivers fresh methi leaves within a month.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeEasyFeverfewTanacetum partheniumSited in full sun and lean, dry soil, feverfew flowers in white daisies across the whole summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyFicus AudreyFicus benghalensisProvide bright indirect light and even, measured watering, and this banyan fig grows into one reliable, handsome houseplant.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyFiddle-leaf FigFicus lyrataSupply bright indirect light and one unchanging position, and Ficus lyrata answers with broad, lacquered, violin-shaped leaves.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerateField PeaPisum sativum subsp. arvensePair it with a grain to climb, and the field pea builds your soil and feeds it nitrogen for free.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyFine FescueFestuca rubraOffer it shade, lean soil, and a light touch, and fine fescue carries a soft, low-care lawn.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyFishtail PalmCaryota mitisA bold indoor palm with leaflets shaped like a fish's tail, easy to please once you respect its prickly fruit.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateFlaming KatyKalanchoe blossfeldianaSupply bright light, gritty soil, and full dry-downs between waterings, and this succulent returns weeks of bloom.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyFlaming SwordVriesea splendensAs an epiphytic tank bromeliad, it feeds from its central cup, so keep that reservoir fresh and the color persists for months.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateFlorence FennelFoeniculum vulgareHold the plant in cool, even conditions and the leaf bases swell into a crisp, anise-sweet bulb.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateFloribunda RoseRosaSite it in full sun with open airflow and base irrigation, and a floribunda repeats its clustered bloom from spring to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateFlorist's CyclamenCyclamen persicumHold it cool, bright, and watered from below, and cyclamen flowers steadily through winter.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysToxicModerateFlowering DogwoodCornus floridaGive it part shade and moist, acidic soil, and the flowering dogwood returns spring bracts and red autumn fruit.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateFlowering QuinceChaenomeles speciosaAs one of the earliest shrubs into bloom, flowering quince colors bare branches before foliage breaks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyFoamflowerTiarella cordifoliaA woodland saxifrage that raises frothy white flower spikes in spring and holds the ground as a low, spreading cover.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyForget-me-notMyosotis sylvaticaOne planting yields a spring sheet of small blue flowers, then regenerates from its own seed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyFountain GrassPennisetum alopecuroidesSite it in full sun and lean soil, and fountain grass arches into a soft, plumed mound that carries color straight through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyFour O'clockMirabilis jalapaA warmth-loving tender perennial whose fragrant evening flowers run all summer before the plant sows the next generation itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyFoxgloveDigitalis purpureaTall spires of speckled bells illuminate a shaded border, yet every part of the plant is poisonous.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasyFoxtail FernAsparagus densiflorus 'Myers'Give it bright indirect light and a pot that drains, and the foxtail fern throws up plumes like green bottle brushes.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–10 daysToxicEasyFranklin TreeFranklinia alatamahaA small tree grown for its late-summer flowers and vivid fall foliage, absent from the wild since roughly the early 1800s.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingFreesiaFreesia refractaArching sprays of intensely fragrant winter blooms, opening one flower at a time.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateFrench TarragonArtemisia dracunculusSite it in full sun with sharp drainage, the two conditions that concentrate French tarragon's warm anise flavor through summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateFuchsiaFuchsia × hybridaGive it cool shade and steady moisture and the fuchsia keeps producing its dangling, two-tone flowers all season.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateGarden AngelicaAngelica archangelicaA towering Apiaceae herb whose monocarpic habit trades candied stems and architectural umbels for a single, final flowering.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateGarden GladiolusGladiolus × hortulanusSet the corms in spring and gladiolus repays it with tall spires of color from late summer to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicEasyGarden PhloxPhlox paniculataGiven full sun, open spacing, and even moisture, garden phlox tops the border with fragrant color from midsummer onward.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateGarden SageSalvia officinalisA drought-adapted Mediterranean subshrub that rewards full sun and free drainage with years of aromatic, oil-rich leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGarden SorrelRumex acetosaHarvested young and cut in succession, garden sorrel yields tart, lemon-toned leaves across the whole growing season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyGardeniaGardenia jasminoidesMatch its need for acidic soil, steady moisture, and humid air, and the gardenia returns intensely fragrant white flowers.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicDemandingGarlicAllium sativumSet a clove in fall and hold off until summer, when vernalization turns that single clove into a full head.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasyGarlic ChivesAllium tuberosumHarvest it repeatedly through the season and garlic chives regenerate from the crown with flat, garlic-scented leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasyGasteriaGasteriaGrown for its bright indirect light and a dry rest between waterings, this drought-adapted succulent needs little once its watering is right.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 10–21 daysSafety unverifiedEasyGauraGaura lindheimeriSite it in full sun and lean, well-drained soil, and gaura produces clouds of butterfly-like blooms from spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGazaniaGazania rigensGive it full sun and dry feet, and the treasure flower expands bold, daisy-bright heads across the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGerbera DaisyGerbera jamesoniiGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and a dry crown, and the gerbera daisy carries bright blooms from spring to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateGerman ChamomileMatricaria chamomillaUnder full sun with unimpeded drainage, Matricaria chamomilla flowers freely, lining beds with apple-scented daisies through the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyGhost PlantGraptopetalum paraguayenseSupply bright light and a dry rest between waterings, and the ghost plant largely manages itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasyGiant Ornamental OnionAllium giganteumSet the bulbs in fall and giant allium repays the chilling with tall scapes carrying drumstick umbels above the early-summer border.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysToxicEasyGingerZingiber officinaleSupply warmth, even moisture, and filtered light, and a single rhizome yields a full season's harvest of fresh ginger.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateGinkgoGinkgo bilobaSlow, durable, and near indestructible, the ginkgo is a specimen tree planted for the long term.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGlobe AmaranthGomphrena globosaSite globe amaranth in full sun and warm, well drained ground, and it carries papery clover-like flowers from summer until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyGlobe ArtichokeCynara cardunculus var. scolymusAn architectural thistle grown for the bud you eat before it flowers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateGlobe ThistleEchinops ritroSite it in full sun and lean, dry soil, and globe thistle returns steel-blue globes that bees work through summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGlorious PhilodendronPhilodendron gloriosumMatch its warmth, humidity, and bright indirect light and this velvet-leaf crawler unfurls one heart-shaped leaf after another.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerateGlory-of-the-snowChionodoxa forbesiiAmong the first bulbs to flower, glory-of-the-snow blankets the ground in blue before winter has released its grip.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyGlossy AbeliaAbelia × grandifloraSet in sun and sharply drained soil, glossy abelia carries flowers from late spring to frost with minimal intervention.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyGoji BerryLycium barbarumGive it full sun, lean alkaline soil, and room to sprawl, and this tough nightshade rewards you with superfood berries.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGolden Barrel CactusEchinocactus grusoniiMatch its desert origins with strong light and restrained watering, and this golden globe asks for very little.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyGolden Rain TreeKoelreuteria paniculataA resilient shade tree, peaking in midsummer, hung with papery lantern pods and loose yellow panicles.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGoldenrodSolidago canadensisGrown in full sun and lean soil, goldenrod delivers weeks of late-summer bloom and sustains a wide range of pollinators.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGoldfish PlantNematanthus gregariusSupply bright filtered light and steady warmth, and the goldfish plant produces arching stems set with small orange tubular blooms.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyGooseberryRibes uva-crispaA cold-hardy fruiting shrub that performs on cool conditions, an open shape, and steady moisture.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateGrandiflora RoseRosaTall, long-stemmed, and built to bloom from spring to frost, the grandiflora gives you hybrid-tea flowers on a floribunda frame.☀️ Full sun · 💧 4–7 daysPet & child safeModerateGrapeVitis viniferaGive a grapevine full sun, sturdy support, and a hard dormant prune, and it channels its vigor into fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicModerateGrape HyacinthMuscari armeniacumSet the small bulbs in autumn and each spring returns rivers of blue.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGrapefruitCitrus × paradisiGive it full sun, deep watering, and frost-free warmth, and a grapefruit tree carries fruit through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateGreat BurnetSanguisorba officinalisTall wands of dark red bottlebrush flowers that sway over the back of a damp, sunny border all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyGreen AshFraxinus pennsylvanicaA rugged, quick-growing shade tree that thrives on difficult ground, though its future now hinges on the emerald ash borer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGreen BeanPhaseolus vulgarisWarm soil and steady moisture drive weeks of tender pods from a self-feeding legume.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–7 daysPet & child safeEasyGreen Giant ArborvitaeThuja 'Green Giant'Give it full sun and room to spread, and this tree throws up a living privacy wall fast.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyGround CherryPhysalis pruinosaLet the husks dry, drop, and turn gold, and the ground cherry hands you a sweet harvest all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyGround OrchidBletilla striataA hardy terrestrial orchid that grows in ordinary garden soil and flowers pink each spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyGroundcover RoseRosaSited in full sun with open air movement, a groundcover rose carpets the ground in bloom from spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyGuavaPsidium guajavaMeet its needs for full sun, warmth, and frost protection, and a guava tree returns fragrant fruit for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyGuzmania (Scarlet Star)Guzmania lingulataWater through the central tank and hold the light bright but indirect, and this epiphytic bromeliad sustains its scarlet star for months.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyHairy VetchVicia villosaSown in fall, this nitrogen-fixing cover crop builds soil nitrogen through winter and into spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyHardy HibiscusHibiscus moscheutosGive it full sun and soil that never dries out, and hardy hibiscus produces dinner-plate flowers across the summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyHardy KiwiActinidia argutaA cold-tolerant vine yielding smooth, grape-sized fruit consumed whole, with no need to peel.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateHart's Tongue FernAsplenium scolopendriumGive it deep shade, steady moisture, and a lime-rich soil, and this glossy strap-leaved fern holds evergreen color through winter.☀️ Full shade · 💧 5–10 daysSafety unverifiedModerateHaworthiaHaworthiaGive it bright indirect light and a long dry spell between drinks, and this little windowed succulent asks for almost nothing.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–21 daysPet & child safeEasyHay-scented FernDennstaedtia punctilobulaA resilient native fern that fills shade with soft, hay-scented fronds and demands little of the soil.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysSafety unverifiedEasyHazelnutCorylus avellanaGive it full sun, a cross-compatible pollinizer, and room to spread, and the hazel returns a nut crop each autumn.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateHeartleaf PhilodendronPhilodendron hederaceumForgiving, fast, and shade-adapted, the heartleaf philodendron asks for little more than the occasional drink.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyHeavenly BambooNandina domesticaAdaptable, drought-hardy, and red-leafed in winter, nandina performs almost anywhere, yet its cyanogenic berries endanger wildlife.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyHeliotropeHeliotropium arborescensMeet its need for full sun and steady moisture, and heliotrope produces clusters of deep violet, sweetly fragrant bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerateHelleboreHelleborus orientalisA true winter pioneer, hellebore lifts its flowers in shade and lingering snow long before most perennials stir.☀️ Partial shadeMildly toxicEasyHen and ChicksSempervivum tectorumGive it sun, grit, and almost no water, and this hardy alpine succulent essentially manages itself.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyHindu Rope HoyaHoya carnosa 'Compacta'Provide bright light and a dry-leaning watering regime, and this curly-leaved wax plant performs for years.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyHinoki CypressChamaecyparis obtusaGive it acidic soil, steady moisture, and shelter from harsh wind, and this slow evergreen holds its shape for a lifetime.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateHolly FernCyrtomium falcatumGlossy, holly-shaped fronds on a pet-safe, shade-adapted fern built for the low light of a room.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyHollyhockAlcea roseaTall, old-fashioned spires of bloom that plant themselves once you let them go to seed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyHoly BasilOcimum tenuiflorumSite it in full sun and warm soil, pinch the growing tips, and tulsi yields fragrant leaves across the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyHoney LocustGleditsia triacanthosFast, hardy, and adaptable, the honey locust casts a light dappled shade across difficult urban soils.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyHoneyberryLonicera caeruleaPair two cultivars for cross-pollination and harvest the earliest berry of the season, sweet-tart and frost-tough.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyHoneydew MelonCucumis meloGiven full sun, warm soil, and a long season, honeydew accumulates the sugars that ripen into sweet, cooling fruit by late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeModerateHoneysuckleLonicera sempervirensIn full sun on a sturdy support, trumpet honeysuckle produces coral tubular flowers that hummingbirds are built to feed on.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyHopsHumulus lupulusGiven full sun, deep soil, and a tall support to climb, hop bines drive skyward through the season toward a brewing harvest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysToxicModerateHorseradishArmoracia rusticanaSet one root into deep, loose soil and this hardy perennial returns fiery taproots each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasyHorsetailEquisetum hyemaleArchitectural jointed evergreen stems for a wet margin, cultivated only within a container that arrests its rhizomatous spread.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysMildly toxicEasyHostaHostaMatch it to shade, steady moisture, and rich soil, and the hosta forms dense, long-lived mounds of foliage season after season.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyHummingbird MintAgastache foeniculumSite it in full sun with sharp drainage, and anise hyssop sustains bees and hummingbirds across the whole season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyHyacinthHyacinthus orientalisSet the bulbs in fall and the cold does the rest, yielding dense, sweet-scented spikes in spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyHyacinth BeanLablab purpureusGive it heat, full sun, and a tall trellis, and hyacinth bean throws purple flowers and glossy pods clear into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicEasyHybrid Tea RoseRosaGiven full sun, deep base watering, and a hard spring cut, the hybrid tea rose sustains long-stemmed bloom from summer to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–8 daysPet & child safeModerateHydrangeaHydrangea macrophyllaGive it rich, moist soil and afternoon shade, and the hydrangea returns armfuls of bloom through summer.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateHyssopHyssopus officinalisSited in full sun and lean, fast-draining soil, hyssop delivers aromatic foliage and bee-worked blue flower spikes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyIce PlantDelosperma cooperiProvide full sun and sharp drainage, and this succulent forms a low carpet of jewel-toned flowers through the summer.☀️ Full sunSafety unverifiedEasyImpatiensImpatiens wallerianaGiven shade and even moisture, impatiens holds a low-light border in continuous bloom all season.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeEasyInkberry HollyIlex glabraA native shrub adapted to wet ground, hard winters, and shade that holds its evergreen foliage year round.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyInterrupted FernClaytosmunda claytonianaGive it damp shade and rich, acidic soil, and this cold-hardy native fern renews its fronds each spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysSafety unverifiedEasyIronweedVernonia noveboracensisSite it in full sun and moist ground, and ironweed closes the season with deep purple flowers that pollinators work hard.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyItalian CypressCupressus sempervirensSited once in full sun and dry, well-drained soil, this slim green column keeps its architectural form for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyJacob's LadderPolemonium caeruleumGive it cool shade and steady moisture, and Jacob's ladder raises tidy rungs of foliage beneath spring-blue flowers.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyJade PlantCrassula ovataProvide bright light and a complete dry-out between waterings, and the jade plant will outlast most houseplants purchased alongside it.☀️ Full sunToxicEasyJane MagnoliaMagnolia 'Jane'A compact tree whose tulip-shaped purple-pink flowers open late enough to clear the spring frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese AnemoneAnemone × hybridaPlant it once for late-summer flowers on tall, swaying stems, and it returns with greater vigor each year.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyJapanese BarberryBerberis thunbergiiTough, thorny, and richly colored, but assess the site and the law before you plant it where it can spread.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese Blood GrassImperata cylindrica 'Rubra'Give it full sun and even moisture, and the blades develop blood-red pigment from the tips downward.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese CedarCryptomeria japonicaSupply rich, moist soil and shelter from drying winter wind, and Japanese cedar develops into a towering evergreen spire.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese Forest GrassHakonechloa macraGive it shade and steady moisture, and this grass cascades over a bed's edge like falling water.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese HollyIlex crenataRoot it in acid, freely draining ground and Ilex crenata holds a sheared outline for decades with little intervention.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyJapanese IrisIris ensataSupply acidic soil, full sun, and abundant summer water, and Japanese iris produces broad, butterfly-flat blooms.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysMildly toxicModerateJapanese KerriaKerria japonicaSited in dappled shade and free-draining soil, Japanese kerria opens spring with golden flowers carried on bright green stems.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese LaurelAucuba japonicaGive it shade and good drainage, and Japanese laurel returns glossy gold-speckled foliage with almost no fuss.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyJapanese MapleAcer palmatumGive it dappled shade, steady moisture, and shelter from wind, and the Japanese maple returns color from spring through fall.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateJapanese PachysandraPachysandra terminalisSited in deep shade and rich, moist soil, pachysandra forms a glossy evergreen carpet that persists for years.☀️ Full shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyJapanese Painted FernAthyrium niponicum var. pictumUnder dappled shade with reliable moisture, this fern turns a dark border into its most colorful planting.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 4–7 daysSafety unverifiedEasyJapanese PierisPieris japonicaProvide acidic soil and shelter from wind, and andromeda repays you with drooping white flowers each spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateJapanese PittosporumPittosporum tobiraAn evergreen shrub that withstands sun, shade, drought, and hard shearing and still carries an orange-blossom scent each spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese PrimrosePrimula japonicaMatch its native cool, wet, shaded ground and Primula japonica raises tiered candelabra whorls of bloom each spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 1–3 daysMildly toxicModerateJapanese SkimmiaSkimmia japonicaSite it in shade and acidic soil, and this evergreen sets fragrant spring flowers and persistent winter berries.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateJapanese SpireaSpiraea japonicaA tough, fast, forgiving shrub, Japanese spirea carries flat pink flower clusters and shifting foliage color from spring through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese StewartiaStewartia pseudocamelliaA slow, exacting tree that repays correct siting with summer flowers, fall color, and exfoliating bark.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingJapanese Umbrella PineSciadopitys verticillataA living fossil whose soft needles borne in whorls repay steady moisture and a patient hand.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateJapanese YewTaxus cuspidataA rugged, shade-tolerant evergreen suited to hedging and topiary, and at the same time among the most lethal plants that can be grown in a landscape.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyJewel OrchidLudisia discolorPrized for its velvet, vein-streaked leaves, the jewel orchid is the terrestrial orchid grown for foliage rather than flowers.☀️ Medium indirect · 💧 4–9 daysPet & child safeEasyJoe Pye WeedEutrochium purpureumSited in full sun with reliably moist soil, Joe Pye weed commands the late-season border amid clouds of foraging pollinators.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyJuniperJuniperus chinensisSite it in full sun with sharp drainage and juniper demands little else across a long, hardy life.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyKalanchoeKalanchoeA drought-adapted succulent that delivers bright, long-lasting blooms on minimal inputs.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyKaleBrassica oleracea Acephala GroupCold-hardy and productive, kale yields tender leaves from spring right through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyKentia PalmHowea forsterianaSet it in bright, indirect light and water it steadily, and the kentia palm holds a slow, easy elegance in any room.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyKentucky BluegrassPoa pratensisGiven full sun and steady water, Kentucky bluegrass knits into a dense, self-healing sod.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateKey LimeCitrus × aurantiifoliaProvide full sun, warmth, and free-draining soil, and this thorny citrus repays the effort with sharp, aromatic limes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateKimberly Queen FernNephrolepis obliterataSupply bright indirect light and steady moisture and this upright sword fern holds a full, tidy form year round.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyKiwiActinidia deliciosaGive it full sun, a strong trellis, and a male partner, and a kiwi vine rewards the patience with fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateKnock Out RoseRosaSite it in full sun and renew a third of the canes each spring, and the Knock Out reblooms from June to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyKohlrabiBrassica oleracea Gongylodes GroupGrown fast and cool and harvested small, kohlrabi yields a crisp, sweet swollen stem held above the soil.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyKousa DogwoodCornus kousaA small tree that delivers star-shaped bracts, edible fruit, and exfoliating bark across all four seasons.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateKumquatCitrus japonicaProvide full sun, even moisture, and shelter from hard frost, and this compact citrus fruits through the winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyKwanzan CherryPrunus serrulataA tree grown for one unforgettable week of double pink bloom each spring, sound care carrying it through the rest of the year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateLacy PhaceliaPhacelia tanacetifoliaOne sowing, and the flowers pull bees in droves, a haze of lavender-blue feeding pollinators all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyLady PalmRhapis excelsaSlow, shade-adapted, and non-toxic to pets, Rhapis excelsa is among the most tractable palms for interior culture.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyLamb's EarStachys byzantinaA groundcover of soft, silvery leaves that carpets lean, dry ground and asks little in return.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyLantanaLantana camaraGrown in full sun and lean soil, lantana flowers through the heat of summer, yet every part of it is poisonous.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasyLarge-flowered TrilliumTrillium grandiflorumGrow it in shade over deep, humusy woodland soil, and this rhizomatous native flowers on the forest's own schedule each spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateLarkspurConsolida ajacisTall blue spikes for the cool garden, elegant in the border yet poisonous in every part.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasyLavenderLavandula angustifoliaGive it full sun and sharp drainage, keep the ground lean, and lavender rewards you with fragrance for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysMildly toxicEasyLeekAllium ampeloprasumPlant them deep, feed them hard, and hill the soil up, and a leek hands you a long sweet shank that stands through the cold.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateLemonCitrus limonSupply full sun, deep but infrequent water, and frost protection, and a lemon tree crops for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateLemon BalmMelissa officinalisDisturb the foliage and the volatile oils release at once: lemon balm scents the whole garden lemon while demanding almost no input.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyLemon VerbenaAloysia citriodoraOne brushed leaf scents the air with lemon. Supply full sun and warmth, and this tender herb yields fragrant foliage all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateLemongrassCymbopogon citratusUnder high light, consistent soil moisture, and sustained warmth, this tropical grass yields its aromatic, thickened stalks across the entire growing season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasyLentilLens culinarisSown early into cool, well-drained ground, this hardy legume fixes its own nitrogen and repays the grower at harvest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateLettuceLactuca sativaHeld cool, evenly moist, and growing fast, lettuce delivers crisp salad leaves in about a month.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–3 daysPet & child safeEasyLewisiaLewisia cotyledonGive it sharp drainage and a dry crown, and lewisia crowns its rosette with bright flowers each spring.☀️ Partial sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateLeyland CypressCupressus × leylandiiSited with room to breathe and steady water, this fast evergreen throws up a privacy wall in just a few years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateLigulariaLigularia dentataSited in damp shade, the leopard plant answers with bold foliage and tall daisy spires.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateLily of the ValleyConvallaria majalisFragrant white bells that colonize the shade by rhizome, with cardiac glycosides in every part.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasyLimeCitrus × latifoliaSupplied with abundant sunlight, sharp drainage, and consistent warmth, a lime tree stays productive for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateLingonberryVaccinium vitis-idaeaMatch its need for acidic soil, full sun, and steady moisture, and this low evergreen carpet returns two crops of tart red berries a year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeModerateLipstick PlantAeschynanthus radicansSupply warmth, bright indirect light, and humid air, and Aeschynanthus radicans trails red flowers from a hanging basket across much of the year.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyLisianthusEustoma grandiflorumA slow crop with a cool requirement at the start, lisianthus repays a precise, patient beginning with rose-like blooms through summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingLithopsLithopsTiny living stones adapted to survive on almost no water, so their care hinges on withholding it at the right times.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateLittle BluestemSchizachyrium scopariumGrown in full sun and lean, dry soil, this native grass holds its posture from summer through the depth of winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasyLobeliaLobelia erinusGive it cool weather, part shade, and steady moisture, and lobelia carries clouds of blue from spring into fall.☀️ Partial sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasyLoganberryRubus × loganobaccusIn full sun, rich soil, and on a firm trellis, the loganberry sets a long crop of tart-sweet summer fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateLoquatEriobotrya japonicaSited in full sun and clear of late frost, the loquat ripens sweet fruit when few other trees are cropping.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateLovageLevisticum officinaleRooted in rich, moist soil under full sun, a single lovage crown yields celery flavor across many seasons.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyLucky BambooDracaena sanderianaSupply clean water and bright, indirect light, and this undemanding Dracaena holds its color for years.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 Every 7 daysToxicEasyLungwortPulmonaria saccharataMatch it to cool shade and steady moisture and lungwort animates the dim corners with early spotted leaves and pink-to-blue flowers.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 Every 7 daysPet & child safeEasyLupineLupinus polyphyllusGive it full sun, cool roots, and lean soil, and lupine throws up tall spires of color from late spring into summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateLycheeLitchi chinensisGive it heat, acidic soil, and a cool winter rest, and this tropical evergreen repays the discipline it asks for.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingMacadamiaMacadamia integrifoliaMatch its needs for warmth, deep soil, and a pollination partner, and the macadamia sets a rich crop.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicDemandingMacedonian ScabiousKnautia macedonicaSet it in full sun and lean, well-drained soil, and crimson pincushions carry the border through the whole summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyMadagascar Dragon TreeDracaena reflexa var. angustifoliaSupply bright indirect light and fluoride-free water, and the dragon tree's slow metabolism forgives most other lapses.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyMaiden GrassMiscanthus sinensisSited in full sun and lean soil, maiden grass raises tall, silvery plumes that persist through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyMaidenhair FernAdiantum raddianumKeep the soil moist and the air humid, and this lacy fern softens any shaded corner.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemandingMajesty PalmRavenea rivularisMatch its riverbank origins with steady moisture, bright light, and humid air, and this palm fills a room with feathery green.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 4–7 daysPet & child safeModerateMalabar SpinachBasella albaWarmth, consistent moisture, and vertical support keep this twining Basellaceae vine in leaf rather than in seed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyMandarin OrangeCitrus reticulataProvide full sun, free-draining soil, and shelter from hard frost, and a mandarin tree returns fragrant blossom and easy-peel fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateMandevillaMandevilla × amabilisSupply full sun and warmth, and this tropical vine converts the season into trumpet flowers from summer through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateMangoMangifera indicaSupply warmth, direct sun, and sharply drained soil, and a mango rewards a warm-climate garden with months of ripening fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateMarigoldTagetesSited in full sun and well-drained soil, the marigold blooms from early summer until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicEasyMarsh MarigoldCaltha palustrisSited where the ground stays wet to soggy, marsh marigold colors the water's edge before nearly any other perennial breaks bud.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysMildly toxicEasyMasterwortAstrantia majorGiven moist soil and dappled shade, masterwort holds its starry bracts through the cool of summer.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–5 daysSafety unverifiedModerateMayapplePodophyllum peltatumA rhizomatous woodland native that unfurls its umbrella leaves in spring, then withdraws into dormancy by midsummer.☀️ Full shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateMeadow RueThalictrum rochebruneanumSlender stems lift a diffuse veil of bloom well above the foliage, giving meadow rue its transparent, airy structure in a part-shade border.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyMedlarMespilus germanicaA slow, cold-hardy fruit tree of modest demands that ripens only after the first frosts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateMexican Feather GrassNassella tenuissimaIn lean soil and full sun this fine-textured bunchgrass holds form all season, provided its seed output is managed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasyMexican SnowballEcheveria elegansSupply strong sun and a dry root zone, and the Mexican snowball maintains a compact silver rosette for years.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyMeyer LemonCitrus × meyeriSupply it strong light, even moisture, and shelter from frost, and this dwarf citrus returns fragrant blooms and sweet fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateMilkweedAsclepias syriacaGrow it for the monarchs: give it sun and lean soil, and a native milkweed largely sustains itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyMini MonsteraRhaphidophora tetraspermaGive it bright indirect light, a moss pole, and humid air, and the mini monstera climbs fast all year.☀️ Bright indirectMildly toxicEasyMiniature RoseRosaGive it full sun, steady water, and good airflow, and a miniature rose blooms from spring right through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateMintMentha spicataGive it steady moisture and a contained root run, and mint yields fresh leaves from spring through frost.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasyMizunaBrassica rapa var. nipposinicaSow it in cool weather, keep it watered, and cut it often, and mizuna keeps feeding you for weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyMock OrangePhiladelphus coronariusBecause it flowers on old wood in full sun, mock orange rewards correct timing with a flood of orange-blossom scent.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyMondo GrassOphiopogon japonicusGrown in shade with steady moisture, mondo grass forms a soft, dark green carpet that demands almost no upkeep.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyMoney TreePachira aquaticaAdapted to bright, diffuse light and tolerant of neglect, the money tree is a fast-growing, pet-safe specimen.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyMonkshoodAconitum napellusTall blue hooded spikes that earned the name queen of poisons, an ornamental of real garden merit and real toxic risk.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateMontbretiaCrocosmia × crocosmiifloraEstablished corms drive arching sprays of fiery summer color whose tubular form is built for hummingbird pollination.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyMoon CactusGymnocalycium mihanovichiiA composite of two cacti, the moon cactus pairs a chlorophyll-free scion with a green rootstock that feeds it entirely.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–21 daysPet & child safeModerateMoonflowerIpomoea albaSite it in full sun and warm soil, and moonflower opens fragrant white trumpets at dusk each evening.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyMorning GloryIpomoea purpureaSow a few scarified seeds at the base of a trellis and morning glory clothes it in trumpets by late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyMoss RosePortulaca grandifloraBuilt as a succulent for heat and drought, moss rose flowers hardest in the poorest, driest, sunniest ground you can give it.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyMoth OrchidPhalaenopsisSupply bright indirect light and a genuine dry-down between waterings, and a moth orchid holds bloom for months.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyMother of ThousandsKalanchoe daigremontianaAn easy succulent that propagates itself along every leaf margin, and one to keep well away from pets.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyMountain FleecePersicaria amplexicaulisHold the soil at steady moisture with room to spread, and mountain fleece raises red bottlebrush spikes from June to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyMugo PinePinus mugoA hardy evergreen mountain pine that needs only full sun and sharp drainage, then largely maintains itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyMulberryMorus rubraGive it full sun and room to spread, and the mulberry returns berries by the bucketful every early summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyMuskmelonCucumis meloGiven ample warmth, full sun, and active pollinators, Cucumis melo builds its netted rind and sugars by late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateMustardBrassica junceaA fast cool-weather brassica that doubles as a culinary green and a glucosinolate-driven biofumigant cover crop.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyMustard GreensBrassica junceaA cool-season sowing timed to spring or fall carries mustard greens from seed to peppery harvest in about a month.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyNasturtiumTropaeolum majusLean ground plus full sun is the entire cultural formula: withhold fertility and Tropaeolum majus responds with peppery foliage and edible blooms across the whole season.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyNectarinePrunus persica var. nucipersicaA nectarine is a fuzzless peach, and it converts full sun and disciplined annual pruning into sweet, smooth-skinned fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicDemandingNeem TreeAzadirachta indicaGive it heat, sun, and free-draining soil, and the neem tree withstands drought and poor ground for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysMildly toxicEasyNemesiaNemesia strumosaGive it cool weather, steady moisture, and full sun, and nemesia floods a spring bed with color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyNerineNerine bowdeniiHeld crowded and undisturbed in full sun, nerine rewards the fall border with pink.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateNerve PlantFittonia albivenisKeep it warm, humid, and evenly moist, and the nerve plant answers with leaves stitched in living color.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 3–4 daysPet & child safeModerateNever-never PlantCtenanthe burle-marxiiGet the light, humidity, and water right and this prayer plant rewards you with bold, patterned leaves that fold up each night.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemandingNew England AsterSymphyotrichum novae-angliaeSited in full sun and pinched by midsummer, the New England aster carries the fall garden through the weeks when other perennials have finished.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyNew Guinea ImpatiensImpatiens hawkeriProvide fertile, consistently moist, well-drained soil and dappled shade, and Impatiens hawkeri flowers from spring to the first frost.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeEasyNew Zealand SpinachTetragonia tetragonioidesGrow this heat-tolerant summer green and keep cutting tender leaves well past the point where true spinach bolts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 4–7 daysMildly toxicEasyNicotianaNicotiana alataGrown for the night-scented flowers that release their fragrance across the summer evening garden.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasyNigellaNigella damascenaSow it once and love-in-a-mist comes back on its own, threading airy blue flowers and horned pods through the spring border.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasyNorfolk Island PineAraucaria heterophyllaBright light, cool air, and even moisture are what let this living conifer hold its neatly whorled tiers indoors through the year.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeModerateNorthern CatalpaCatalpa speciosaA tough native shade tree that carries showy white flowers and lays on fast growth almost anywhere.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyNorthern Red OakQuercus rubraA fast native oak that delivers deep shade and brilliant red fall color across a long lifespan.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyNorthern Sea OatsChasmanthium latifoliumA rhizomatous woodland grass built for moist shade, hung with flat oat-like spikelets that persist from summer into winter.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyNorway SprucePicea abiesTough, fast, and cold-hardy down to -40°F (-40°C), the Norway spruce grows into a towering evergreen with sweeping, pendulous branches.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyOatsAvena sativaA rapid, resilient cool-season cereal that serves at once as cover crop, forage grain, and the pet grass grown for cats.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyOkraAbelmoschus esculentusGive it heat, full sun, and steady moisture, and okra keeps setting pods until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyOld Fashioned WeigelaWeigela floridaSited in full sun and pruned on old wood in time, weigela sets a heavy flush of tubular late-spring flowers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyOld Garden RoseRosaHardy, deeply fragrant, and easygoing on their own roots, old garden roses reward sound culture year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateOld Lady CactusMammillaria hahnianaGive it bright sun, gritty soil, and a dry winter rest, and this woolly little cactus crowns itself with pink flowers.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyOleanderNerium oleanderA tough, drought-adapted evergreen shrub that blooms all summer and carries a serious caveat: every part is dangerously poisonous.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyOliveOlea europaeaGive it full sun, lean soil, and a dry root run, and the olive thrives for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysPet & child safeModerateOncidium OrchidOncidiumProvide bright indirect light and a bark mix that drains fast, and the dancing lady orchid rewards you with sprays of fall flowers.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 2–10 daysPet & child safeModerateOnionAllium cepaMatch the variety to your day length, keep the water steady, and onions all but grow themselves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasyOrangeCitrus × sinensisGive it full sun, warmth, and well-drained soil, and a sweet orange tree rewards you with fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateOreganoOriganum vulgareGive it sun, lean soil, and a dry root run, and oregano largely tends itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasyOregon GrapeMahonia aquifoliumSited in shade and sheltered from winter wind, Oregon grape delivers yellow spring bloom and blue-black berries.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyOriental LilyLiliumTall, richly scented summer blooms that perfume a whole garden, governed by one firm rule: keep them away from cats.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateOriental PoppyPapaver orientaleSite it in full sun on free-draining ground and Papaver orientale rewards the position with enormous silken flowers each spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateOrnamental Sweet Potato VineIpomoea batatasSupply full sun, warm soil, and consistent moisture and this fast growing vine carpets beds and containers in foliage color for the whole season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–5 daysPet & child safeEasyOsage OrangeMaclura pomiferaPlant it once and let it run. The Osage orange is just about indestructible, thorns, hedge apples, and all.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyOstrich FernMatteuccia struthiopterisGive it shade and steady moisture, and this hardy fern raises knee-high fronds shaped like green shuttlecocks.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysSafety unverifiedEasyOxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgareGive it sun and lean, well-drained soil, and the oxeye daisy flowers for months, then keeps spreading by rhizome and seed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyPampas GrassCortaderia selloanaFew ornamentals rival a pampas grass clump in full plume, yet those silver feathers are borne on razor-sharp leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyPanda PlantKalanchoe tomentosaA fuzzy, silver-green succulent adapted to bright light, dry soil, and lean, hands-off culture.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 10–21 daysToxicEasyPansyViola × wittrockianaEstablished in cool weather, pansies supply color through fall, winter, and spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyPapayaCarica papayaWith full sun, consistent soil moisture, and a frost-free site, Carica papaya progresses from transplant to ripe fruit in under a year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–4 daysPet & child safeModeratePaper BirchBetula papyriferaGive it a cool, moist root run and paper birch holds its brilliant white bark for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModeratePapyrusCyperus papyrusRooted in shallow water under full sun, papyrus raises a summer-long colony of thread-fine green rays.☀️ Full sun · 💧 0–1 daysPet & child safeModerateParlor PalmChamaedorea elegansGive it low light and steady moisture, and the parlor palm thrives where fussier plants sulk.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyParsleyPetroselinum crispumProvide rich soil, steady moisture, and patience at sowing, and parsley supplies the kitchen with fresh leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerateParsnipPastinaca sativaSow it, wait through the season, and let a hard frost convert its starch, and the parsnip turns sweet and nutty below ground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModeratePassionflowerPassiflora incarnataSited in full sun with room to run, the maypop climbs fast, sustains fritillary larvae, and flowers straight through summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyPassionfruitPassiflora edulisGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and a strong trellis, and this fast vine rewards you with fragrant fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModeratePawpawAsimina trilobaNorth America's largest native fruit, rich as custard and tasting of banana and mango, ripens on a tree few gardeners know.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModeratePeaPisum sativumSow them while the soil is still cold, give them something to climb and steady moisture, and the pods come sweet and early.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyPeace LilySpathiphyllum wallisiiA forgiving, low-difficulty houseplant that flags its own thirst and returns white spathes for a little added light.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyPeachPrunus persicaGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and a hard yearly pruning, and a peach tree pays you back in summer fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModeratePeacock PlantGoeppertia makoyanaSupply warmth, humidity, and soft water, and the peacock plant pushes out some of the most striking foliage available to indoor growers.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemandingPeanutArachis hypogaeaGive it full sun, loose sandy soil, and a long warm season, and the peanut sets a full crop underground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModeratePearPyrus communisSite two compatible cultivars for cross-pollination, provide full sun, allow time, and a pear will crop for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModeratePecanCarya illinoinensisGive it room, full sun, and a pollination partner, and a pecan shades the yard for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModeratePencil CactusEuphorbia tirucalliA tough, sun-driven succulent spurge whose milky sap bites back, so precise handling matters.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–28 daysToxicEasyPeonyPaeonia lactifloraSit the crown shallow in full sun, leave it undisturbed, and a peony will outlast the gardener who planted it.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasyPeperomia 'Hope'Peperomia deppeana × quadrifolia 'Hope'A tropical epiphyte at heart, Peperomia 'Hope' thrives on bright indirect light and a mix allowed to dry between waterings.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyPeppermintMentha × piperitaGive it steady moisture and a pot to call its own, and peppermint yields fresh leaves through the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasyPerennial RyegrassLolium perenneIt emerges within days of sowing, delivering fast, fine-bladed, hard-wearing turf that greens a lawn in a fortnight.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–7 daysMildly toxicEasyPersian ButtercupRanunculus asiaticusGive the tuberous claws a cool, well-drained start and ranunculus returns dense, papery double blooms on long cutting stems.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModeratePersimmonDiospyros kakiUnder full sun and an unhurried timeline, persimmon rewards the grower with bright orange fruit persisting on leafless wood well into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyPetuniaPetunia × atkinsianaSupplied with full sun and steady feeding, the petunia sustains color from late spring until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–7 daysPet & child safeEasyPhilodendron BirkinPhilodendron 'Birkin'Supply bright, filtered light and steady moisture, and this pinstriped philodendron keeps unfurling clean white-on-green leaves.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyPickerelweedPontederia cordataA cold-hardy native emergent that raises blue flower spikes all summer, requiring only full sun and a saturated root zone.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyPigsqueakBergenia cordifoliaTough, evergreen, and happy in the shade, bergenia carpets the ground and flowers when little else does.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyPin OakQuercus palustrisA fast-growing shade tree that delivers fiery fall color wherever the soil stays acidic.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyPincushion FlowerScabiosa columbariaFull sun and sharp drainage are what let the pincushion flower bloom from spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyPindo PalmButia capitataA feather palm of unusual cold hardiness, producing recurved gray-green fronds and sweet, jelly-suited fruit.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyPineappleAnanas comosusGive it strong light, warmth, and a pot that drains fast, and a grocery-store crown turns into a houseplant that fruits.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModeratePink Muhly GrassMuhlenbergia capillarisSite it in full sun and lean, dry ground and pink muhly grass resolves into a rose-pink haze each autumn.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyPink Princess PhilodendronPhilodendron erubescens 'Pink Princess'Consistent warmth, bright filtered light, and evenly moist soil keep this chimeral cultivar producing its pink-splashed foliage.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModeratePinstripe CalatheaGoeppertia ornataSupply warmth, humidity, and the right water, and the pinstripe calathea responds with painted leaves that track the day.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeDemandingPistachioPistacia veraGive it hot, dry summers and a male tree nearby, and the pistachio repays the wait with split-shell nuts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysMildly toxicDemandingPlumPrunus domesticaSite it in full sun with deep soil and an annual prune, and a plum crops heavily for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModeratePolka Dot BegoniaBegonia maculataProvide bright indirect light, careful watering, and humid air, and the polka dot begonia responds with spotted, silver-flecked leaves.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModeratePolka Dot PlantHypoestes phyllostachyaIn bright filtered light with steady moisture, the freckled foliage holds its strongest color.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyPomegranatePunica granatumSite it in full sun with even moisture, and the pomegranate sets deep red fruit each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasyPonytail PalmBeaucarnea recurvataBank on the caudex: strong light and a full dry-down between waterings keep this water-storing succulent thriving.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyPoppy AnemoneAnemone coronariaSoak the corms, supply sun and sharp drainage, and poppy anemones reward spring with jewel-toned bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModeratePotatoSolanum tuberosumSet out cut seed pieces, hill the stems and water evenly, and lift a heavy tuber crop in fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasyPothosEpipremnum aureumForgiving, quick to grow, and content in a dim corner, pothos is the hardest houseplant to kill.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyPrayer PlantMaranta leuconeuraMatch its rainforest-floor roots with soft water, even moisture, and humidity, and the prayer plant folds its leaves each night on cue.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeModeratePrickly PearOpuntia ficus-indicaFull sun, gritty drainage, and restraint with water are what keep prickly pear firm, upright, and rot-free.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyPrimrosePrimula vulgarisSited in cool shade with steady moisture, primrose opens among the first blooms of the temperate spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModeratePrivetLigustrum vulgareA vigorous, shear-tolerant hedge in the olive family, prized for dense regrowth but flagged for escaping cultivation and poisoning grazing stock.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyPumpkinCucurbita pepoGive it full sun, fertile soil, and room to run, and a lone pumpkin vine will occupy half the bed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModeratePurple ConeflowerEchinacea purpureaSited in full sun and lean, well-drained soil, purple coneflower flowers reliably from early summer into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyPurple HeartTradescantia pallidaStrong light drives the pigment and dry-leaning soil protects the roots, so purple heart holds its deep violet with minimal intervention.☀️ Full sunToxicEasyPygmy Date PalmPhoenix roebeleniiSteady bright indirect light and even soil moisture hold this slow palm in good form for years.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyQuinceCydonia oblongaSlow-growing and astringent on the branch, quince converts patient care into fragrant golden pomes rich in the pectin that sets jelly.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateRabbit's Foot FernDavallia fejeensisMeet its needs and the mechanism takes care of itself: bright indirect light, steady moisture, and 50% to 70% humidity keep the surface rhizomes creeping and the fronds full.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateRadicchioCichorium intybusHead radicchio into cool fall weather and cold shifts it from harsh green to deep red and bittersweet.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateRadishRaphanus sativusA radish rewards even moisture and cool air by driving its energy into the root, not the tops: fast, but exacting.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeEasyRambling RoseRosaSited in full sun on a strong frame and pruned the moment its early summer flowering ends, a rambler will sheet a fence in bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateRaspberryRubus idaeusSited in full sun with rich, acidic loam and pruned by cane type, the raspberry fruits heavily year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateRattlesnake PlantGoeppertia insignisBold, wavy leaves that fold up at night mark a plant that pays back precise water and humidity.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeDemandingRed CloverTrifolium pratenseSow it once and red clover fixes its own nitrogen through root nodules, feeding livestock now and the following crop later.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyRed MapleAcer rubrumA fast-growing eastern native that carries red through every season and ends in incandescent fall foliage.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyRed Spider LilyLycoris radiataSeat each bulb with the neck above the soil, and leafless scapes will lift fiery red flowers in early fall.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateRed-hot PokerKniphofia uvariaSet red-hot poker in full sun over free-draining ground, and it answers with tall torches of red-to-yellow spikes across the summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyReticulated IrisIris reticulataSet the small bulbs in fall and they open in icy blues and golds while winter still lingers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyRex BegoniaBegonia Rex Cultorum GroupPrized for foliage patterned like paint, the rex begonia demands bright, indirect light and steady air movement to stay disease-free.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemandingRhododendronRhododendronMatch the acidic soil and dappled shade of its woodland origins, and a rhododendron blooms reliably for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateRhubarbRheum rhabarbarumA cold-hardy perennial that returns each spring with tart, edible stalks, while its oxalate-laden leaf blades stay firmly off the plate.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasyRipple PeperomiaPeperomia caperataA slow-growing member of the pepper family, ripple peperomia keeps its water in semi-succulent leaves and rewards a restrained watering routine.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyRiver BirchBetula nigraSited in acidic, consistently moist soil under full sun, river birch grows fast and develops its signature peeling, cinnamon bark.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyRodgersiaRodgersia aesculifoliaMeet its need for moisture and shade, and rodgersia builds broad, sculpted foliage that anchors a damp border.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeModerateRoman ChamomileChamaemelum nobileFull sun and dry feet, and it spreads into a soft apple-scented mat.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasyRomanescoBrassica oleracea var. botrytisTimed for a cool fall, Romanesco sets a firm head that spirals into repeating green fractals.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingRose of SharonHibiscus syriacusBecause it flowers on current-season wood, this hardy mallow rewards a hard late-winter cut with color from June to October.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyRosemarySalvia rosmarinusRooted in lean, fast-draining soil under full sun, this Mediterranean subshrub rewards restraint with years of aromatic growth.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyRoyal FernOsmunda regalisRooted in constant moisture and acidic ground, this ancient fern raises fronds that can top most gardeners.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysSafety unverifiedEasyRozanne CranesbillGeranium 'Rozanne'A sterile, exceptionally long-flowering hybrid that delivers a full season of bloom with minimal input.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyRubber PlantFicus elasticaSettle it in bright indirect light and a stable position, and Ficus elastica matures into a glossy, undemanding indoor tree.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyRueRuta graveolensGrown in full sun and lean, dry soil, rue stays compact and holds its blue-green form for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyRugosa RoseRosa rugosaBuilt for salt spray and severe cold, the rugosa rose flowers through summer and closes the year in a load of red hips.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyRunner BeanPhaseolus coccineusFull sun, a tall support, and consistent moisture let this nitrogen-fixing climber flower and fruit from summer to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyRussian SagePerovskia atriplicifoliaGrown in full sun and dry, sharp-draining soil, Russian sage carries a haze of blue from midsummer to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasyRutabagaBrassica napus subsp. rapiferaSow in summer heat and let autumn cold convert root starch into sugar, the mechanism behind rutabaga's sweet, long-storing fall harvest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasySacred LotusNelumbo nuciferaProvide calm, unmoving water, unbroken sun, and a wide container, and Nelumbo answers with blooms carried on tall stalks above the surface.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateSago PalmCycas revolutaA slow, undemanding cycad of ancient lineage that nonetheless holds a toxin capable of killing a pet.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasySaguaroCarnegiea giganteaFull sun, mineral drainage, and long dormancy build the water-storing column that lets the saguaro reach desert-giant scale.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysPet & child safeDemandingSalad BurnetSanguisorba minorIn full sun and lean, sharply drained soil, Sanguisorba minor concentrates the cucumber flavor that rich ground would only dilute.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasySalsifyTragopogon porrifoliusGrow it in deep, stone-free soil across a long, cool season, and salsify develops a sweet, oyster-scented taproot.☀️ Full sun · 💧 4–7 daysPet & child safeModerateSalvia (Annual)Salvia splendensIn full sun and consistently moist soil, scarlet sage produces flower spikes from summer through the first frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasySan Pedro CactusEchinopsis pachanoiGive it full sun and a complete dry-down between waterings, and this columnar cactus lays on fast height for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasySassafrasSassafras albidumA fast native valued for three leaf shapes and orange-red-purple fall color, driven by clonal roots that colonize open ground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateSatin PothosScindapsus pictusBright, indirect light and steady warmth preserve the silver leaf variegation, and the plant trails for years once its roots stay evenly moist.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerateSaucer MagnoliaMagnolia × soulangeanaSite it beyond the reach of late frost and the saucer magnolia carries goblet-shaped pink blooms on bare wood before leaf-out.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateSawara False CypressChamaecyparis pisiferaSited in full sun and free-draining soil, false cypress sustains its foliar color through every season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyScarlet FirethornPyracantha coccineaAn adaptable rosaceous shrub, firethorn trades hard thorns and sharp drainage for white spring bloom and persistent orange-red winter fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyScots PinePinus sylvestrisAdapted to poor, dry, acidic ground, Scots pine trades rich soil for full sun and sharp drainage.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateSea HollyEryngium planumGrown in full sun and lean, dry soil, sea holly holds its steel-blue, thistle-like flower heads on stiff, self-supporting stems all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasySea ThriftArmeria maritimaIn full sun and sharply drained grit, sea thrift builds a long-lived cushion of pink over the rock garden.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySedgeCarexMatch each Carex species to its niche and the genus rewards you with easy, year-round texture, from open sun to full shade.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–10 daysPet & child safeEasySedumSedumSun plus sharp drainage is the whole formula, because a succulent that stores its own water asks for little else.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasySenecioSenecioBright light and a sharply draining gritty mix keep this water-storing blue-green succulent out of the rot that ends most of them.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysToxicEasySensitive FernOnoclea sensibilisGive it shade and soil that never dries out, and this wetland fern colonizes a damp corner unaided.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasyServiceberryAmelanchier × grandifloraA four-season landscape tree offering white spring bloom, sweet June pomes, and strong fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyShallotAllium cepa Aggregatum GroupSet one bulb and lift a cluster: the shallot divides rather than swells, season on season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasyShasta DaisyLeucanthemum × superbumGive it full sun and genuinely sharp drainage, and this hybrid daisy carries clean white bloom right through summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasyShisoPerilla frutescensPinch it early and often for tender, fragrant leaves, and it keeps producing for the pickle jar, the garnish, and the wrap.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasyShrub RoseRosaGive it full sun and moving air, and a shrub rose reflowers from late spring until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyShrubby CinquefoilPotentilla fruticosaHardy to the extremes and blooming from June to September, shrubby cinquefoil performs on soils that defeat most shrubs.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyShrubby St. John's WortHypericum frondosumA tough, drought-adapted native shrub that answers full sun with a canopy of bright yellow summer flowers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasySiberian IrisIris sibiricaCold-hardy to the extreme and untroubled by borer or soft rot, Siberian iris turns a moist site into grassy foliage and late-spring bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasySiberian SquillScilla sibericaSet the bulbs once and a naturalized sheet of early blue reappears each spring unaided.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasySilver Inch PlantTradescantia zebrinaGiven bright light and periodic pinching, this trailing inch plant fills a container quickly.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasySilver Lace VineFallopia baldschuanicaA climber that reads full sun and thin soil as an invitation to cover a fence in a single season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySilver MapleAcer saccharinumFast-growing and flood-adapted, the silver maple builds shade quickly but pays for that speed in weak, brittle wood.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySky Pencil HollyIlex crenataA fastigiate Japanese holly that reads as a green column, dependent chiefly on acidic soil and winter protection.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateSlender DeutziaDeutzia gracilisA low-maintenance Hydrangeaceae shrub that flowers on old wood and rates non-toxic to pets.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasySlipper OrchidPaphiopedilumBecause it stores little water, a slipper orchid depends on steady warmth, diffuse light, and evenly moist compost, and repays that with months of bloom.☀️ Medium indirect · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerateSmoke BushCotinus coggygriaSite it in full sun with sharp drainage, and Cotinus coggygria answers with summer haze and strong fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySnake PlantDracaena trifasciataDrought-adapted and forgiving of neglect, the snake plant wants bright light, a dry root zone, and little else.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–42 daysToxicEasySnap PeaPisum sativum var. macrocarponA cool-season legume that fixes its own nitrogen and rewards early sowing with sweet, crisp edible pods.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasySnapdragonAntirrhinum majusIn cool weather and full sun, snapdragon produces dense flower spikes in nearly every hue except true blue.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasySnowball BushViburnum opulusSited in full sun with generous spacing, the snowball bush produces its dense white flower globes through mid spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasySolomon's SealPolygonatum biflorumSite it in shaded, humus-rich, evenly moist soil, and Solomon's seal colonizes slowly by rhizome for years.☀️ Full shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasySorghum-sudangrassSorghum × drummondiiA vigorous summer hybrid grass that smothers weeds and relieves soil compaction, carrying a serious cyanide risk for grazing animals.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasySouthern Live OakQuercus virginianaA sprawling, long-lived shade tree that wants room to grow and little else once it settles in.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasySouthern MagnoliaMagnolia grandifloraA long-lived broadleaf evergreen prized for glossy foliage and lemon-scented white blooms that anchor a landscape for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateSoybeanGlycine maxA nitrogen-fixing legume that thrives on full sun, warm soil, and steady moisture at pod fill.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasySpearmintMentha spicataMeet its two real needs, consistent moisture and a contained root run, and spearmint yields leaves through the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasySpider PlantChlorophytum comosumSupply bright indirect light and water once the soil dries, and the spider plant grows quickly while staying safe around pets.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasySpiderwortTradescantia virginianaAt ease in sun or shade, spiderwort renews its three-petaled flowers on a daily cycle.☀️ Full sunToxicEasySpike SpeedwellVeronica spicataSite it for full sun and sharp drainage, and speedwell holds its blue spikes across the summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasySpinachSpinacia oleraceaGrown cool, watered evenly, and cut young, spinach yields a flush of tender leaves in roughly six weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasySplit RockPleiospilos neliiA mesemb that mimics cracked stone, thriving on strong sun and a hard, dry dormancy.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateSplit-leaf PhilodendronPhilodendron bipinnatifidumSteady warmth, consistent soil moisture, and bright indirect light let this large-leaved aroid build the broad, architectural canopy it is known for.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasySpotted Dead NettleLamium maculatumSet it into cool, dry shade where almost nothing else thrives, and the silver foliage carries the ground through the whole season.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasySpring CrocusCrocus vernusSet the corms down in fall and the spring crocus rises to deliver the first color of the year, frequently pushing straight up through snow.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasySt. Augustine GrassStenotaphrum secundatumSupply consistent warmth, even moisture, and a tall mowing height, and St. Augustine grass develops into a dense, carpet-like stand.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateStaghorn FernPlatycerium bifurcatumMounted on a board under bright indirect light with a regular soak, Platycerium bifurcatum sends up antler fronds in its natural epiphytic form.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateStar CactusAstrophytum asteriasMatch its desert origins with bright light, gritty mineral soil, and a full dry-down between waterings, and this spineless cactus needs little more.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–21 daysPet & child safeModerateStar JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoidesTrained onto a support, Trachelospermum jasminoides rewards the grower with clouds of fragrant white flowers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyStar MagnoliaMagnolia stellataStar magnolia flowers ahead of nearly every hardy tree, opening fragrant white stars on bare wood before the foliage breaks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateStar of BethlehemOrnithogalum umbellatumA hardy spring bulb bearing white star flowers that shut by afternoon, valued for its ease but flagged for its toxic, spreading bulbs.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasyStaticeLimonium sinuatumIn full sun with sharp drainage, statice sets papery blooms that retain their pigment for months after drying.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasySteviaStevia rebaudianaA tender Asteraceae herb whose leaves hold a no-calorie sweetener you can taste raw.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateStockMatthiola incanaGrown cool and in full sun, stock sets dense, sweetly scented flower spikes on strong upright stems.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateStokes AsterStokesia laevisA resilient southeastern native that carries fringed blue flower heads through the summer with minimal input.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyStonecropSedumSite it in full sun over sharp drainage and stonecrop needs little else to establish and thrive.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasyStrawberryFragaria × ananassaGive it full sun, steady water, and clean straw mulch, and the strawberry rewards you with sweet fruit year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyStrawflowerXerochrysum bracteatumSite it in full sun with sharp drainage, and the strawflower yields papery bracts that persist well past the growing season.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyString of BananasCurio radicansSupply bright light, a gritty free-draining mix, and dry intervals between waterings, and Curio radicans trails freely over the pot.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyString of ButtonsCrassula perforataBright light and a fast-draining gritty mix are what let this Crassula stack its leaves into neat, upright towers.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyString of DolphinsCurio × peregrinusA trailing Curio succulent that reads its own thirst: give it bright, indirect light, water sparingly, and the dolphin leaves spill down the pot.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyString of HeartsCeropegia woodiiMatch its bright light and dry-down cycle, and this tuberous vine trails for years.☀️ Bright indirectSafety unverifiedEasyString of PearlsCurio rowleyanusGet the watering right and this drought-adapted trailing succulent drapes a curtain of green pearls past the pot.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerateString of TurtlesPeperomia prostrataA trailing peperomia whose fingernail-sized leaves carry a shell-like vein pattern, holding form for years as a compact houseplant.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyStromanthe TriostarStromanthe thalia 'Triostar'Supply low-mineral water, high humidity, and bright indirect light, and the pale variegation holds its color without scorching.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemandingSugar MapleAcer saccharumRooted in deep, moist, fertile soil with room to spread, sugar maple returns dense summer shade and strong red, orange, and gold fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateSummer SavorySatureja hortensisSun and sharp drainage suit this Mediterranean annual best, and harvesting just before bloom secures peak leaf quality.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasySummer SquashCucurbita pepoGive it full sun, rich soil, and steady water, and summer squash sets fruit heavily from midsummer on.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasySummersweetClethra alnifoliaSupply steady moisture and light shade, and summersweet returns fragrant spikes at a point in the season when most shrubs have finished.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasySunchokeHelianthus tuberosusA hardy perennial sunflower grown for its tubers, productive for years once its spread is contained.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasySunflowerHelianthus annuusSet it in full sun with wind protection, and the sunflower carries its bloom from summer into fall.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasySurprise LilyLycoris squamigeraSet the bulb once and let its odd cycle deliver bare pink scapes rising overnight in late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasySweet AlyssumLobularia maritimaA low carpet of honey-scented bloom that flowers spring to fall while recruiting beneficial insects.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasySweet Autumn ClematisClematis ternifloraA late-summer curtain of fragrant white bloom on a vigorous vine whose reseeding demands disciplined management.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasySweet CornZea maysPlant it in a block, not a row, supply nitrogen freely, and sweet corn returns full, milky ears by late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateSweet FlagAcorus gramineusMeet its wetland needs with constantly wet ground and adequate sun, and Acorus carries a clean grassy fan through the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeEasySweet MarjoramOriganum majoranaSweet marjoram converts strong sun and sharp drainage into aromatic oil, yielding one of the mildest, most delicate herb flavors a garden can produce.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasySweet PeaLathyrus odoratusSown early and cut often, sweet pea repays the effort with scent and color all spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerateSweet PotatoIpomoea batatasGiven full sun, sustained warmth, and a long season, Ipomoea batatas channels its energy into swelling storage roots.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasySweet WilliamDianthus barbatusSite Dianthus barbatus in full sun over free-draining ground, allow it to reseed, and it returns dense, clove-scented heads season on season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasySweet WoodruffGalium odoratumA rhizomatous shade groundcover that knits into a self-sustaining mat where the soil stays cool and moist.☀️ Full shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasySweetgumLiquidambar styracifluaGive it deep, acidic soil and full sun, and Liquidambar styraciflua rewards the site with star-shaped leaves and strong fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySweetheart HoyaHoya kerriiWater it like a succulent, site it in bright light, and the sweetheart hoya demands remarkably little.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasySwiss ChardBeta vulgaris subsp. vulgarisOne sowing, harvested from the outer stalks, yields leaves across a long season as the crown keeps regenerating.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasySwiss Cheese PlantMonstera deliciosaGrown in bright indirect light on a climbing support, the Swiss cheese plant develops the large, fenestrated leaves it is known for.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasySwiss Cheese VineMonstera adansoniiSupplied with bright indirect light and a support to climb, the Swiss cheese vine grows fast and develops its fenestrated leaves.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasySwitchgrassPanicum virgatumSited in full sun and lean soil, switchgrass holds a firm vertical form from summer well into winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyTall FescueFestuca arundinaceaA deep-rooted cool-season perennial, tall fescue stays green across heat and cold with the least fuss of any lawn grass.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyTamukeyama Japanese MapleAcer palmatumA weeping laceleaf cultivar prized for finely dissected purple-red foliage that colors from spring to a scarlet fall.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateTangerineCitrus reticulataSite it in full sun with sharp drainage and frost protection, and Citrus reticulata sets a heavy crop of sweet winter fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateTeaCamellia sinensisKept in acidic soil, dappled shade, and even moisture, this evergreen shrub produces the leaf flushes that become every cup of tea.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateTea PlantCamellia sinensisMatch its origins with acidic soil, part shade, and steady moisture, and Camellia sinensis yields the leaves behind every cup of tea.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateThanksgiving CactusSchlumbergera truncataAs a forest epiphyte, it responds to bright indirect light and cool fall nights by flowering on the holiday schedule.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyThymeThymus vulgarisGrown in full sun and lean, sharp-draining soil, thyme yields aromatic sprigs season after season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyTi PlantCordyline fruticosaSteady bright indirect light and fluoride free water keep the ti plant in its pink, red, and burgundy color.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerateToad LilyTricyrtis hirtaRooted in shade and steady moisture, the toad lily holds its orchid-like, purple-speckled flowers back until the quiet close of the season.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyTomatilloPhysalis philadelphicaGrow two plants for cross-pollination, site them in full sun, and the tart green husks fill all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 4–7 daysMildly toxicEasyTomatoSolanum lycopersicumSupply full sun, even moisture, and open airflow, and a tomato yields steadily across the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerateTradescantia 'Nanouk'Tradescantia albiflora 'Nanouk'A compact variegated cultivar whose pink holds only under bright, filtered light, kept dense by routine pinching.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyTropical Pitcher PlantNepenthesSupply warmth, high humidity, and rainwater, and this carnivore constructs its own insect-trapping cups.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemandingTrumpet VineCampsis radicansIn full sun on a strong support, the trumpet vine blooms hard and feeds hummingbirds all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyTuberosePolianthes tuberosaSite it in full sun over free-draining soil, and tuberose perfumes the late-summer evening air on cue.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateTuberous BegoniaBegonia × tuberhybridaProvide shade, even moisture, and good airflow, and the tuberous begonia rewards you with enormous summer blooms.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerateTulipTulipa spp.Plant in fall, satisfy the long cold winter each bulb needs, and tulips return the boldest color of spring.☀️ Full sunToxicEasyTulip TreeLiriodendron tulipiferaA fast, towering shade tree of the magnolia family that carries tulip-shaped flowers high in its canopy and colors gold in fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateTurmericCurcuma longaSustained warmth, rich moist soil, and a long season drive the rhizome swelling that yields golden turmeric.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerateTurnipBrassica rapa subsp. rapaGrown cool, watered evenly, and lifted young, the turnip converts a short season into crisp roots and abundant greens.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyUmbrella TreeHeptapleurum arboricolaMeet its two core needs, bright indirect light and a dry-down between waterings, and this Schefflera holds up well as an indoor plant.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyUrn PlantAechmea fasciataHold the central cup charged and the light bright, and this bromeliad returns months of color.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyValerianValeriana officinalisSite it in full sun with steady moisture and valerian delivers fragrant summer flower heads above the sedative root that defines the species.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyVanda OrchidVandaA monopodial epiphyte that thrives on bright light and high humidity, soaked bare-root at the aerial roots and rewarded with large, lasting blooms.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–2 daysPet & child safeDemandingVelvet Cardboard AnthuriumAnthurium clarinerviumThe velvety, white-veined leaves are the draw, and they hold up only when the plant gets the warmth, humidity, and disciplined watering its epiphytic roots evolved to expect.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemandingVenus FlytrapDionaea muscipulaSupply full sun, mineral-free water, and a cold winter dormancy, and Dionaea muscipula will capture its own prey for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeDemandingVerbenaVerbena canadensisUnder intense sun with rapid drainage, verbena sustains steady flower production from spring through the close of fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyViburnumViburnumSite it in sun with room to breathe and steady moisture while establishing, and viburnum returns fragrant spring bloom and fall fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyViolaViola cornutaAs a cool-season species, viola delivers abundant, edible flowers from fall right through spring.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyVirginia BluebellsMertensia virginicaSited in rich, moist shade, Virginia bluebells naturalizes into sweeps of sky-blue across the spring woodland floor.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateVirginia CreeperParthenocissus quinquefoliaA tough native vine that repays brilliant fall color with a standing demand to hold its vigor in check.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyVirginia SweetspireItea virginicaA wetland-adapted native shrub that carries fragrant spring spires and long-holding fall color on arching stems.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyWalnutJuglans regiaSited in deep soil and full sun with room to spread, a walnut builds a broad crown that shades a yard for generations and crops each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysMildly toxicModerateWater HyacinthPontederia crassipesA free-floating bloom whose buoyant petioles conceal one of the water garden's most aggressive spreaders.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasyWater LettucePistia stratiotesA free-floating aroid rosette that doubles quickly in warm, nutrient-rich water, and one that belongs nowhere near a wild pond or stream.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasyWater LilyNymphaeaA true aquatic, the water lily flowers from late spring to fall wherever it gets full sun and undisturbed water.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateWater PoppyHydrocleys nymphoidesSet in full sun and warm, still water, water poppy holds glossy leaves at the surface and lifts yellow blooms across the summer.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyWatercressNasturtium officinaleSupplied with cool, clean, moving water, watercress yields a peppery harvest from spring through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeEasyWatermelonCitrullus lanatusGive it full sun, warm soil, and room to sprawl, and watermelon converts a long, hot season into sweet, heavy fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateWatermelon PeperomiaPeperomia argyraeaSupply bright, filtered light and disciplined watering, and this compact striped species largely maintains itself.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyWax BegoniaBegonia semperflorensWith moist soil, dappled light, and open spacing, the wax begonia flowers without pause from spring to frost.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasyWax PlantHoya carnosaGive it bright light and a let-it-dry watering habit, and this easy-going wax plant rewards you with clusters of porcelain flowers.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasyWeeping CherryPrunus subhirtellaGrafted for form and grown for the moment, the weeping cherry drapes light pink to white blossom across the garden each April.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateWeeping FigFicus benjaminaHold its light, warmth, and moisture constant, and Ficus benjamina forms a dense, weeping canopy indoors.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerateWeeping WillowSalix babylonicaSited by water with room to spread, the weeping willow drops its long branches to sweep the ground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateWhite CloverTrifolium repensA nitrogen-fixing groundcover that greens turf, feeds pollinators, and runs on almost no inputs.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyWhite FirAbies concolorGiven room, sun, and well-drained acidic soil, the white fir carries its silvery-blue pyramid for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateWhite OakQuercus albaA slow, structural native that repays the patient grower with a century of shade and a heavy acorn crop for wildlife.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateWild GeraniumGeranium maculatumGive it dappled shade and moist woodland soil and this hardy native forms a spreading spring carpet of pink.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyWild GingerAsarum canadenseA woodland rhizomatous groundcover that depends on shade and unbroken soil moisture.☀️ Full shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyWindmill PalmTrachycarpus fortuneiHardy down to single digits, the windmill palm brings a true tropical form to gardens far colder than most palms will endure.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeModerateWinter AconiteEranthis hyemalisAmong the earliest bulbs to bloom, winter aconite raises golden cups from frozen ground while the snow still lingers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasyWinter DaphneDaphne odoraLittle else perfumes the cold-season garden the way daphne does, yet poison runs through every tissue of the shrub.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysToxicDemandingWinter SquashCucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita pepoFull sun, generous spacing, and warm soil drive the vigor that lets winter squash mature a hard-rinded, storable crop.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateWinterberry HollyIlex verticillataGrown as a dioecious pair, winterberry sets bare stems dense with red berries that persist through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasyWintergreenGaultheria procumbensMatch its acidic soil and cool shade, and wintergreen forms a glossy evergreen mat carrying red berries.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 4–7 daysMildly toxicModerateWishbone FlowerTorenia fournieriMatch its shade habit and even soil moisture, and torenia blooms from summer to frost.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasyWisteriaWisteria sinensisGive it full sun, a heavy support, and two hard prunings a year, and wisteria drips with flowers each spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateWitch HazelHamamelis virginianaSupplied with moist, acidic soil and space to develop its frame, witch hazel produces ribbon-like flowers after the rest of the garden has entered dormancy.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyWood FernDryopteris marginalisA durable native fern for shaded ground, holding its blue-green fronds through the season on little more than moisture and shade.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicEasyWoodland SageSalvia nemorosaIn full sun and lean, dry soil, woodland sage builds sturdy violet spikes that carry from early summer into autumn.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyWormwoodArtemisia absinthiumSite it in lean, dry soil under full sun, and this silver Artemisia performs almost unaided.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysMildly toxicEasyXanadu PhilodendronPhilodendron xanaduSupply bright, indirect light and steady moisture, and this self-heading philodendron builds a full corner specimen with minimal intervention.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasyYamDioscoreaGiven sustained warmth, a tall support, and a full 8 to 11 month season, Dioscorea channels its energy into heavy, storable tubers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModerateYarrowAchillea millefoliumSite it in full sun and poor, dry soil, then leave it undisturbed, and yarrow flowers all summer.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasyYaupon HollyIlex vomitoriaEvergreen and durable, the one North American holly you can brew, yaupon tolerates drought, salinity, and deep shade alike.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyYoshino CherryPrunus × yedoensisA Yoshino cherry exists for one horticultural set piece: clouds of white-to-pink spring blossom that hold the whole yard for two weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateYuccaYuccaSupply strong light and free-draining medium, then irrigate sparingly, and a yucca will persist for years with minimal intervention.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–21 daysToxicEasyYuzuCitrus junosThe most cold-hardy of the true citrus, yuzu exchanges quick fruit for patience and a sheltered, sunny site.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateZebra HaworthiaHaworthiopsis attenuataMeet its two core needs, bright indirect light and a complete dry-down between waterings, and this striped succulent stays healthy with little else.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–21 daysPet & child safeEasyZebra PlantAphelandra squarrosaStriped foliage and a yellow bract spike, sustained only by the warm, humid air this tropical species keeps requiring.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemandingZinniaZinnia elegansFull sun and dry foliage keep fungal disease at bay, and the zinnia flowers from summer to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasyZoysia GrassZoysia japonicaDense and drought-tolerant once its stolons and rhizomes knit, zoysia trades slow establishment for wear-resistant turf.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateZucchiniCucurbita pepoMatch its three essentials, full sun, warm soil, and even moisture, and a single vigorous Cucurbita pepo plant will crop heavily all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasyZZ PlantZamioculcas zamiifoliaGlossy, drought-proof, and at ease in a shaded corner, the ZZ plant demands little and rewards you season after season.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–30 daysToxicEasy