Evergreen Perennials
Evergreen perennials add year-round interest and structure to the garden, and these are some of our favorites for both sun and shade!
Explore More Evergreen Perennials
Evergreen Perennials for Shade
- Acanthus: Bear’s breech. Large, chiseled foliage, topped by purple and white flower spikes in summer.
- Acorus: Sweet flag. Short fans of yellow or green blades. Loves damp conditions.
- Asarum europaeum: Wild ginger, 4-6” x 6-8”. Brownish flowers hide under glossy, heart-shaped leaves from May-June. Moist conditions.
- Bergenia: Many varieties are tolerant of sun or shade. Pink or white flowers appear in spring above large, glossy leaves which take on reddish tones in fall and winter.
- Carex ‘Evergold’, C. morrowii: Sedge. Nice shade tolerant grasses in several colors, some variegated.
- Epimedium: Airy clusters of flowers range in color. Floating foliage. New growth is reddish in tones. Great ground cover. Drought tolerant.
- Euphorbia robiae: A running perennial with rich, dark green rosettes of leaves, to 2’. Chartreuse flowers in spring.
- Farfugium ‘Aureo-maculata’: Leopard plant, 1-2’ x 18-24”. This unique form has dark green leaves spotted with yellow. Moist conditions.
- Helleborus: Lenten rose, 12-24” x 10-18”, depending on variety. A must have in every shade garden. These winter bloomers come in many colors and foliage textures.
- Heuchera: Coral bells, 8-18” x 12-24”, depending on variety. Colors of foliage range from green, amber, red, purple to pewter. Tall flower spikes from June-July.
- xHeucherella: 8-18” x 10-16”. An interesting group of hybrids between Heuchera and Tiarella. Soft pink blooms, May-July.
- Liriope: Lily turf. Short grass-like blades with lavender or white flower spikes.
- Ophiopogon: Mondo grass, 4-6” x 8-12”. Short tufts of spiky grass with small flowers from July -August. Ophiopogon ‘Nigrescens’ is a black form.
- Pulmonaria: Lungwort ,16-24”. Wide variety of silvery-green foliage plants that bloom in shades of white, purple and blue from March-May.
- Saxifraga: Saxifrage. Many low growing varieties available. Starry flowers in shades of pink and white from April-June.
- Tiarella: Foam flower. 6-12” x 18-24”. Similar to Heuchera. Many hybrids are available.
Evergreen Perennials for Sun
- Armeria maritima: Thrift. 4-6” x 6-8”. Grassy tufts with pink blooms in April-June. Drought tolerant and great for rock gardens.
- Antennaria dioica: Cat’s paw. 4-6”. Tiny mounds of silvery-gray foliage topped with rosy pink flowers from May-June. Great for rock gardens.
- Arabis: Rock cress. 6-8”. There are many to choose from, with flowers ranging from white to purple and red from April-June. Trailer.
- Carex buchanaii, C. flagellifera, C. testacea: Bronze or Orange Sedge, 1½ – 3’. Fine textured, clumping grasses. Blades are a toffee or copper color year round.
- Cerastium: Snow-in-summer, 6-8” x 24-30”. Silvery-gray foliage and white flowers in early summer. Cerastium alpinum is a mini version. Great for rock gardens.
- Convolvulus cneorum: Bush morning glory, 6-12” x 24-30”. Silver foliage, violet or white flowers most of the summer. Drought tolerant.
- Delosperma: Ice plant, 2-4” x 1-2’. Yellow, pink or purple blooms from June-September. Great for rock gardens.
- Dianthus: Many options to choose from, from low growers to tall. They make great cut flowers and are often clove scented.
- Erisymum ‘Bowles Mauve’: Wallflower, 24-30” x 18-24”. Mauve blooms atop gray-green foliage most of the year!
- Euphorbia characias: Spurge, 3-5’. Several varieties are available with white to chartreuse flowers that bloom from Feb-May.
- Geranium x cantabrigiense: Cambridge Cranesbill, 6-8” x 12-18”. ‘Biokovo” has white flowers, ‘Cambridge’ has magenta blooms. Both bloom from May-August.
- Iberis: Candy tuft, 8-10” x 1-2’. A popular spring bloomer with white flowers. It’s drought tolerant and great for rock gardens or walls.
- Kniphofia: Red-hot poker, 18-42”, depending on variety. Spiky blooms are yellow, orange or red. Blooms June-September.
- Lavendula: Lavender, 1-3’. A must have in the garden border, and there’s a wide range of fragrant flowers and foliage to choose from.
- Lewisia: Bitterroot, 6-8”. Excellent rock garden choice! Starry flowers bloom in many colors from May-June.
- Lithodora diffusa: Lithodora. Beautiful blue flowers compliment the dark green foliage. Needs well-drained soil.
- Rosmarinus: Rosemary. Sizes vary depending on variety. It’s a good hedge alternative with culinary uses.
- Santolina: Lavender cotton ,12-18” x 1-2’. Fragrant, feathery silver foliage with yellow pom-pom flowers. Some claim it can deter insect pests.
- Saponaria: Soapwort , 2-4” x 6-8”. Pink or white blooms appear above this great rock garden trailer.
- Sempervivum: Hen and chicks. Many varieties, with most consisting of pretty rosettes bunched together. Great for rock gardens.
- Teucrium: Germander, 10-12” x 12-18”. Glossy green foliage and spikes of rosy-purple flowers from July-August.
- Thymus: Thyme. Many varieties, from ground covers to small shrubs.
