Reliable plants return for summer comeback tour
Gardeners appreciate plants that can handle themselves — especially those that reemerge year after year after winter has left beds in disarray. As we head into early summer, Arkansas heat brings its own challenges, but plenty of perennial options can take full sun and keep going.
Perennial plants have a finite season of bloom and a green-growing phase. Some perennials bloom for a very short period, but many summer-blooming perennials can give us color for an extended time. New varieties of old favorites are always appearing in the market, so try some.
| PLANT | CHARACTERISTICS | BLOOMS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agastache/Hyssop/Hummingbird Mint | Wide array of colors. Very attractive to bees and butterflies. Deer- and drought-resistant. | 18-24 inches tall. Blooms from early summer through fall. |  |
| Coreopsis | Single- and double-flowering varieties. Colors include yellow, pink, white, red and bi-colors. Drought-tolerant. | 7-24 inches tall, depending on variety. Blooms from early summer to early fall. |  |
| Daylily | Hundreds of varieties. Grass-like foliage with many colored flowers. Long-lived plant. | Varies by variety. Blooms 6-8 weeks; repeaters last longer. |  |
| Echinacea/ Coneflower | Large, showy flowers in shades of pink, red, yellow, orange and white. Drought-tolerant. | 18-24 inches tall. Blooms early summer until frost. |  |
| Gaillardia/Blanket Flower | Colorful, daisy-like blooms in shades of yellow, orange and red. Drought-tolerant and a butterfly favorite. | 12-24 inches tall. Blooms early summer until frost. |  |
| Hardy Hibiscus | Dinner-plate-sized blossoms in shades of red, pink and white. Loves sun and moisture. | 3-6 feet tall. Blooms late June through early August. |  |
| Monarda/Bee Balm | Member of the mint family with showy red, pink or purple flowers. Very attractive to pollinators. | 24-48 inches tall. Blooms early summer through early fall. |  |
| Penstemon/ Beardtongue | Spikes of tubular flowers in shades of pink, red, purple and white. Favorites of butterflies and hummingbirds. | 16-24 inches tall. Blooms early to late summer. |  |
| Rudbeckia/Blackeyed Susan | Daisy-like flowers in shades of yellow, orange and red. Some varieties are more aggressive than others. | 24-60 inches tall. Blooms summer through fall. |  |