Perennials - All

Clusters of pure-white, butterfly-shaped, fragrant flowers are produced in clusters in summer atop the tropical looking, rich green foliage and sturdy lush stems attracting both butterflies and the hummingbird-like Sphinx Moths. Cut the flowers and put them in a vase and they can perfume an entire room with their sweet heady fragrance. The White Butterfly Ginger, Hedychium coronarium, is a rhizomatous and slowly spreading, naturally evergreen tropical that acts like a die-back perennial in areas where freezes occur, reliably returning in zones 7B to 10. The Hedychium Gingers typically grow and flower best where they receive at least some direct sunlight for 3-4 hours during the day and generally have the best looking foliage where they receive shade during the heat of the day. A planting on the east facing side of a house, tree or other structure where they receive morning sun is often optimum. Provide an average moist to moist, average to well-drained, moderately fertile soil to keep this easy and reliable heirloom growing and flowering. Item# 1065

Fragrant clusters of 1" white tubular flowers are produced in summer at the leaf axils and may be followed by 1/4" glossy black fruits. White Cestrum or Day Blooming Jasmine, Cestrum diurnum, is an upright to rounded, naturally evergreen shrub with glossy ovate foliage. Well established plants can be can be grown as a root hardy, die-back perennial in the colder portions of its range or it can be easily maintained as a medium to large container plant where it is protected from freezing temperatures. The day-fragrant flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators. Item# 725

This uncommon pure white form of the Chinese Ground Orchid produces spikes of almost butterfly-like flowers in spring to early summer, depending on your zone, atop the wide pleated medium green foliage. This hardy heirloom perennial may very well be the easiest Orchid to grow in zones 6-9. Bletillas readily multiply into a groundcover like mass of plants foliage and flowering stems. It prefers a well-drained, humus rich acidic to neutral soil in a spot with cool or filtered sunlight. The Chinese Ground Orchid makes an easy addition to the mixed perennial border in the garden or landscape. It can also be grown as an easy and low-maintenance container plant for the shaded porch or patio. Item# 11791

The large pure white football shaped buds open to fragrant white trumpets sitting atop sturdy stems. This vigorous Crinum was generously shared with us by Marc Pastorek of Pastorek Habitats and is similar to Crinum x powellii 'Album' and C. moorei 'Alba' and may be the latter, or a hybrid of it, due to the shape of the medium to light green strap-like foliage. Provide a full sun to part shade position for optimum vigor and flowering. Shipped as an established plant growing in soil in its own container. Item# 11809

The pure white 1" long tubular flowers emerge from mealy-white calyxes along dense 18-24" high spikes from spring to fall attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. White Flame Salvia is a vigorous and mannerly intermediate height hybrid of Salvia longispicata x S. farinacea that revels in the heat and sun of summer when many other plants are seeking shade. Provide a full to mostly sunny site with average or better drainage in containers as well as in the garden and landscape. Although, White Flame Salvia is considered hardy to zone 7, it will likely do best if planted out in spring once the danger of freeze and frost have passed. Image courtesy of Ball Horticulture, all rights reserved. Item# 12176

In late summer and fall, Frostweed produces large flattened clusters of flowers that are used by a variety of pollinators including bees, migrating Monarchs and other butterflies. This is a relatively tall growing rhizomatous native perennial that will develop into a mass of upright stems and flowers. Frostweed, Verbesinca virginica, is typically found growing in moist to periodically dry soils in partly shaded to lightly shaded sites from the Edward's Plateau of west central Texas to Florida and as far north as Missouri and Kentucky. Compared to the very similar species Texas Crownbeard, Verbesina microptera, the Virginia Frostweed has fewer ray flowers (or petals) per flower and is considered to be more reliably cold hardy. Item# 11767

White Lightening Turk's Cap is a new Greg Grant introduction with a more vigorous growth habit and produces loads of pure white blossoms that are held against the dark green foliage. Mix this one in with your red flowered Turk's Caps for a wonderful contrast where it will flower from late May to November. Caterpillar host: Glassy Winged Skipper. Item# 9738

Clusters of pure white flowers with a darker eye may be born throughout summer and can nearly cover the top of the plant under good conditions. White or Swamp Milkweed is one of the few shade tolerant Milkweeds but it seems to produce a fuller denser plant where it receives at least 4-6 hours or more of direct sunlight. This is an excellent choice for use as a Monarch host as it will remain evergreen in mild winters in zone 8B and warmer and is a good substitute for the Mexican Milkweed for those looking for a reliable locally native perennial Milkweed with a smaller compact habit. Asclepias perennis is native to much of the eastern central US. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist to semi-moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Plant the Aquatic or White Milkweed in spring until about midsummer in zones 6-8 to help ensure plants are well-established before winter. It can also be enjoyed as a container plant but it should be protected if there is a chance that the soil can freeze. Item# 10451

6" wide clusters of 1" wide cup-shaped creamy white flowers with a maroon 'star' placed in the center of the flower may be borne from spring through summer on this easy to grow and vigorous Wax Flower. Large, thick and wide, pointed dark green foliage on a vigorous growing vine. The White Papau Wax Flower makes an easy to enjoy and low maintenance container specimen that will wow you when it is in flower! Item# 9863

Pure white flowers in clusters are produced from early summer until fall on this great, semi-woody perennial. Plumbago is a heat, sun, and drought tolerant tropical or tender perennial that makes a great addition to container gardens or it is often found growing as a groundcover, hedge, tree form, and espaliered on fences in mild winter climates. Item# 1172.

An uncommon color form of the Rose of Montana producing large often pyramidal sprays of lacy white flowers from spring to fall on mature plants and are held against a foil of medium green heart-shaped foliage. The flowers are in constant use by honeybees and occasionally by butterflies. The Rosa Montana or Coral Vine, Antigonon leptopus 'Album', is a tendriled, tuberous tropical vine that is evergreen in frost free regions but acts like a die-back perennial in areas that experience freezing temperatures returning from the tubers in spring. As a perennial vine, it typically remains in the 8-15' range but can exceed 40' high in tropical regions. Provide a full sun to mostly sunny site in a well-drained, average moist, fertile soil for optimum growth and flowering. Easy to grow with moderate drought resistant once well-established, though this may reduce growth and flowering. In areas where hard freezes occur, plant out early in the growing season and no later than by midsummer to help insure winter survival. Item# 826

Pure-white 1/2" blooms are born in grape-like drooping clusters from spring/summer to frost on this large tropical shrub sometimes grown as a tender perennial or annual. In freeze-free climates the Duranta can be used as a hedge or screen or train them into beautiful small trees. In the mildest portions of zone 8B-9 it will often act as a die-back perennial. The blooms are followed by 1/2" golden berries giving it the name of 'Golden Dewdrop'. Item# 737.

Clusters of creamy white, sometimes tinged pink, spidery flowers are produced atop short sturdy stems in late September and early October. The White Spider Lily is considered to be a hybrid Lycoris and is an easy addition to any sunny to semi-sunny well-drained soil in the garden or it can even be allowed to naturalize in the lawn. The narrow strap-like foliage appears once flowering has finished and grows through winter and the bulbs become dormant during summer. An easy heirloom that readily multiplies. 1 flowering size bulb per pot. Item# 11587

Clusters of pure white flowers are borne from spring to frost on this easy and adaptable perennial. With a low, naturally spreading to weeping habit White Trailing Lantana makes an excellent choice for the garden or as a spiller in mixed containers. Excellent for butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Evergreen in mild winter climates and makes a wonderful freely flowering groundcover. Item# 10791.

Large dense spikes of pure white foxglove-like flowers are born over a long period through spring and often well into summer on this beautiful clump forming native perennial. This wildflower's popularity for bouquets has made it nearly endangered in some areas. White Wand Penstemon, Penstemon tubaeflorus var. tubaeflorus, is a rosette forming native perennial whose rich green foliage often exhibits deep maroon tinges, edges, or the entire rosette may be maroon during portions of the year. Great for butterflies, larger bees, and the small black seeds may be utilized by smaller songbirds. Item# 9542

12-18" long sturdy spikes of white pea-like blossoms contrast with the purplish black stems and are born in spring above the newly unfurling bluish green foliage on tall 3-4' stems. Baptisia's are durable pest and disease resistant native taprooted perennials and could be considered the Lupine for the south. An excellent addition to the perennial border or cut-flower garden that is drought tolerant, deer resistant, durable, and easy. Item# 10230.

In late summer and fall loads of dainty 1/2-1" wide white daisies, with yellow centers or disk flowers that age to red-purple, literally cover the plants for weeks and offer nectar and pollen to a variety of smaller pollinators. The White Wood Aster, Aster divaricatum now Eurybia divaricata, is a medium-sized bushy, shade and drought tolerant, vigorously spreading rhizomatous, native perennial common throughout the Eastern US. This is one of the earliest Asters to begin flowering in late summer and can even be utilized as a mum replacement in containers if desired. The White Wood Aster may be best suited to semi-shaded to shaded, naturalistic areas where it will readily colonize eventually creating a groundcover-like mass of offsets. Provide a partly shaded site in average to well-drained soils with average to dryish (once well-established) moisture conditions. Images courtesy of North Creek Nurseries, all rights reserved. Item# 12991

In fall loads of dainty 1/2" wide white daisies with a pinkish-purplish 'eye' literally cover the plant for weeks and offer nectar and pollen to smaller pollinators. The White Woodland Aster or Calico Aster, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, is a small bushy clump forming native perennial common throughout the Eastern and Central US and spilling over into Canada. It is a common component of our local Pineywoods region that adds a bolt of color beneath that of the changing foliage as well as providing a pollinator food source at a time when many plants have gone to seed for the year but native bees are still stockpiling. The White Woodland Aster is fairly tolerant of full sun to partly shaded sites and is a good choice for meadows, prairies, and roadside plantings. It may reseed on exposed soils, although it does not appear to be aggressive. Caterpillar host: Field Crescent, Pearl Crescent, Texan Crescent, Roadside Checkerspot, Hoffman's Checkerspot, and American Lady. Item# 12039

From flattened iris-like bluish-green fans emerge spikes of pure white 1" wide flowers in late spring and early summer. An uncommon pure white form of Woodland Painted Petals or Flowering Grass, Freesia laxa var. alba is an easily grown cormous heirloom perennial and RHS Award of Garden Merit winner which readily multiplies via seed to make a loose groundcover. Provide an average to well-drained soil in a full to partly sunny site for optimum vigor and flowering. Freesia laxa is suitable for container culture as well as in the garden and landscape. Naturally winter dormant. Typically 2-3 or more bulbs per pot. Item# 11792

Clusters of tiny, light pink, tubular flowers are encircled by a mass of velvety white, bract-like leaves in mid to late summer. Whiteleaf Mountainmint, Pycnanthemum albescens, has a strong minty sage-like fragrance and can be used in place of sage in cooking. It is a clump forming native perennial with an upright to rounded growth habit reaching about 3' high by flowering. The dainty flowers are pollinated by a variety of smaller pollinators but are especially relished by bees. Easy to grow and deer and pest resistant. Whiteleaf Mountainmint is somewhat drought resistant once well-established. Item# 10669

According to Dr. Allen's Edible Plants of the Gulf South, Wild Chervil or Honewort is an easy to grow, native, tuberous rooted perennial whose leaves, stems, and flowers are useful fresh in salads or can be cooked as a green, the tuberous roots can be used as a starch, and the seeds can be used as a spice. Grow it as a loose groundcover in shade to partial shade in a moist, but not soggy soil,  preferably rich in organic matter. A host for the Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly. Item# 10219.