Seasonal NC plants are the key to a healthy outdoor space.
Creating a beautiful and functional outdoor space doesn’t have to be limited to the spring and summer months. No matter what season you’re in, there are locally grown plants that are seasonally suited for planting! Take a look at the list below of some of the most replika klockor popular North Carolina-grown plants for every season.
Click on each photo to learn more details about how to best utilize each plant in your outdoor space.
Fall
Herbaceous Perennials
Arkansas Star
Arkansas Star
Herbaceous Perennials (Amsonia hubrichtii)
- Herbaceous perennial: 2-3 feet, upright to rounded habit
- Soft feathery leaf texture, blue flowers; May
- Stunning Yellow/orange to brown Fall color
- Full sun to partial sun
- Moist, well drained soil
- Mixed borders, containers, mailbox gardens, mass planting
- Native
Goldenrod
Goldenrod
Herbaceous Perennials (Solodago rugosa)
- Herbaceous perennial: 2-4 feet tall, upright habit
- Bright yellow flowers in Sept./October
- Full sun
- Mixed borders, containers, mailbox gardens, mass planting
- ‘Fireworks’ improved cultivar 2-3 feet profuse flowers
- Native
Little Volcano
Little Volcano
Herbaceous Perennials (Lespedeza liukiuensis)
- Little Volcano Bush Clover
- Medium shrub: 4-8’, mounded habit
- Rose/pink flowers in Sept./October
- Full sun to partial sun (half day)
- Well drained soil, tolerant
Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope
Herbaceous Perennials (Abelia X grandiflora)
- Small Evergreen Shrub: mounded habit, 2’x3’
- Leaves multicolored: yellow, orange,red &green
- Light pink flowers in Sept./Oct. attracts pollinators
- Partial sun to full sun
- Well drained soil
- Borders, Containers, wildlife garden, foundation planting, winter interest
Autumn Joy
Autumn Joy
Herbaceous Perennials (Sedum)
- Herbaceous Perennial: 12-18” Spreading
- Large pink flower heads in Sept.-Oct.
- Full sun, well drained soil
- Mass planting, borders, flower gardens
Yuletide
Yuletide
Herbaceous Perennials (Camellia sasanqua)
- Medium to large evergreen shrub: 8-12’X 8-12′ upright to rounded habit
- Bright red flowers: Oct.-December
- Partial shade-partial sun
- Mass planting, foundation planting, screening, naturalizing
Tea Viburnum
Tea Viburnum
Herbaceous Perennials (Viburnum setigerum)
- Medium Shrub: 6-10’, upright habit
- White flowers, April/May, Bright red fruit in Sept.-Nov. attracts birds
- Full sun – partial shade
- Well drained soils, tolerates wet areas
- Naturalizing, mass planting, shrub borders
Shrubs
Beautyberry
Beautyberry
Shrubs (Callicarpa americana)
- Medium/Large shrub: 8-15’ Rounded habit
- Small greenish flowers, bright Magenta fruit in September/October, attracts birds in Fall
- Yellow Fall color
- Full sun to half day sun
- Tolerant to many soil types
- Shrub borders, foundations, naturalizing
- Native
Dwarf Fothergilla
Dwarf Fothergilla
Shrubs (Fothergilla gardenei)
- Small to medium shrub: 3-6’, rounded habit of growth
- White flowers in April/May, attracts pollinators
- Red/Orange Fall color
- Moist, well drained soil
- Full Sun to partial sun
- Shrub beds, borders, mailbox gardens, mass planting
- Native
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Shrubs (Hydrangea quercifolia)
- Medium shrub: 4-6 feet, upright to spreading
- White flowers in late Spring (May-June), dried flowers for indoors
- Bright red Fall color
- Shade to partial sun
- Mixed beds, borders, shade gardens, under trees, containers
- Many varieties, including dwarf
- Native, moist, well drained soil
Staghorn Sumac
Staghorn Sumac
Shrubs (Rhus typhina)
- Large shrub: 10-20’, upright habit
- Yellowish flowers, June, turning reddish brown in Fall
- Bright red Fall color
- Full sun to partial sun
- Naturalizing, low lying areas, mass planting
- Native
Virginia Sweetspire
Virginia Sweetspire
Shrubs (Itea virginica)
- Small to medium shrub: 3-6’, mounded to upright
- White flowers cascading down in April/May, attracts pollinators
- Bright red Fall color
- Full sun to partial
- Moist soils, can be planted near lakes, rivers and streams,
- Naturalizing, shrub beds and borders, mass plantings
- Native
Trees
Japanese Maple
Japanese Maple
Trees (Acer palmatum)
- Small tree: 10-25’ depending on variety
- Many varieties: cutleaf, burgundy leaves, upright, weeping, and spreading
- Yellow/orange to red fall color
- Full sun to partial shade
- Soil tolerant
- Front yards, Patio, courtyards, containers
Kousa Dogwood
Kousa Dogwood
Trees (Cornus kousa)
- Small tree: 15-25’upright habit
- White flowering in May, red fruit in Fall,
- Bright red fall foliage color
- Great exfoliating bark
- Full sun to partial sun
- Small space flowering tree; courtyards, street tree, containers
Maidenhair Tree
Maidenhair Tree
Trees (Ginkgo biloba)
- Medium to large tree: 50-70 feet tall, there are smaller varieties
- Full sun, open areas
- Butter yellow Fall color
- Soil tolerant
- Street tree, large yard tree, dwarf varieties can be used in containers and smaller spaces
Ornamental Grasses
Korean Feather Reed Grass
Korean Feather Reed Grass
Ornamental Grasses (Calamagrostis brachytricha)
- Ornamental Grass: 3-4’, upright to spreading grass
- Flower plumes white/pink in Sept./October
- Full sun to partial sun, cut down grass in March
- Mixed borders, mass planting, containers
- Well drained soil, drought tolerant
Pink Muhly Grass
Pink Muhly Grass
Ornamental Grasses (Muhlebergia cappilaris)
- Ornamental Grass: 2-3 feet, rounded to spreading
- Flower plumes hot pink in Sept./October
- Full sun, cut crass back in March
- Mass planting, mixed borders, containers
- Well drained soil, drought tolerant