Perennial Flowers to Plant

June is here and what a wonderful month it has been for gardeners. Our shrubs and lawns are growing vigorously and with any luck, our seedlings are establishing and maturing into strong plants. As spring bulbs, flowering shrubs and trees such as snowball viburnum die back in June, perennials begin to bloom and continue the floral display in your garden for months to come. As the heat of summer has not yet reached its peak, it is not too late to plant perennials in June. For a solid investment in your backyard, here we share the seven best perennials to plant in June.

1. Scabious

Pincushion flowers, also known as scabious or scabiosa, are popular perennials with long curved stems that are topped with circular flowers. The flower heads consist of many thin, narrow petals surrounded by small curved collars, giving the appearance of a pincushion.

Its buds are very attractive and come fall, these heads take on a structural spherical shape, making them one of the best perennials in terms of garden interest and longevity.

2. Asclepia

Asclepia, commonly known as milkweed, is best known for its ability to attract pollinators, especially the monarch butterfly, as well as bees and hummingbirds. It gets its name from the milky sap that oozes from its stems when they are damaged or the leaves are removed.

These plants can grow up to five feet tall and have delicate, star-shaped flowers. There are more than 100 species of milkweed in the United States and Canada. They are divided into several types, including common milkweed, butterfly weed, and swamp milkweed.

3. Echinops

If structure and form are important to you in your backyard, echinops — or globe thistles — are a must. These true-blue flower globes grow with spiky, bushy foliage, but delight in their ball-shaped flowers and the seed heads that follow. Its leaves make it an excellent deer-resistant plant. Globe thistles prefer full sun and are very hardy in drought conditions.

4. Anise Hyssop

It is a hardy perennial, tolerates poor soil and drought, requires virtually no fertilization, and is very low maintenance. It can form dense clusters of flowers and may require some cutting to keep it from spreading too far into the rest of your yard. It needs good drainage, however, if you live in a climate that experiences wet winters, consider adding gravel to the soil to prevent root rot.

5. Shasta Daisy

One of America's native perennials, Shasta daisies are incredibly hardworking and will give your garden a cheerful, bubbly look in summer. Unlike the daisies we see growing in meadows, these plants grow up to four feet tall. The Shasta Daisy was bred by American horticulturist Luther Burbank and is a hybrid of several Leucanthemum cultivars. It is named after the snow-capped mountains of Mount Shasta in California.

6. Joe Pie Weed

It can grow to enormous heights — up to eight feet if left unchecked — so make sure it has enough space before introducing this plant to your backyard. Maintain with regular pruning if you don't want it to grow too big. Joe pea weed makes an excellent flood tolerant plant because it thrives in swampy areas. This is a great plant if you want to create a perennial wildflower meadow.

7. Satin flower

Syringium striatum — also known as pale yellow-eyed grass or satin flower, both of which are easier to pronounce than its Latin name — is now starting to appear in gardens across the country. It grows slender spire-like stems accompanied by dotted clusters of small, creamy yellow flowers. This clump-forming perennial likes a sunny spot and prefers well-drained soil. If you like structural plants or more unusual cut flower varieties, this is a great option. It has a tendency to self-seed, which is good news if you want to expand your plant collection for free.