Arkansas gardeners have a special advantage – our humid subtropical climate creates the perfect environment for countless flowering plants to thrive.
The combination of hot summers, mild winters, and generous rainfall throughout the year means your garden can explode with color nearly year-round. I’ve spent years experimenting in my Little Rock garden, discovering which blooms handle our particular brand of Southern humidity with grace.
Whether you’re planning a butterfly garden in Fayetteville or looking to spruce up your Hot Springs backyard, these 13 flowering plants will reward you with spectacular blooms while standing up to our unique Arkansas weather patterns.
1. Southern Magnolia: Arkansas’s Iconic White Blossoms
Nothing says Southern garden quite like the magnificent fragrance of magnolia blooms floating on the summer breeze. These native Arkansas treasures produce enormous creamy-white flowers that can reach 8-12 inches across.
Growing up in Jonesboro, my grandmother’s magnolia tree was always the neighborhood landmark. The glossy evergreen leaves provide year-round interest, while the dramatic flowers appear from May through June.
Magnolias handle Arkansas humidity like champions, requiring little maintenance once established. Just give them full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil.
2. Coneflowers: Drought-Tolerant Native Stunners
Hardy perennials that laugh in the face of Arkansas summer heat, coneflowers deliver months of reliable color. Their distinctive raised centers surrounded by drooping petals attract butterflies and birds to any garden space.
My Ozark garden bed features purple, white and yellow varieties that return stronger each year. What amazes me is how they thrive in our clay-heavy Arkansas soil without complaint.
Plant these natives in full sun for best flowering, though they’ll tolerate partial shade. Even during July’s worst humidity, coneflowers keep blooming while other plants wilt dramatically.
3. Crape Myrtle: Summer’s Colorful Heat-Loving Tree
Driving through Little Rock neighborhoods in July reveals the undisputed summer champion – crape myrtles bursting with color when little else dares bloom. The papery flower clusters in shades from white to deep crimson create spectacular displays for months.
After 15 years in my Arkansas backyard, my crape myrtles have never disappointed. Even during record-breaking heat waves, they continue flowering relentlessly from June through September.
Choose varieties suited to your space – dwarf types reach just 3-5 feet, while tree forms can exceed 20 feet tall. Their exfoliating bark adds winter interest after flowering ends.
4. Black-Eyed Susan: Cheerful Yellow Blooms All Summer
Bright golden petals surrounding chocolate centers make these native wildflowers instant mood-lifters in any Arkansas garden. Black-eyed Susans start blooming in early summer and continue well into fall with minimal care.
Last summer, during that brutal August heat wave, my Fayetteville flower bed still glowed with these sunny bloomers while other plants retreated. Their drought tolerance makes them perfect for Arkansas’s unpredictable rainfall patterns.
Pollinators absolutely adore these flowers, especially our native bees. Plant them in drifts for maximum impact and enjoy how they naturalize and spread each year.
5. Oakleaf Hydrangea: Native Woodland Beauty
Unlike their fussier cousins, oakleaf hydrangeas are Arkansas natives perfectly adapted to our climate swings. The dramatic cone-shaped white flower clusters transform to lovely pink and russet tones as they age throughout summer.
Walking through Hot Springs National Park, you’ll spot these beauties thriving in woodland settings. Their distinctive oak-shaped leaves turn burgundy in fall, providing multi-season interest.
My shaded backyard corner in Conway features three oakleaf hydrangeas that handle our summer humidity without complaint. They require virtually no care beyond occasional watering during extreme drought.
6. Butterfly Weed: Monarch Magnet with Fiery Orange Blooms
Flaming orange clusters of star-shaped flowers make butterfly weed impossible to overlook in any Arkansas native garden. As a milkweed relative, it serves as crucial habitat for monarch butterflies while adding vibrant color.
The deep taproot makes this plant remarkably drought-resistant once established. My Rogers butterfly garden has hosted dozens of monarch caterpillars feeding on these essential native plants.
Unlike many showier garden plants, butterfly weed thrives in poor soil and neglect. Arkansas’s summer heat and humidity only make it happier, with blooms appearing from June through August.
7. Rose of Sharon: Tropical-Looking Blooms in Tough Package
Showy hibiscus-like flowers in shades from white to purple appear daily on this hardy shrub throughout the hottest months. Rose of Sharon creates a tropical feel while handling Arkansas’s temperature extremes like a native.
After the derecho storm flattened half my garden last summer, my Rose of Sharon bounced back within weeks. The flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, turning my Pine Bluff yard into a wildlife sanctuary.
Unlike many flowering shrubs, this one blooms on new wood, making it virtually indestructible. Even inexperienced gardeners find success with these forgiving plants in our challenging climate.
8. Garden Phlox: Sweet Fragrance for Summer Evenings
Clusters of star-shaped blooms create waves of color in mid-summer gardens, releasing their sweet perfume most intensely during warm Arkansas evenings. Garden phlox forms clumps that gradually expand each year, creating impressive displays.
Choosing mildew-resistant varieties is essential for Arkansas’s humidity. My Eureka Springs cottage garden features ‘David’ and ‘Bright Eyes’ varieties that remain pristine even during muggy August nights.
Hummingbirds and butterflies can’t resist these nectar-rich flowers. Plant them where you can enjoy both the fragrance and the wildlife visitors they attract to your Arkansas landscape.
9. Arkansas Blue Star: Native Perennial with Year-Round Appeal
Delicate sky-blue star-shaped flowers appear in spring atop ferny foliage that turns brilliant gold in autumn. This Arkansas native thrives in our climate while providing three-season interest with minimal maintenance.
Walking along the Buffalo River trails, you might spot this beauty growing wild. In my Bentonville garden, Arkansas Blue Star has survived drought, flood, and everything between for over a decade.
Few plants offer such elegant texture through the growing season. The wispy foliage creates a soft, billowing effect that complements bolder flowers while handling our humidity with grace.
10. Swamp Sunflower: Late-Season Golden Towers
Towering yellow daisy-like blooms appear just when gardens need a fall refresh, often reaching impressive 6-8 foot heights. These native sunflowers thrive in Arkansas’s clay soils and humidity, blooming from September until frost.
Last autumn, my swamp sunflowers near Little Rock’s riverfront created a golden backdrop for migrating monarchs. Their ability to handle wet feet makes them perfect for those troublesome low spots in Arkansas yards.
Despite their imposing size, these plants require zero babying. The cheerful blooms attract goldfinches that perform acrobatics to reach the seeds, providing garden entertainment well into winter.
11. Bee Balm: Hummingbird Haven with Whimsical Blooms
Crown-like whorls of scarlet, pink or purple flowers create firework displays in summer gardens while emitting a pleasant minty fragrance. Hummingbirds battle for territory around my Russellville bee balm patch each July.
Native to North America, bee balm handles Arkansas’s challenging combination of heat, humidity and clay soil with remarkable resilience. Choose mildew-resistant varieties like ‘Jacob Cline’ for best performance in our sticky summers.
The aromatic leaves make delightful herbal tea, adding functionality to this ornamental beauty. Even during drought, bee balm continues performing while other garden plants sulk.
12. Louisiana Iris: Exotic Blooms for Wet Arkansas Spots
Elegant orchid-like flowers in jewel tones emerge from sword-shaped foliage in late spring, thriving in areas where other plants would drown. These stunning native irises actually prefer the boggy spots in Arkansas gardens.
After transforming my soggy Texarkana yard corner into an iris bed, spring became my favorite season. The copper, purple, and yellow blooms create a Mardi Gras atmosphere right here in Arkansas.
Unlike fussier iris varieties, these natives handle our heat and humidity without complaint. They gradually form impressive clumps that can be divided every few years to expand your collection.
13. Hardy Hibiscus: Dinner-Plate Sized Tropical Blooms
Enormous flowers up to 12 inches across emerge from woody stems in colors ranging from pure white to deep crimson. Despite their tropical appearance, hardy hibiscus plants return reliably each spring in Arkansas gardens.
Visitors to my North Little Rock garden always stop in their tracks when they spot these dinner-plate sized blooms. The plants die completely to the ground in winter, but emerge with impressive vigor once soil warms.
Plant them where they’ll receive at least 6 hours of sun daily for best flowering. Their late emergence in spring makes them perfect companions for spring bulbs in the same bed.