Gardening in Pennsylvania can be rewarding when you choose the right plants. Hardy perennials that thrive in our climate offer years of colorful blooms without constant attention.
From spring through fall, these tough beauties withstand Pennsylvania’s varied weather while adding charm to your landscape.
1. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Sunny golden petals surround dark centers on these cheerful native wildflowers. They brighten Pennsylvania gardens from midsummer through fall with minimal fuss.
Black-Eyed Susans tolerate poor soil, drought, and neglect while still putting on a spectacular show. Plant them in full sun or light shade, and watch butterflies flock to their blooms.
These hardy perennials naturalize easily, forming larger colonies over time without becoming invasive.
2. Coneflower (Echinacea)
Native to American prairies, coneflowers bring weeks of color to Pennsylvania gardens while attracting beneficial wildlife. Their distinctive raised centers and drooping petals create architectural interest even after blooming ends.
Once established, these tough beauties shrug off drought, poor soil, and humidity. Purple varieties are most common, but newer cultivars offer pinks, whites, yellows, and even orange blooms.
Goldfinches love feasting on their seedheads during winter months.
3. Russian Sage (Perovskia)
Airy clouds of lavender-blue flowers rise above silvery foliage, creating a dreamy effect in summer gardens. Despite its delicate appearance, Russian sage stands up to Pennsylvania’s toughest conditions.
Heat waves, drought, deer, and poor soil won’t stop this Mediterranean native from performing beautifully. The aromatic foliage deters most pests naturally.
Plant it where you can enjoy its gentle movement in the breeze and its lovely contrast against darker green plants.
4. Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Practically indestructible, daylilies thrive across Pennsylvania in almost any soil type. Their trumpet-shaped blooms come in countless colors from pale yellows to deep purples.
Each flower lasts just one day (hence the name), but plants produce many buds on each stem for weeks of continuous color. Old-fashioned orange varieties naturalize beautifully along roadsides and property boundaries.
Modern reblooming types offer multiple flowering periods throughout summer with minimal care.
5. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
Fleshy, drought-resistant foliage forms neat mounds crowned with broad flower clusters that evolve through the seasons. Starting pale green in summer, they transform to pink and finally rich copper-red by autumn.
Bees and butterflies can’t resist these long-lasting blooms. The sturdy stems rarely need staking, even after heavy rain.
Winter interest continues as the dried flower heads catch frost and snow, looking magical on cold mornings when other perennials have disappeared underground.
6. Bearded Iris
Regal blooms with distinctive ‘beards’ create drama in early summer Pennsylvania gardens. Available in nearly every color imaginable, these tough perennials increase naturally year after year.
Sword-like foliage remains attractive long after flowering ends. The thick rhizomes actually prefer to bake in the sun with their tops exposed, making them perfect for hot, dry spots.
Many varieties offer intoxicating fragrance as a bonus, perfuming your garden with scents ranging from grape soda to sweet vanilla.
7. Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)
Heart-shaped blooms dangle from arching stems in Pennsylvania’s spring gardens, creating romantic vignettes beneath trees and along shady borders. The traditional pink variety offers nostalgic charm, while white cultivars add elegance.
Perfectly adapted to Pennsylvania’s woodland conditions, bleeding hearts thrive in dappled shade and rich soil. After flowering, the ferny foliage provides texture until midsummer when plants typically go dormant.
Mark their location to avoid accidental digging during their resting period.
8. Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Grown primarily for their stunning foliage, coral bells add year-round color to Pennsylvania gardens. Modern varieties offer leaves in purple, caramel, lime green, silver, and nearly black.
Delicate flower spikes rise above the colorful mounds in summer, attracting hummingbirds with their nectar. These adaptable perennials perform equally well in containers or borders.
Their shallow root systems appreciate consistent moisture, but established plants handle Pennsylvania’s occasional dry spells without complaint.
9. Catmint (Nepeta)
Lavender-blue flower spikes hover above aromatic gray-green foliage, creating a soft, cottage garden effect. Catmint begins blooming in late spring and continues for months if sheared back after the first flush.
Pennsylvania gardeners appreciate its resistance to deer and rabbits, thanks to the minty scent that repels four-legged browsers. Drought tolerance makes it perfect for hot, sunny spots where other perennials struggle.
Plant it along walkways where brushing against the foliage releases its pleasant fragrance.
10. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum)
Classic white daisies with sunny yellow centers bring cheerful simplicity to Pennsylvania summer gardens. These reliable bloomers stand tall on sturdy stems, perfect for cutting gardens and casual bouquets.
Newer varieties offer double flowers, frilled petals, or compact growth habits. All share the same easy-care nature and long bloom period that made their ancestors garden staples.
Deadheading spent flowers encourages additional blooms, extending their performance well into fall.
11. Hosta
Masters of shade gardens, hostas offer incredible variety in size, color, and texture. Their lush foliage ranges from tiny miniatures to massive specimens with leaves bigger than dinner plates.
Blue, gold, green, and variegated varieties thrive in Pennsylvania’s woodland gardens where few flowering plants succeed. Spikes of lavender or white flowers attract hummingbirds in summer.
Their only significant challenge comes from deer, who consider them salad bar favorites, so consider protective measures in rural areas.
12. Yarrow (Achillea)
Flat-topped flower clusters in gold, pink, red, or white crown ferny foliage on this Pennsylvania garden workhorse. Native to prairies, yarrow handles poor soil and drought with remarkable resilience.
Pollinators flock to the long-lasting blooms, while gardeners appreciate their excellent cutting and drying qualities. The flowers hold their color beautifully when dried for winter arrangements.
Plant yarrow in full sun with good air circulation to prevent mildew issues during Pennsylvania’s humid summers.