11 Low-Maintenance Perennial Plants for Busy Gardeners

Frikart's Aster

A perennial plant, this aster type is easy to care for, disease resistant, and has a long bloom time; its light purple blooms flower nonstop from July to the first frost. "It appreciates water during droughty periods," says Ray Larson, the curator of living collections and the associate director of the University of Washington Botanic Gardens in Seattle. "Also, there is no staking required."

• Zones: 5 to 8
• Size: 3 feet tall x 18 inches wide
• Growing conditions: full sun (at least six hours a day); well-drained soil

Lemongrass

Lemongrass is a low-maintenance perennial plant that offers curb appeal outdoors and flavor inside; you can snip its leaves to use as herbs for tea and cooking. Plant lemongrass in spring, after the risk of frost has passed, says Dan Stuppiello, Home Depot's divisional merchandise manager of live goods. 

• Zones: 9 to 11 
• Size: 3 feet tall x 4 feet wide
• Growing conditions: full sun; water when soil is dry 

Blue Wild Indigo

This large, deciduous perennial features blue-green foliage and spikes of purplish, pea-like flowers in early summer. "Seedpods persist after flowering and are attractively purple-black until fall," says Larson. "This is a drought-tolerant species that grows in well in most of the United States. It is slow growing in youth and resents being moved, but otherwise is nearly care-free."   

• Zones: 3 through 10
• Size: 4 feet tall x 3 feet wide
• Growing conditions: full sun; well-drained soils (thrives in multiple types)

Geranium x Cantabrigense and Cultivars

While not the showiest hardy geranium, this variety is by far the easiest to grow in difficult spots. "It is a sterile hybrid of two tough parents with aromatic foliage and long-lasting flowers in shades of white to pink—or shades of red or purple, depending on cultivar," says Larson. "The first bloom is in late spring to early summer with sporadic re-bloom throughout the summer. It is drought tolerant when established." 

• Zones: 5 to 8
• Size: 8 to 12 inches wide (compact carpet)
• Growing conditions: moist, well-drained soils

Sweetheart Epimedium

If you're looking for a low-maintenance epimedium variety for droughty conditions, this is it: the sweetheart epimedium is the perennial plant for you. The semi-evergreen variety features attractive flowers and foliage; the large, heart-shaped leaves emerge edged in a maroon band, fading to full green in summer. "The medium-sized flowers have dark rose sepals and white, short-spurred petals. Unlike many cultivars, this can handle drought once established," says Larson.

• Zones: 5 to 9
• Size: 18 inches tall x 3 feet wide (slowly spreads by rhizomes)
• Growing conditions: tolerates a wide variety of soil conditions

Purple Wood Sage

This sage puts on a prolonged show. Its dark purple spikes covered in violet flowers produce in abundance in late spring and early summer. "This is one of the best and easiest sages for the garden," says Larson. If you are willing to put in a little work, deadheading your purple wood sage and applying some supplemental water during drought periods will encourage another round of blooms at the end of the summer. "Its best performance occurs with summer water during extended dry periods," affirms Larson.

• Zones: 4 to 9
• Size: 2 feet tall x 2 feet wide
• Growing conditions: full sun; well-drained soil

Dwarf Plumbago

One of the best low-maintenance perennial plants for late-summer interest, the dwarf plumbago has sapphire-blue flowers that add an unusual color to your garden.  "It grows to only 1 foot in height at maturity, which makes it good at weaving through other plants," says Larson. "The abundant small blue flowers take on extra intensity as its foliage turns from green to reds and oranges as fall approaches. Occasional summer water results in heavier bloom later in the season."  

• Zones: 6 to 9
• Size: 1 foot tall x 2 feet wide
• Growing conditions: full sun to light shade; well-drained soil

Black-Eyed Susan

Effortlessly radiant and endlessly charming, the black-eyed Susan features golden petals and striking dark centers; it adds a burst of sunshine to any landscape.

"Black-eyed Susan flowers are prolific bloomers and can create a stunning display of color in the garden, typically from mid-summer to early fall," says Robin Phelps, gardening and preserving coach for Sow Many Plants, a gardening website. "What truly sets this perennial plant apart is its remarkable ability to thrive with minimal care: They are resilient, adaptable, and require little fuss to flourish. These beauties revel in full sun, but can handle partial shade, giving you flexibility in placement."

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wide
• Growing conditions: full sun to partial shade (drought tolerant); rich, well-drained soil

Russian Sage

Russian sage is a resilient plant that requires minimal care while delivering maximum impact. "One of the standout features of Russian sage is its profusion of small, tubular flowers that form dense spikes or panicles," says Phelps. "The flower spikes rise above the foliage, creating an impressive and airy display. The blooming period generally occurs in mid- to late-summer and can last well into fall, attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies."

• Zones: 4 to 9
• Size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
• Growing conditions: full sun to partial shade (drought-tolerant after first year); well-drained soil with good air circulation

Coneflower

Requiring little fuss, coneflowers are a busy gardener's dream. This perennial plant's most prominent feature is the large, showy composite flowers. According to Phelps, each flower consists of a raised cone-shaped center which is surrounded by colorful ray florets. "The ray florets radiate outward from the cone and can be various shades of pink, purple, white, or even yellow, depending on the cultivar," she says.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 2 to 4 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
• Growing conditions: full sun (drought-tolerant once established); well-drained soil

Daylily

One of the remarkable qualities of daylilies is their ability to withstand different light conditions. "They perform best in full sun to partial shade, allowing you flexibility in their placement within your garden," says Phelps. "The star attraction of daylilies is their flowers: each flower typically lasts for a single day, hence the name "daylily."

But don't fret—the show isn't over in 24 hours (and there's no deadheading required): "Daylilies produce multiple flower buds on each stem, resulting in a continuous display of blooms throughout the flowering season," says Phelps.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 1 to 4 feet tall x 1 to 4 feet wide (varies by cultivar)
• Growing conditions: full sun to partial shade (water regularly); rich, well-drained soil