Lower Landscape Maintenance with Long-lived Perennials

by Lydia Holley February 3, 2025

Perennial plants return from year to year, so they are usually considered lower maintenance than annuals, which need to be replaced yearly. Many gardeners consider perennial plants as their name implies, lasting indefinitely. That is not exactly accurate. Though many perennials live much longer, the definition of perennials require they only live for three years.

There are perennials which are considered short-lived and perennials which are considered long-lived. Short-lived perennials live anywhere from three to ten years. According to Richard Jauron at Iowa State University, short-lived perennials include coreopsis, Shasta daisy, and scabiosa.

In looking at photos of my garden from years ago, I realize how many short-lived perennials I no longer have in my garden which gave me such delight while they lasted. If you have noticed some of your perennials have not returned, do not immediately blame yourself. It just may be that those plants naturally came to the end of their life cycle.

If their deaths have left a blank spot in your garden, they will need to be replaced. You may wish to use the same perennials again. However, you might want to consider using long-lived perennials instead. Because long-lived perennials usually live at least 10 years (some 50 years or more), choosing long-lived perennials will reduce the number of new plants you will need to replace in your landscape over time. This will save you money and the energy and time needed to replant.

Iowa State University lists daffodils, daylilies, ferns, hostas, ornamental grasses, Siberian irises, and sedums as long-lived perennials. Of course, those are just a few of the many plants available. However, it gives you a starting point. From now on, when you replace perennials or add them to your landscape, consider their average life span. Instead of replacing plants every three to five years or so, it might be you could get the same amount of color and joy with plants that will thrive for decades.

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