by Shirley D Smith, Somervell County Master Gardener
I love Perennials. Just in case there is any confusion about the difference between an
annual and perennial, I recall the difference by remembering annuals actually get their
name because they only have a one-year life span. Perennials, on the other hand,
come back year after year. Since they don’t have to be planted each year, they’re more
permanent.
Some of my favorites would have to start with Purple Passion vine (Passiflora
incarnata). This beautiful vine is very hardy in our area in that it is extremely drought
tolerant and will grow in full sun in most any soil once it gets established. This plant is
the host for Gulf Fritillary butterflies. Each year I have hundreds of caterpillars that
practically devour this plant, but it just keeps on blooming. The flower of the Passion vine is one of the more beautiful ones in the plant world and has a lovely aroma.
Another winner in my flower garden is Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). The
pollinators love this plant as do hummingbirds. Even after it has quit blooming, I leave
the spent plants in my garden because they are covered with seeds, and birds will take
advantage of this free meal when nothing else is available. Again, they are easy to
grow in our area and love full sun.
I have a Texas Lantana (Lantana horrida) in the front of my house that is just beautiful,
even in the heat of summer. I do give it supplemental water if we have not had rain for
a while and it is extremely happy to bloom almost all summer. Again, the pollinators
love this plant and requires very little care. If you want to keep it more compact, then a
trim every so often will not hurt it.
Coreopsis will not disappoint you with its bright golden yellow-like flowers. These
will bloom practically all summer and are very low maintenance. They will reseed
themselves so you might want to thin them out in the spring.
Artemisia is another favorite. It is a small bush with intense gray, wooly foliage. I love
its gray color. I have a ‘Powis Castle’ that does well but does seem to need a drink
more often than some of my other plants.
I could go on further, but I will stop here. There are many wonderful native or adapted
perennials that do great here in Somervell County. If you need more information,
contact the Somervell County Extension Office and ask to be contacted by a Master
Gardener. We would be more than happy to share our experiences with you.