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Sun-Loving Native Annuals and Perennials for North Carolina

About 25 percent of the plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

Native Plants, Native Perennials, Native Annuals, North Carolina Native Plant, North Carolina Native Perennials, North Carolina Native Annuals, Fun Perennials, Sun Annuals

From the Atlantic Coastal Plain to the Piedmont region, and to the Appalachian Mountains, North Carolina’s landscape is carpeted with a rich array of wildflowers and native plants. It is home to many species of trees, shrubs, and flowering plants. Noted for its short, mild winters and sultry summers, North Carolina can also support many non-native species which are beginning to make their way across the landscape. Regrettably, some of these exotic immigrants are invasive and are threatening the native flora and ecology of the state.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, Invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species, and 18% of U.S. endangered or threatened species. Invasive species compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space. They displace and alter native plant communities, degrade wildlife habitat and water quality, and potentially lead to increased soil erosion.

The federal government has estimated that nearly 25 percent of the 20,000 plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction, many of these through habitat loss. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

A plant is considered native if it has occurred naturally in a particular region or ecosystem without human introduction. There are many benefits to growing native plants.

  • First, these plants are better adapted to soils, moisture, and weather than exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world. They need fewer fertilizers, and pesticides or use less water.
  • Second, they are unlikely to escape and become invasive, destroying natural habitats.
  • Third, they support wildlife, providing shelter and food for native birds and insects, while exotic plants do not.

Here is a list of North Carolina native annuals and perennials that are well-suited for plantings in sunny gardens.

  • Never collect native plants from the wild as it will deplete natural ecosystems. 
  • When possible, plant species grown straight from local seed sources. These native originals are the best choice, as they co-evolved with specific wildlife, which supports migration, breeding, and other seasonal interdependencies.

Guide Information

Plant Type Annuals, Perennials
Exposure Full Sun
Native Plants North Carolina, Southeast, United States

Recommended Sun-Loving Native Annuals and Perennials for North Carolina

Achillea millefolium (White Yarrow)
Amsonia tabernaemontana ‘Storm Cloud’ (Blue Star)
Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)
Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster)
Coreopsis auriculata (Lobed Tickseed)
Coreopsis lanceolata (Lanceleaf Tickseed)
Coreopsis verticillata (Threadleaf Coreopsis)
Erigeron pulchellus (Robin’s Plantain)
Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master)
Eutrochium fistulosum (Joe-Pye Weed)
Helenium autumnale (Sneezeweed)
Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower)
Helianthus tuberosus (Jerusalem Artichoke)
Heliopsis helianthoides (False Sunflower)
Hibiscus moscheutos (Hardy Hibiscus)
Kosteletzkya virginica (Seashore Mallow)
Liatris spicata (Blazing Star)
Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower)
Nymphaea odorata (Fragrant Water Lily)
Oenothera fruticosa (Sundrops)
Oenothera speciosa (Evening Primrose)
Oligoneuron rigidum (Stiff Goldenrod)
Orontium aquaticum (Golden Club)
Parthenium integrifolium (Wild Quinine)
Phlox carolina (Carolina Phlox)
Pontederia cordata (Pickerel Weed)
Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan)
Rudbeckia triloba (Brown-Eyed Susan)
Sagittaria latifolia (American Arrowhead)
Sarracenia flava (Yellow Pitcher Plant)
Sarracenia leucophylla (White-Topped Pitcher Plant)
Silene virginica (Fire Pink)
Sisyrinchium mucronatum (Needletip Blue-Eyed Grass)
Solidago nemoralis (Gray Goldenrod)
Solidago odora (Sweet Goldenrod)
Solidago rugosa (Rough Goldenrod)
Vernonia noveboracensis (New York Ironweed)
Viola pedata (Bird’s Foot Violet)

Discover Helpful North Carolina Guides for Further Reading

Discover more beautiful North Carolina native plants

North Carolina native plants

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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Plant Type Annuals, Perennials
Exposure Full Sun
Native Plants North Carolina, Southeast, United States
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Middle South Lower South

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