Houseplants - Smart Garden Pros

AeoniumAeoniumHand it bright light, gritty soil, and a dry summer rest, and this winter grower keeps its rosettes plump and tight.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

African DaisyOsteospermum ecklonisHand it full sun, fast drainage, and cool air, and the African daisy erupts into nonstop bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

African SpearDracaena angolensisHand it bright light and a dry pot between waterings, and this snake plant just keeps powering along.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–30 daysToxicEasy

African VioletStreptocarpus ionanthusDial in bright indirect light and a warm drink from below, and the African violet keeps cranking out blooms nearly all year.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeModerate

AgaveAgave americanaBlast it with full sun and gritty, fast-draining soil, leave the watering can alone, and agave races ahead on neglect.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasy

AgeratumAgeratum houstonianumFloss flower pumps out soft blue from late spring to frost on just full sun and steady moisture.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

Air PlantTillandsiaDitch the pot and the soil. Hand an air plant bright light and a weekly soak and it runs with the rest.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

AlfalfaMedicago sativaSort the soil and pH first, then watch this deep-rooted legume keep yielding cut after cut for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

AlmondPrunus dulcisHand it full sun, deep well-drained soil, and a frost-free bloom, and the almond pays you back with years of nut harvests.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicDemanding

Alocasia 'Polly'Alocasia × amazonica 'Polly'Hand it warmth, humidity, and bright indirect light, and the African mask plant fires back with bold arrowhead leaves.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemanding

Alocasia ZebrinaAlocasia zebrinaThose striped, zebra-print stems launch arrow-shaped leaves skyward and turn this houseplant into a living sculpture.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemanding

Aloe VeraAloe veraHand it bright light, gritty soil, and a dry stretch between drinks, and aloe powers along on next to nothing.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

AmaranthAmaranthus caudatusHand it full sun and warm soil, and amaranth rewards you with trailing tassels that run from summer into fall.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasy

AmaryllisHippeastrum hybridumPot the bulb, give it warmth and water, and that bare lump erupts into a tall stalk of trumpet flowers in mere weeks.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

American BasswoodTilia americanaA towering, easygoing shade tree bursting with fragrant summer flowers the bees swarm to.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

American BeechFagus grandifoliaHand it rich, acidic, moist soil and room to spread, and the American beech rockets into a shade tree for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

American ElmUlmus americanaA fast-climbing vase-shaped shade tree that staged one of horticulture's great comebacks, now available in disease-resistant form.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

American HornbeamCarpinus carolinianaGive it moist soil and a little shade, and this tough, slow-growing native holds its shape for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

American Pitcher PlantSarraceniaHand it full sun, rain-pure water, and a chilly winter rest, and the pitcher plant goes out and catches its own dinner.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeModerate

American Smoketree (Tree Form)Cotinus obovatusPlant it in poor, dry soil and full sun, and watch the American smoketree throw up a summer haze and light the fall on fire.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

American SycamorePlatanus occidentalisHand it room and moist ground, and the American sycamore shoots up into one of the East's largest shade trees.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Angel Wing BegoniaBegonia coccineaHand it bright light and a routine pinch, and the angel wing begonia bursts into silver-dotted foliage and red blossoms swinging from the stems.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

AngeloniaAngelonia angustifoliaHand it full sun and heat, and angelonia rockets up spires of bloom from summer to fall without missing a beat.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

AnisePimpinella anisumSow it once, leave the taproot undisturbed, and a long warm summer drives anise straight to fragrant seed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Annual RyegrassLolium multiflorumSow it in fall and annual ryegrass delivers fast cover, hungry roots, and a stand that mostly bows out by spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Annual VincaCatharanthus roseusHand it heat, blazing sun, and dry-side soil, and annual vinca powers out blooms from late spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

AnthuriumAnthurium andraeanumHand it warmth, steady moisture, and humid air, and the anthurium pushes glossy spathes month after month.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemanding

AppleMalus domesticaHand it full sun, a pollination partner, and a yearly prune, and an apple tree feeds you for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

ApricotPrunus armeniacaHand it full sun, sharp drainage, and shelter from late frost, and an apricot tree will hang heavy with sweet golden fruit by early summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Areca PalmDypsis lutescensHand it bright indirect light, clean water, and humid air, and the areca palm packs a corner with soft, feathery green.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

Arrowhead PlantSyngonium podophyllumIt grows fast and fills out faster, and the arrowhead plant will climb or trail wherever you send it, all on bright indirect light.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Arrowwood ViburnumViburnum dentatumA hardy native shrub that delivers spring flowers, blue-black berries, and fiery fall color with hardly any effort.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

ArugulaEruca vesicaria subsp. sativaDrop the seed in cool weather and peppery leaves are yours to cut in about a month.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–3 daysPet & child safeEasy

Asian PearPyrus pyrifoliaHand it full sun, a pollinator partner, and an open frame, and the Asian pear keeps delivering crisp, juicy fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Asiatic JasmineTrachelospermum asiaticumTough, glossy, and happy in sun or deep shade, Asiatic jasmine carpets the ground and asks for almost nothing.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Asiatic LilyLiliumDrop the bulbs in once and Asiatic lilies reward you with the first big blooms of summer, year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasy

AsparagusAsparagus officinalisPlant it once and a thriving asparagus bed keeps cropping every spring for 15 to 20 years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

Asparagus FernAsparagus aethiopicusSoft, feathery, and a joy to grow as long as you never let it sit in water.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–10 daysToxicEasy

AsterSymphyotrichumGive it full sun and well-drained soil, and the aster fires your garden's color clear into fall.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

AstilbeAstilbe × arendsiiHand it shade and soil that stays damp, and astilbe sets the shadows alight with feathery plumes.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

Autumn CrocusColchicum autumnaleIt sends up bare lilac-pink blooms in fall, yet every part conceals deadly colchicine.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

Autumn FernDryopteris erythrosoraDrop it into moist shade and the autumn fern kicks off the season with copper-red new fronds.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–7 daysSafety unverifiedEasy

AvocadoPersea americanaGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and frost shelter, and an avocado will throw shade over a yard for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

AzaleaRhododendronHand it acidic soil, dappled shade, and steady moisture, and the azalea pays you back with a spring you can hardly look away from.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerate

Baby Rubber PlantPeperomia obtusifoliaHand this peperomia bright indirect light with a real dry stretch between drinks, and it powers along with barely any help.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

Baby ToesFenestraria rhopalophyllaHand it bright light and the barest splash of water, and this cluster of window-tipped toes just keeps going.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeModerate

BacopaSutera cordataKeep it steadily watered in sun or light shade, and bacopa cascades with white bloom from summer to frost.☀️ Partial sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeEasy

BahiagrassPaspalum notatumTough, drought-proof, and happy in poor sandy soil, bahiagrass holds ground where finer lawns give up.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Bald CypressTaxodium distichumA swamp native that powers through flood, drought, and city soil and blazes rust-orange every fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Balloon FlowerPlatycodon grandiflorusSet it once in full sun and sharp drainage, then watch the puffed-up buds burst open every summer for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Bamboo PalmChamaedorea seifriziiHand it bright indirect light and clean water, and the bamboo palm packs a corner with soft, feathery green.☀️ Medium indirectPet & child safeEasy

BananaMusa acuminataHand it warmth, rich soil, and steady water, and this giant herb keeps firing up new stems for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

Barrel CactusFerocactus wislizeniPark it in full sun and gritty, fast-draining soil, water it rarely, and this desert barrel powers on for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–28 daysPet & child safeEasy

Barren StrawberryWaldsteinia ternataA hardy low yellow-flowered mat that blankets dry shade where almost nothing else takes hold.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

BarrenwortEpimedium grandiflorumTough, deer-proof, and happy in dry shade, barrenwort storms across the ground where almost nothing else dares to grow.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

BasilOcimum basilicumHand it sun, warmth, and a steady pinch, and basil pumps out fresh kitchen leaves all summer long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Bay LaurelLaurus nobilisSlow-building and evergreen, bay laurel pays back patience with a lifetime of fresh kitchen leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Bearded IrisIris germanicaPlant the rhizome shallow in full sun, keep it lean and dry, and the bearded iris charges back every spring for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

BeardtonguePenstemon digitalisGive it full sun and sharp drainage, and this tough native rockets up white spikes the bees chase all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

BeautybushKolkwitzia amabilisA rewarding, arching shrub that erupts in pink, bell-shaped flowers every spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Bee BalmMonarda didymaPlant it in sun with steady moisture and elbow room, and bee balm answers with weeks of bloom and a garden buzzing with pollinators.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

BeetBeta vulgaris subsp. vulgarisDrop the seed straight into the bed, thin it early, and pick it young, and the beet pays you back with sweet roots and edible greens.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Bell PepperCapsicum annuumSun-warmed soil, a reliable drink, and bright light send this plant racing toward basket after basket of sweet peppers until frost calls time.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

BellflowerCampanula persicifoliaGive it cool weather, sun, and well-drained soil, and the bellflower rings out blue bells every summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Bells of IrelandMoluccella laevisTall green spires of bell-shaped calyces that thrive in cool weather and dry beautifully for the vase.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerate

Bermuda GrassCynodon dactylonTough, sun-loving, and fast to fill in, bermuda grass builds a hard-wearing lawn that shrugs off heat and foot traffic.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

BidensBidens ferulifoliaSet it in full sun and average soil, and bidens fires off golden flowers from spring right up to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

Big BluestemAndropogon gerardiiHand it full sun and lean soil, and this towering native grass holds tall from summer straight into winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Bird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginaePour on all the sun you can and wait out a few patient years, and the crane flower pays you back with one of the boldest blooms you can grow indoors.☀️ Full sunToxicModerate

Bird's Nest FernAsplenium nidusGive it warmth, steady moisture, and humid air, and this shade-loving fern keeps pushing out glossy fronds for years.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–9 daysPet & child safeModerate

Black ChokeberryAronia melanocarpaTough, cold-proof, and edible from spring flower to winter berry, chokeberry gives back far more than it asks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Black LocustRobinia pseudoacaciaA fast, tough tree that races skyward on the poorest soil and perfumes the air each spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysToxicEasy

Black Mondo GrassOphiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'Few plants come this close to true black, and a little sun keeps the leaves at their darkest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Black Velvet Elephant EarAlocasia reginula 'Black Velvet'A pint-sized jewel alocasia flaunting velvety black leaves and silver veins that pays back an attentive grower.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemanding

Black-eyed SusanRudbeckia hirtaDrop it into full sun once, and this golden daisy seeds itself right back every year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Black-eyed Susan VineThunbergia alataHand it full sun, steady water, and something to climb, and this twining annual pumps out flowers from summer to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

Black-gold PhilodendronPhilodendron melanochrysumGive it warm, humid air and a pole to climb, and this velvet-leaved philodendron powers out deep, glittering foliage.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerate

BlackberryRubus fruticosusHand it full sun and room to ramble, and a blackberry pours out fruit by the bucket for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

BladderwortUtriculariaPure water, lean soil, bright light: the tiny carnivore feeds itself.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeModerate

Blanket FlowerGaillardia × grandifloraGive it full sun and lean, dry soil, and the blanket flower fires off color from June straight to frost.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Blazing StarLiatris spicataDrop the corms in once and blazing star fires up tall purple spikes for the bees every single summer.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Bleeding HeartLamprocapnos spectabilisGive it shade, steady moisture, and rich soil, and bleeding heart strings out rows of pink hearts every spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Blood OrangeCitrus × sinensisGive it full sun and cold winter nights, and the blood orange ripens flesh the color of garnet.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Bloodgood Japanese MapleAcer palmatumA stunning red-leaf maple that rewards steady care with deep burgundy summers and fiery fall color.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

BloodrootSanguinaria canadensisA fleeting white spring ephemeral for the shade, with a red rhizome you handle in gloves.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

Blue FescueFestuca glaucaA spirited silver-blue tuft that thrives on the hot, dry, lean ground other plants quit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Blue Oat GrassHelictotrichon sempervirensHand it full sun and poor, dry soil and blue oat grass throws up a tidy steel-blue mound that holds all year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Blue StarAmsonia tabernaemontanaPlant it in full sun and shear it after bloom, and Blue Star powers from spring flowers straight into glowing gold fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

BluebeardCaryopteris × clandonensisChop bluebeard back hard each spring and it roars back with a haze of blue flowers just as the garden starts to fade.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

BlueberryVaccinium corymbosumDial in the acidic soil and a second bush nearby, and the blueberry pours on summer fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Blushing BromeliadNeoregelia carolinaeKeep its central cup full and hand it bright, indirect light, and the blushing bromeliad lights up indoors with almost no fuss.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Bok ChoyBrassica rapa subsp. chinensisGet seeds down while the weather stays cool, keep the moisture coming, and watch bok choy overflow its rows in just six weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

BorageBorago officinalisSow it just once and the blue star flowers and bees return on their own.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Border ForsythiaForsythia × intermediaPlant it for the first burst of yellow that opens long before anything else wakes up in spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Boston FernNephrolepis exaltataKeep the soil evenly moist and the air humid, and the Boston fern erupts into a fountain of soft green fronds.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

Boston IvyParthenocissus tricuspidataGrow it for a wall that ignites crimson in fall, then give it masonry to climb, not your siding.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

BougainvilleaBougainvillea spectabilisGive it sun, a touch of thirst, and a little benign neglect, and bougainvillea pays you back with sheets of color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

BoysenberryRubus ursinus × idaeusHand it full sun, a sturdy trellis, and a yearly prune, and the boysenberry crops with big, wine-dark fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Bradford PearPyrus calleryanaFast off the mark and tough as they come, the Bradford pear also splits in storms and spreads as an aggressive invasive, so skip planting a new one.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Brazilian Pansy OrchidMiltoniaGive it warmth, steady moisture, and humid air, and the Brazilian pansy orchid fires back with star-shaped blooms.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

BroccoliBrassica oleracea Italica GroupHit cool weather and steady moisture and broccoli delivers a main head plus weeks of side shoots.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeModerate

Broccoli RabeBrassica rapa Ruvo GroupDrop the seed in the cool ends of the season, snip the shoots while the buds hold tight, and broccoli rabe pays you back with sharp, savory greens.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

BromeliadBromeliaceae (family)A topped-up cup plus bright but indirect light buys you months of bold bromeliad color.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

BrunneraBrunnera macrophyllaHand it shade and steady moisture, and Brunnera fires up the dark corners with silvered leaves and tiny blue spring flowers.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeEasy

Brussels SproutsBrassica oleracea Gemmifera GroupPlant them for fall and let a light frost finish the job, and the sprouts arrive firm and sweet.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

BuckwheatFagopyrum esculentumSow it into warm ground and watch buckwheat race across bare soil, smother weeds, and buzz with bees within weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Buffalo GrassBouteloua dactyloidesA rugged native prairie grass that keeps a lawn green on a fraction of the water.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–28 daysPet & child safeModerate

BugleweedAjuga reptansHand it part shade and good drainage, and bugleweed rolls out a fast carpet of color, as long as you keep it within bounds.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Bunny Ear CactusOpuntia microdasysHand it bright sun and a dry, gritty pot, and the bunny ear cactus rewards you for barely lifting a finger.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–28 daysPet & child safeEasy

Bur OakQuercus macrocarpaPlant a bur oak and kick off a tough, century-spanning shade tree that powers through cold, drought, and gritty city soil.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Burning BushEuonymus alatusSet it in full sun and the autumn leaves blaze a deep scarlet you can pick out clear across the yard.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Burro's TailSedum morganianumHand it bright light and dry feet, and this trailing succulent cascades over the pot for years on end.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysPet & child safeEasy

Butterfly BushBuddleja davidiiHand it full sun and a bold spring cut, and the butterfly bush erupts with flowers and wings all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Butterfly WeedAsclepias tuberosaHand it a baking, poor-soiled patch in full sun, then stand back as the monarchs roll in.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasy

ButterwortPinguicula moranensisGive it bright light, rainwater, and a lean gritty mix, and the butterwort clears your gnats for free.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 2–5 daysPet & child safeEasy

Button FernPellaea rotundifoliaTougher than it looks, the button fern thrives on bright shade and a light hand with the watering can.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

CabbageBrassica oleracea (Capitata Group)Hand it steady moisture, rich soil, and cool weather, and cabbage rewards you with a heavy, rock-solid head.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

CaladiumCaladium bicolorHand it warm soil, dappled shade, and steady moisture, and caladium rewards you with heart-shaped foliage streaked in red, pink, and white.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

Calamondin OrangeCitrus × microcarpaA pot-sized citrus that pushes out fragrant blooms and sour orange fruit at once, all year on a sunny sill.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Calathea MedallionGoeppertia roseopictaHand it soft water, warm air, and steady humidity, and those medallion leaves unfurl with the whole painted pattern on show.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemanding

Calathea OrbifoliaGoeppertia orbifoliaThose big, round, ribbon-striped leaves that fold up at night like praying hands make this a plant worth chasing.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemanding

Calathea White FusionGoeppertia lietzei 'White Fusion'Dial in the water and humidity and this living watercolour throws out brushstroked leaves you will love to grow.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemanding

CalendulaCalendula officinalisGive it full sun and lean soil and pot marigold keeps the color coming from spring straight to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

CalibrachoaCalibrachoa × hybridaHand it full sun, steady water, and acidic soil, and calibrachoa pours out bloom from spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeEasy

California LilacCeanothus thyrsiflorusHand it full sun, sharp drainage, and almost no water, and California lilac erupts into a wall of blue every spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 15–30 daysPet & child safeModerate

Calla LilyZantedeschia aethiopicaHand it rich, wet ground and full sun, and the calla fires up tall, sculptural blooms.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

CamelliaCamellia japonicaHand it acidic soil, dappled shade, and steady water, and the camellia fires off blooms when little else dares to flower.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

CandytuftIberis sempervirensHand it full sun and sharp drainage and candytuft erupts into a sheet of white flowers across the spring garden.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Canna LilyCanna × generalisHand it full sun, rich moist soil, and summer heat, and the canna fires up bold leaves and flame-bright flowers straight through to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–5 daysPet & child safeEasy

Cannabis / HempCannabis sativaHand it full sun, warm soil, and steady nitrogen, and Cannabis sativa sprints from seed to harvest in one season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–7 daysToxicModerate

CantaloupeCucumis meloGive it full sun, warm soil, and steady water, and cantaloupe races to sweet, fragrant fruit by late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

Cape PrimroseStreptocarpus rexiiHand it bright indirect light and careful watering, and Cape primrose keeps flowering for much of the year.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Cape SundewDrosera capensisGive it full sun and pure rainwater, and the Cape sundew glitters with fresh insect-catching dew all year long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeModerate

CarawayCarum carviHand it full sun and a patient first year, and caraway rewards you with fragrant seed the next.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Cardboard PalmZamia furfuraceaA tough, sculptural cycad that asks for next to nothing, yet its every part is dangerously toxic.☀️ Full sunToxicEasy

Cardinal ClimberIpomoea × multifidaHand it full sun and lean soil, and this fast vine sends up scarlet trumpets that pull in hummingbirds all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Cardinal FlowerLobelia cardinalisGive it wet feet and a little shade, and cardinal flower fires off scarlet spikes that send hummingbirds into a frenzy all late summer.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

CardoonCynara cardunculusHand it a long season, rich soil, and a few weeks of blanching, and the cardoon rewards you with tender stalks no market sells.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

CarnationDianthus caryophyllusHand it cool air, full sun, and sharp drainage, and the carnation rewards you with fragrant, ruffled bloom.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasy

Carolina JessamineGelsemium sempervirensHand it full sun and a sturdy support, and this evergreen vine erupts in fragrant yellow trumpets by late winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

CarrotDaucus carota subsp. sativusHand it deep, loose soil and steady water, and the carrot pays you back with sweet, straight roots.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

CashewAnacardium occidentaleA tropical tree that hands you two harvests in one, the cashew apple and the nut, as long as its roots stay warm, sunny, and well drained.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

CassavaManihot esculentaA rewarding warm-season root that pays off with care and proper processing.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicModerate

Cast Iron PlantAspidistra elatiorDrop it into the darkest corner of the house and the cast iron plant keeps right on growing.☀️ Low lightPet & child safeEasy

CatmintNepeta × faasseniiPlant it in full sun and lean, dry soil, and catmint will buzz with bees and lavender-blue bloom right through summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

CatnipNepeta catariaHand it full sun and lean, dry soil and catnip takes off on its own, while your cat throws the party.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

CattailTypha latifoliaPlant its roots in mud or shallow water and the cattail takes off, but give it room or it grabs the whole pond.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Cattleya OrchidCattleyaHand it bright light, a good dry-out between waterings, and humid air, and the corsage orchid pays you back with show-stopping blooms.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

CauliflowerBrassica oleracea Botrytis GroupStay cool, well-fed, and reliably watered, and this crop pays you back with one dense, weighty curd.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemanding

CeleriacApium graveolens var. rapaceumHand it a long season, rich soil, and water that never quits, and celeriac pays you back with a knob no store can match.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemanding

CeleryApium graveolens var. dulceFeed it rich soil, cool air, and water that never stops, and celery pays you back with snappy, crisp stalks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemanding

CelosiaCelosia argenteaHand it full sun and warm, well-drained soil, and celosia rockets up flame-bright plumes from summer clear to frost.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Centipede GrassEremochloa ophiuroidesFeed it little, lime it never, and centipede grass keeps a low-care lawn green all season long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Cereal RyeSecale cerealeSow it late, let it green up the off-season, and it builds your soil while smothering winter weeds.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

CherryPrunus aviumHand it full sun, deep soil, and good airflow, and a cherry tree pays you back with fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

ChervilAnthriscus cerefoliumCool weather, a shady spot, and steady water reward you with fine lacy leaves all season.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

ChestnutCastanea sativaPlant it in acidic soil with sharp drainage and a partner for pollen, and this eager tree pays back a generous haul of nuts ready to roast.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeModerate

ChickpeaCicer arietinumA knee-high legume that feeds itself and feeds you.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

Chili PepperCapsicum annuumHand it heat, sun, and steady water, and a chili plant piles on fruit from summer right through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

Chinese ElmUlmus parvifoliaA fast, rewarding shade tree that powers through poor soil, drought, and city grit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Chinese EvergreenAglaonema commutatumForgiving, shade-friendly, and thriving in a warm room, Chinese evergreen turns the trickiest corner of a home into a winner.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Chinese Fringe FlowerLoropetalum chinenseDrop loropetalum into acidic soil with good drainage and watch it churn out colored foliage and fringed blooms for almost no work.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Chinese Money PlantPilea peperomioidesRound leaves, fast growth, and pups to give away: the houseplant that keeps on sharing itself.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

ChivesAllium schoenoprasumHand chives full sun and steady moisture, and a single clump cranks out kitchen pickings for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasy

Chocolate CosmosCosmos atrosanguineusDeep maroon blooms that genuinely smell of dark chocolate, rising from a tender tuber you handle much like a dahlia.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerate

Chocolate VineAkebia quinataFragrant chocolate-purple flowers and edible fruit on a climber that takes off fast and rewards a firm hand.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Cholla CactusCylindropuntia fulgidaHand it full sun and sharp drainage, then steer well clear of those barbed, grabbing joints.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Christmas CactusSchlumbergera × buckleyiHand it bright, indirect light and cool fall nights, and this old-favorite houseplant bursts into flower right on cue for the holidays.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

Christmas FernPolystichum acrostichoidesHand it shade and well-drained soil, and the Christmas fern powers green fronds right through winter.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

ChrysanthemumChrysanthemum × morifoliumKeep up the pinching all summer, serve up full sun and reliably damp soil, and autumn repays you with sheets of color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

CilantroCoriandrum sativumHand it cool weather and steady moisture, and cilantro rewards you with fresh leaves in just a few weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

Cinnamon FernOsmundastrum cinnamomeumHand it wet, acidic shade and the cinnamon fern rockets up tall green fronds and rust-colored spikes year after year.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysSafety unverifiedEasy

ClematisClematisPlant it with sun on its head and shade on its feet, and clematis scrambles into a wall of bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

CleomeCleome hasslerianaSow it once in full sun and the spider flower rockets up, blooms till frost, and bounces back on its own.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Climbing HydrangeaHydrangea anomala subsp. petiolarisStick with it and watch a bare wall turn into fragrant white lacecaps for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Climbing RoseRosaTie it up, train the canes sideways, and a climbing rose will drape a wall in bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Cobra LilyDarlingtonia californicaA hooded carnivore that rears up like a striking cobra and rewards the grower who keeps its roots cold.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeDemanding

Coconut PalmCocos nuciferaPour on full tropical sun, warmth, and sandy coastal soil, and the coconut palm rewards you for decades.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerate

CoffeeCoffea arabicaGive it warmth, bright indirect light, and humid air, and watch the coffee plant grow into a glossy evergreen that may one day set cherries of its own.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysToxicModerate

ColeusColeus scutellarioidesColeus packs a wallop of bold, painted leaves and powers color into a shady corner or a sunny bed with hardly any effort.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Collard GreensBrassica oleracea (Viridis Group)A breezy, frost-proof leaf crop that keeps handing you fresh greens well past the point where frost flattens everything else in the plot.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Colorado Blue SprucePicea pungensPlant it in full sun, cool air, and well-drained ground, and the blue spruce blazes silver for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

ColumbineAquilegia canadensisHand it dappled shade and moist, free-draining soil, and columbine fires off spurred spring flowers that send hummingbirds racing in.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

ComfreySymphytum officinaleA rugged, deep-rooted perennial that powers your compost and keeps coming back once it gets a foothold.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Common BoxwoodBuxus sempervirensSlow, sturdy, and evergreen year-round, boxwood gives any clipped, formal garden its green backbone.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Common CamasCamassia quamashA spring bulb that turns a wet meadow into rolling blue.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Common FigFicus caricaGive it full sun and steady summer water, and a fig keeps the harvest coming for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Common JasmineJasminum officinaleGive it sun, warmth, and a sturdy support, and common jasmine fills the summer air with scent.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

Common LilacSyringa vulgarisDrop it into full sun with room to breathe, and the common lilac rewards you with waves of spring scent for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Common NinebarkPhysocarpus opulifoliusA tough native shrub that throws out peeling bark and colorful foliage and asks for next to nothing back.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Common PeriwinkleVinca minorA hard-working evergreen that blankets dry shade in blue, and its runners take off the moment they touch soil.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Common SneezeweedHelenium autumnaleGive it full sun and damp soil, cut it back in June, and sneezeweed sets the late border ablaze.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

Common SnowdropGalanthus nivalisPlant the bulbs in fall and watch snowdrops charge up through the last of the winter snow, flowering before anything else dares to.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Common TansyTanacetum vulgareA rugged golden-flowered herb that runs on almost nothing and takes off the moment it settles in.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Coral BellsHeuchera sanguineaGrown for its bold, year-round foliage as much as its airy spring flowers, coral bells set the shade alight.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeEasy

CoreopsisCoreopsis grandifloraHand tickseed a sun-soaked spot and lean, dry ground, and it fires off golden daisies from late spring until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Corkscrew RushJuncus effusus 'Spiralis'Keep its roots wet and never dry, and corkscrew rush throws out a whole season of twisting green coils.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeEasy

Corn PlantDracaena fragransThriving in a shady corner and slow to outgrow a room, the corn plant rewards you for one easy thing: clean water and warmth.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Corn PoppyPapaver rhoeasScatter the seed where you want it, hand it full sun and quick-draining soil, and watch silky scarlet poppies take off.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

CornflowerCentaurea cyanusFling some seed into full sun and lean soil, and cornflower fires back true-blue blooms all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

CosmosCosmos bipinnatusHand it full sun and poor soil, and cosmos floods the garden with blooms from summer to frost.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

CotoneasterCotoneasterTough, drought-proof, and blazing with red berries all winter, cotoneaster earns its keep and then some.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

CranberryVaccinium macrocarponHand it acidic peat, full sun, and steady moisture, and this low creeping vine pays you back with tart fall berries.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemanding

Creeping BentgrassAgrostis stoloniferaA fine, carpet-like turf that wears the look of a putting green and asks for the work to match.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeDemanding

Creeping FigFicus pumilaAn easy, fast climber that grabs onto anything and rockets along on bright shade and steady humidity.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasy

Creeping JennyLysimachia nummulariaA low gold carpet that loves moist ground in sun or shade, and runs hard enough to keep you on your toes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–5 daysPet & child safeEasy

Creeping JuniperJuniperus horizontalisGive it full sun and soil that drains, and this tough evergreen mat looks after itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Creeping MazusMazus reptansA low, moisture-loving carpet that races across the gaps between pavers and erupts into purple-blue bloom each summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Creeping PhloxPhlox subulataGive it full sun and sharp drainage, and creeping phlox throws down a spring carpet of color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Creeping ThymeThymus serpyllumGive it full sun and sharp drainage and creeping thyme races into a tough, fragrant carpet that powers through drought.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Crepe MyrtleLagerstroemia indicaPlant it in full sun and prune with a light hand, and the crepe myrtle pours out summer flowers before peeling into gorgeous winter bark.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Crimson CloverTrifolium incarnatumSow it come fall and crimson clover repays you with fixed nitrogen and a sweep of brilliant red bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Crinum LilyCrinum × powelliiSink the bulb once and stand back, because the crinum lily fires off fragrant pink trumpets every late summer for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

CrossvineBignonia capreolataA fast native climber that erupts into a spring blaze of trumpets and keeps the hummingbirds zipping in.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

CrotonCodiaeum variegatumGive it bright light and steady, humid warmth, and the croton sets a room ablaze with leaves in red, orange, and gold.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerate

Crown ImperialFritillaria imperialisTowering spring bulbs topped with nodding bells and a bold skunky scent that sends voles packing.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Crown of ThornsEuphorbia miliiHand it full sun, dry roots, and a wary touch, and crown of thorns keeps flowering nearly the whole year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

CucumberCucumis sativusGive it full sun, warm soil, and steady water, and the vine sprints, pumping out fruit faster than anyone can pick it.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

CuminCuminum cyminumGive it full sun and a long, hot summer, and cumin pays you back with a jar of its own fragrant seed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemanding

Cup-and-saucer VineCobaea scandensGive it full sun and a tall, sturdy support, and this turbo-charged climber will blanket a wall in bell-shaped flowers by late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

CupheaCuphea igneaHand it full sun and a few quick pinches, and cuphea fires off blooms from spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

CurrantRibes rubrumTough as nails and bursting with tart berries, the currant earns a spot in any cool-climate garden.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Curry PlantHelichrysum italicumA silver, curry-scented subshrub that rewards full sun and lean soil and asks almost nothing in return.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Cymbidium OrchidCymbidiumGive it bright light and cool fall nights, and the cymbidium fires up long, arching sprays of bloom.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Cypress VineIpomoea quamoclitHand it full sun and a string to climb, and cypress vine pays you back with feathery leaves and scarlet stars.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

DaffodilNarcissus pseudonarcissusPlant the bulbs in fall and they fire back the first real color of spring, year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

DahliaDahlia × hybridaGive it full sun, rich soil, and steady water, and the dahlia powers out blooms from midsummer to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

Daikon RadishRaphanus sativusSow it in late summer and watch the deep taproot do the digging before winter takes the plant.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Date PalmPhoenix dactyliferaHand it full sun, sharp drainage, and desert heat, and the date palm pays you back with sweet fruit for decades.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerate

David Austin RoseRosaOld-rose beauty and perfume on a shrub that blooms again and again from late spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Dawn RedwoodMetasequoia glyptostroboidesA living fossil that flames russet-bronze every fall and races skyward fast enough to watch.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

DaylilyHemerocallis fulvaTough, quick off the mark, and endlessly giving, the daylily turns sun into a fresh bloom every morning all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

DelphiniumDelphinium elatumTall spires of true blue that reward staking, steady moisture, and a careful hand around children and pets.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysToxicDemanding

Dendrobium OrchidDendrobiumGive it bright light and a cool, dry winter rest, and the dendrobium fires back with canes packed with flowers.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Deodar CedarCedrus deodaraPlant it in full sun on ground that drains, and this Himalayan cedar rockets into a soft, sweeping evergreen that lasts for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Desert RoseAdenium obesumHand it full sun and a long dry spell between waterings, and the desert rose pays you back with a fat caudex and trumpet blooms.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicModerate

DiasciaDiascia barberaeCool-weather charmer that tumbles, trails, and keeps the color coming.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

DichondraDichondraA low carpet of coin-shaped leaves that doubles as a barely-mowed lawn or a silver cascade pouring over a pot.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

DillAnethum graveolensFeathery, fast, and full of flavor: dill rewards every gardener who sows it.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

DipladeniaMandevilla sanderiHand it full sun, warmth, and sharp drainage, and dipladenia keeps trumpet flowers coming from early summer to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

DischidiaDischidia nummulariaHand it bright light, fast-draining roots, and a proper dry-out, and dischidia trails away happily for years.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Douglas FirPseudotsuga menziesiiHand it room, moist soil, and a stretch of years, and the Douglas fir shoots up into one of the tallest trees in the forest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Dragon FruitHylocereus undatusHand this climbing cactus sun, a sturdy post, and a pollination partner, and it rewards you with night-blooming flowers and bright pitaya.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Drooping LeucothoeLeucothoe fontanesianaFeed it shade, acidic soil, and steady moisture, and this arching evergreen puts on a show every month of the year.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerate

Dumb CaneDieffenbachia seguineThriving in bright, indirect light, dumb cane pays back a touch of warmth and humidity with bold, painted leaves.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Dusty MillerJacobaea maritimaGrow it for the silver foliage that makes every other color pop, hand it sun and sharp drainage, and it asks for next to nothing.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Dutch IrisIris × hollandicaPlant the bulbs in fall and Dutch iris launches tall, sleek blooms the next spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Dutchman's PipeAristolochia macrophyllaA fast climber that rockets up a support into a wall of overlapping leaves and feeds the pipevine swallowtail.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Dwarf Alberta SprucePicea glaucaA neat, slow-growing evergreen cone that thrives on full sun, steady moisture, and air that moves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Dwarf FothergillaFothergilla gardeniiHoney-scented spring flowers and a roaring fall color show on a tough, rewarding native shrub.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Dwarf Japanese MapleAcer palmatumGive it dappled shade, steady moisture, and shelter from wind, and a dwarf Japanese maple rewards you with shape and color for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Earth StarCryptanthus bivittatusTreat it to bright indirect light and steady humidity, and the earth star blazes with color all year.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Easter CactusRhipsalidopsis gaertneriHand it a cool winter rest and a spot it can lock into, and the Easter cactus bursts out with scarlet, star-shaped spring blooms.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Eastern HemlockTsuga canadensisDrop it into cool, moist shade and eastern hemlock rockets toward a soft, feathery evergreen that lasts for generations.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Eastern Red CedarJuniperus virginianaA rugged native conifer that powers through drought, poor soil, and bitter cold and keeps going for centuries.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Eastern RedbudCercis canadensisWatch it set the bare spring woods alight with rose-pink flowers studding the branches before one leaf has stirred.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Eastern White PinePinus strobusFast-growing and feather-soft, eastern white pine rockets skyward into a towering evergreen giant when it gets room and acidic ground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

EcheveriaEcheveriaHand it bright light and a soil that dries out fast, and this rosette succulent practically grows itself.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

EggplantSolanum melongenaPour on heat, full sun, and steady water, and eggplant keeps pumping out glossy fruit all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

ElderberrySambucus canadensisHand it sun, steady moisture, and a partner cultivar close by, and elderberry pays you back with heavy clusters of dark fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Elephant EarColocasia esculentaLoad it up with rich soil, full sun, and water that never quits, and elephant ear rockets out giant tropical leaves all season.☀️ Full sunToxicEasy

Emerald Green ArborvitaeThuja occidentalisPlant it in full sun with steady moisture, stay a step ahead of deer and snow, and it grows you a dense green screen for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Encore AzaleaRhododendronPair it with acidic soil, filtered sun, and steady moisture, and the Encore azalea fires off bloom in spring and rolls right on into fall.☀️ Partial sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerate

EndiveCichorium endiviaGrow it cool, steady, and well-spaced, and endive keeps crisp salad leaves coming spring and fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeEasy

English BluebellHyacinthoides non-scriptaPlant the bulbs in fall and watch them carpet the shade in violet-blue every spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasy

English IvyHedera helixTough, shade-loving, and fast to fill a pot, English ivy trails or climbs wherever you point it.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

EpazoteDysphania ambrosioidesHand it lean soil and full sun, pinch it often, and epazote pays you back with that unmistakable Mexican kitchen flavor all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Evergreen EuonymusEuonymus japonicusA tough, shade-friendly evergreen that snaps into a hedge and rewards you for almost no effort.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Fairy Castle CactusAcanthocereus tetragonusA slow, sculptural cactus that runs on bright light and very little water, and rewards you for mostly leaving it be.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

False IndigoBaptisia australisGive it full sun and lean, well-drained soil, and false indigo digs in for decades and just keeps delivering with almost no fuss.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

False ShamrockOxalis triangularisPurple, three-cornered leaves that throw open by day and fold up at night, sprouting from easy little bulbs.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

False SunflowerHeliopsis helianthoidesPlant it in full sun and lean soil, and false sunflower fires off gold from midsummer straight to first frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Fan FlowerScaevola aemulaPlant it in full sun with sharp drainage and fan flower rockets out blue blooms all season long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Fava BeanVicia fabaDrive them into cold spring soil, give them sun and steady water, and these tough broad beans crop early while the weather still runs cool.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Feather Reed GrassCalamagrostis × acutifloraSet it in full sun and feather reed grass shoots up tall and feathered, holding the show from June all the way through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

FenugreekTrigonella foenum-graecumDrop the seed into cool soil and fenugreek rewards you with fresh methi leaves in a month flat.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeEasy

FeverfewTanacetum partheniumPlant it in full sun and lean, dry soil and feverfew fires off white daisies all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Ficus AudreyFicus benghalensisHand it bright indirect light and steady, careful watering, and this banyan fig rewards you as one easy, great-looking houseplant.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Fiddle-leaf FigFicus lyrataHand it bright indirect light and one settled spot, and the fiddle-leaf fig pays you back in bold, glossy leaves.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerate

Field PeaPisum sativum subsp. arvensePair it with a grain to climb and the field pea builds your soil and feeds it nitrogen for free.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Fine FescueFestuca rubraHand it shade, lean soil, and a light touch, and fine fescue rewards you with a soft, low-care lawn.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Fishtail PalmCaryota mitisA bold, rewarding indoor palm with leaflets shaped like a fish's tail, fun to grow once you respect its prickly fruit.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Flaming KatyKalanchoe blossfeldianaHand it bright light, gritty soil, and dry spells between waterings, and this succulent fires off weeks of bloom.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Flaming SwordVriesea splendensKeep that central cup brimming and the light bright, and the flaming sword flies its bold red bract for months.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Florence FennelFoeniculum vulgareSow it cool, keep it watered, and watch fennel deliver a crisp, anise-sweet bulb.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

Floribunda RoseRosaPlant it in full sun, give it elbow room, and water at the base, and a floribunda keeps pumping out clusters from spring to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Florist's CyclamenCyclamen persicumKeep it cool, bright, and watered from below, and cyclamen blooms its heart out all winter.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysToxicModerate

Flowering DogwoodCornus floridaHand it part shade and moist, acidic soil, and the flowering dogwood pays you back with spring bracts and red autumn fruit.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

Flowering QuinceChaenomeles speciosaIt races to be one of the first shrubs to bloom each spring, setting bare branches alight with color before the leaves catch up.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

FoamflowerTiarella cordifoliaA shade native that rockets up frothy white spires each spring and spreads into a lush green carpet the rest of the year.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Forget-me-notMyosotis sylvaticaPlant it once for a spring carpet of tiny blue flowers, and it keeps the show going by seeding itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Fountain GrassPennisetum alopecuroidesSet it in full sun and lean soil, and fountain grass surges up into a soft, plumed mound that keeps the garden alive straight through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Four O'clockMirabilis jalapaSow it once and watch four o'clock fire off fragrant evening flowers all summer, then reseed itself for an encore next year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

FoxgloveDigitalis purpureaTall spires of speckled bells brighten any shady border, yet every part of this plant is poisonous.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasy

Foxtail FernAsparagus densiflorus 'Myers'Hand it bright indirect light and a pot that drains, and the foxtail fern rockets up plumes like green bottle brushes.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–10 daysToxicEasy

Franklin TreeFranklinia alatamahaLate summer blooms and blazing fall color from a tree extinct in the wild since the early 1800s.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemanding

FreesiaFreesia refractaSend up arching sprays of intensely fragrant winter blooms from a handful of humble corms.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

French TarragonArtemisia dracunculusSet it up with full sun and sharp drainage, and French tarragon keeps delivering that warm anise punch right through summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

FuchsiaFuchsia × hybridaHand it cool shade and steady moisture, and the fuchsia keeps dangling its two-tone flowers all season long.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

Garden AngelicaAngelica archangelicaA sky-high woodland-edge herb that delivers candied stems and architectural umbels, then takes its final bow after one spectacular bloom.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

Garden GladiolusGladiolus × hortulanusPlant the corms in spring and gladiolus answers with tall spires of color from late summer to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Garden PhloxPhlox paniculataHand it sun, breathing room, and steady moisture, and garden phlox floods the border with color from midsummer onward.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Garden SageSalvia officinalisPlant this hardy Mediterranean herb in full sun with dry roots and watch it hand over armfuls of savory leaves season after season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Garden SorrelRumex acetosaKeep cutting the young leaves and garden sorrel rewards you with wave after wave of tart, lemony pickings.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

GardeniaGardenia jasminoidesGive it acidic soil, steady moisture, and humid air, and the gardenia pays it back with intensely fragrant white flowers.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicDemanding

GarlicAllium sativumTuck a clove into the ground come fall and let it work all winter, and a single clove swells into a whole head by summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasy

Garlic ChivesAllium tuberosumCut them again and again all season, and garlic chives charge right back with flat, garlic-scented leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasy

GasteriaGasteriaHand it bright indirect light and a dry rest between waterings, and this tough little succulent just keeps thriving.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 10–21 daysSafety unverifiedEasy

GauraGaura lindheimeriGive it full sun and lean, well-drained soil, and gaura fires off clouds of butterfly-like blooms from spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

GazaniaGazania rigensGive it full sun and dry feet, and the treasure flower flings open bold, daisy-bright blooms all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Gerbera DaisyGerbera jamesoniiGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and a dry crown, and the gerbera daisy fires off bright blooms from spring to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

German ChamomileMatricaria chamomillaHand German chamomile a sun-drenched, fast-draining bed and it races to crowd the space with apple-scented daisies right through the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Ghost PlantGraptopetalum paraguayenseHand it bright light and a dry rest between waterings, and the ghost plant powers ahead on its own.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Giant Ornamental OnionAllium giganteumDrop the bulbs in this fall and giant allium rockets up purple globes that hover over the border by early summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysToxicEasy

GingerZingiber officinaleGive it warmth, steady moisture, and dappled light, and one rhizome erupts into a whole season of fresh ginger.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

GinkgoGinkgo bilobaSlow, tough, and all but indestructible, the ginkgo is a tree that rewards planting for the long haul.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Globe AmaranthGomphrena globosaGive globe amaranth full sun and warm, well drained ground, and it fires off papery clover-like flowers from summer until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Globe ArtichokeCynara cardunculus var. scolymusA bold architectural thistle that pays you back in tender, steamable buds.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Globe ThistleEchinops ritroGive it full sun and lean, dry soil, and globe thistle fires up steel-blue globes the bees chase all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Glorious PhilodendronPhilodendron gloriosumGive it warmth, humidity, and bright indirect light, and this velvet-leaf crawler keeps rolling out one heart-shaped leaf after another.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerate

Glory-of-the-snowChionodoxa forbesiiOne of the first bulbs to bloom, glory-of-the-snow throws down a carpet of blue before winter has fully let go.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Glossy AbeliaAbelia × grandifloraHand it sun and soil that drains, and glossy abelia keeps flowering from late spring to frost with barely any effort.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Goji BerryLycium barbarumGive it full sun, lean alkaline soil, and room to sprawl, and this tough nightshade pays you back in superfood berries.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Golden Barrel CactusEchinocactus grusoniiGive it strong sun and a stingy watering schedule, and this golden globe rewards you season after season.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Golden Rain TreeKoelreuteria paniculataA rugged shade tree, firing up midsummer with papery lantern pods and vivid yellow flowers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

GoldenrodSolidago canadensisGive it full sun and lean soil, and goldenrod sets the late-summer garden alight and pulls in every pollinator around.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Goldfish PlantNematanthus gregariusGive it bright filtered light and steady warmth, and the goldfish plant throws out arching stems strung with little orange blooms.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

GooseberryRibes uva-crispaA tough, cold-hardy berry bush that rewards you when you give it cool conditions, an open shape, and steady moisture.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Grandiflora RoseRosaTall, long-stemmed, and built to bloom from spring to frost, the grandiflora gives you hybrid-tea flowers on a floribunda frame.☀️ Full sun · 💧 4–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

GrapeVitis viniferaGive a grapevine full sun, sturdy support, and one bold yearly prune, and it rewards you with fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicModerate

Grape HyacinthMuscari armeniacumPush the little bulbs into fall soil and watch them fire off rivers of blue each spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

GrapefruitCitrus × paradisiGive it full sun, deep watering, and frost-free warmth, and a grapefruit tree carries fruit through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Great BurnetSanguisorba officinalisTall wands of dark red bottlebrush flowers that sway over the back of a damp, sunny border all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Green AshFraxinus pennsylvanicaA tough, fast shade tree for hard sites, now living under the shadow of the emerald ash borer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Green BeanPhaseolus vulgarisSow them in warm soil and green beans hand you pods by the handful all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Green Giant ArborvitaeThuja 'Green Giant'Give it full sun and room to spread, and this tree throws up a living privacy wall fast.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Ground CherryPhysalis pruinosaWatch each little lantern fade, loosen, and tumble, then gather up a golden windfall that keeps coming from summer into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Ground OrchidBletilla striataA hardy orchid that grows right in the garden soil and fires up pink blooms every spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Groundcover RoseRosaGive it full sun and room to breathe, and a groundcover rose carpets the ground in bloom from spring straight to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

GuavaPsidium guajavaGive it full sun, warmth, and frost protection, and a guava tree keeps handing you fragrant fruit for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Guzmania (Scarlet Star)Guzmania lingulataKeep its central cup filled and the light bright but soft, and this bromeliad flies its scarlet star high for months on end.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Hairy VetchVicia villosaSow it in fall and watch this nitrogen-fixing cover crop feed your soil all the way to spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Hardy HibiscusHibiscus moscheutosGive it full sun and soil that never dries out, and hardy hibiscus fires off dinner-plate flowers all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

Hardy KiwiActinidia argutaA frost-proof vine loaded with grape-sized berries you toss back whole, zero peeling involved.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Hart's Tongue FernAsplenium scolopendriumGive it deep shade, steady moisture, and a touch of lime, and this glossy strap-leaved fern powers its color straight through winter.☀️ Full shade · 💧 5–10 daysSafety unverifiedModerate

HaworthiaHaworthiaGive it bright indirect light and a long dry spell between drinks, and this little windowed succulent asks for almost nothing.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Hay-scented FernDennstaedtia punctilobulaA rugged native fern that races across shade in soft, hay-scented fronds and asks for next to nothing.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysSafety unverifiedEasy

HazelnutCorylus avellanaGive it full sun, a pollen partner, and room to spread, and the hazel keeps the nuts coming every fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Heartleaf PhilodendronPhilodendron hederaceumFast-growing, forgiving, and thriving in a shady corner, the heartleaf philodendron asks for little more than the odd drink.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Heavenly BambooNandina domesticaTough, drought-proof, and fiery in winter, nandina rewards a grower, though its berries are poison to wildlife.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

HeliotropeHeliotropium arborescensGive it full sun and steady moisture, and heliotrope pays back with clusters of deep violet, sweetly fragrant bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

HelleboreHelleborus orientalisA front-runner of the flowering year, hellebore bursts open in shade and snow when almost nothing else will.☀️ Partial shadeMildly toxicEasy

Hen and ChicksSempervivum tectorumGive it sun, grit, and almost no water, and this tough little succulent takes off on its own.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Hindu Rope HoyaHoya carnosa 'Compacta'Give it bright light and a dry-leaning watering hand, and this curly-leaved wax plant keeps rewarding you for years.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

Hinoki CypressChamaecyparis obtusaGive it acidic soil, steady moisture, and shelter from harsh wind, and this slow evergreen holds its shape for a lifetime.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

Holly FernCyrtomium falcatumGlossy, holly-shaped fronds and a pet-safe, shade-loving streak make this fern a joy to grow.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

HollyhockAlcea roseaTall, old-fashioned spires of bloom that plant themselves once you let them go to seed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Holy BasilOcimum tenuiflorumGive it full sun and warm soil, keep pinching the tips, and tulsi cranks out fragrant leaves all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

Honey LocustGleditsia triacanthosFast, tough, and eager to please, the honey locust throws dappled shade across the roughest ground you can hand it.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

HoneyberryLonicera caeruleaPair up two cultivars and beat the whole garden to the first berry of the year, sweet-tart and frost-tough.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Honeydew MelonCucumis meloGive it full sun, warm soil, and a long season, and honeydew pays off big with sweet, cooling fruit by late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

HoneysuckleLonicera sempervirensGive it full sun and something to climb, and trumpet honeysuckle rewards you with coral flowers and a steady rush of hummingbirds.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

HopsHumulus lupulusHand them full sun, deep soil, and something tall to climb, and hop bines shoot for the sky and a brewing harvest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysToxicModerate

HorseradishArmoracia rusticanaDrop one root into deep, loose soil and this powerhouse perennial fires up fresh, fiery roots every fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

HorsetailEquisetum hyemaleBold, jointed evergreen stems that punch up a wet corner, as long as you grow it inside a container so it can't run riot.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysMildly toxicEasy

HostaHostaGive it shade, steady moisture, and rich soil, and the hosta storms back with bold leaves that grow fuller every single year.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Hummingbird MintAgastache foeniculumHand it full sun and soil that drains, and anise hyssop erupts with bees and hummingbirds all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

HyacinthHyacinthus orientalisDrop the bulbs in the ground in fall and spring rewards you with dense, sweet-scented spikes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Hyacinth BeanLablab purpureusGive it heat, full sun, and a tall trellis, and hyacinth bean throws purple flowers and glossy pods clear into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Hybrid Tea RoseRosaGive it full sun, deep water, and a hard spring cut, and the hybrid tea rose keeps pumping out long-stemmed blooms from summer to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–8 daysPet & child safeModerate

HydrangeaHydrangea macrophyllaGive it rich, moist soil and afternoon shade, and the hydrangea piles on armfuls of bloom all summer.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

HyssopHyssopus officinalisPlant it in full sun and lean, fast-draining soil, and hyssop rewards you with aromatic leaves and bee-loved blue spikes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Ice PlantDelosperma cooperiGive it full sun and sharp drainage, and this succulent throws down a low carpet of jewel-toned flowers all summer.☀️ Full sunSafety unverifiedEasy

ImpatiensImpatiens wallerianaHand impatiens shade and consistent moisture and it erupts with color across a shaded planting all season.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeEasy

Inkberry HollyIlex glabraA tough native shrub that powers through wet ground, hard winters, and shade and stays green right through.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Interrupted FernClaytosmunda claytonianaGive it damp shade and rich, acidic soil, and this tough native fern rockets fresh fronds up every spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysSafety unverifiedEasy

IronweedVernonia noveboracensisGive it full sun and damp ground, and ironweed lights up late summer with deep purple flowers the pollinators chase.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Italian CypressCupressus sempervirensPlant it once in full sun and dry, well-drained soil and watch this slim green column hold its shape for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Jacob's LadderPolemonium caeruleumGive it cool shade and steady moisture, and Jacob's ladder throws up tidy rungs of foliage under spring-blue flowers.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Jade PlantCrassula ovataGive it bright light and a full dry-out between waterings, and the jade plant will keep outlasting houseplant after houseplant on the shelf.☀️ Full sunToxicEasy

Jane MagnoliaMagnolia 'Jane'A small tree that throws open tulip-shaped purple-pink flowers late enough to sail past the spring frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Japanese AnemoneAnemone × hybridaPlant it once for late-summer flowers on tall, swaying stems, and it storms back stronger every year.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Japanese BarberryBerberis thunbergiiTough, thorny, and richly colored, but check the rules before you plant it where it can spread.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Japanese Blood GrassImperata cylindrica 'Rubra'Give it full sun and even moisture, and the blades blaze blood-red from the tips down.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Japanese CedarCryptomeria japonicaGive it rich, moist soil and shelter from winter wind, and Japanese cedar rockets into a towering evergreen spire.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Japanese Forest GrassHakonechloa macraGive it shade and steady moisture, and this grass pours over a bed's edge like a stream of falling water.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Japanese HollyIlex crenataHand it acid soil with real drainage and this tough evergreen powers into sharp, sheared forms that hold for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Japanese IrisIris ensataGive it acidic soil, full sun, and summer water to spare, and Japanese iris fires back with broad, butterfly-flat blooms.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysMildly toxicModerate

Japanese KerriaKerria japonicaHand it dappled shade and soil that drains, and Japanese kerria fires up spring with golden flowers riding bright green stems.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Japanese LaurelAucuba japonicaThe shade-loving evergreen that turns dark corners into gold-dusted color.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Japanese MapleAcer palmatumGive it dappled shade, steady moisture, and shelter from wind, and the Japanese maple pays you back with color from spring through fall.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Japanese PachysandraPachysandra terminalisGive it deep shade and rich, moist soil, and pachysandra rolls out a glossy evergreen carpet that keeps going for years.☀️ Full shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Japanese Painted FernAthyrium niponicum var. pictumHand this fern filtered shade and regular water and it repays you with silver fire in the dimmest bed.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 4–7 daysSafety unverifiedEasy

Japanese PierisPieris japonicaHand it acidic soil and shelter from wind, and andromeda pays you back with drooping white flowers every spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerate

Japanese PittosporumPittosporum tobiraAn evergreen shrub that powers through sun, shade, drought, and hard shearing and still perfumes the spring like orange blossom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Japanese PrimrosePrimula japonicaGive it cool, wet, shaded ground and Japanese primrose rockets up tiered candles of bloom every spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 1–3 daysMildly toxicModerate

Japanese SkimmiaSkimmia japonicaGive it shade and acidic soil and this evergreen delivers fragrant spring flowers and bright winter berries.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Japanese SpireaSpiraea japonicaFast, tough, and generous, Japanese spirea keeps giving flat pink flower clusters and shifting foliage color from spring to fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Japanese StewartiaStewartia pseudocamelliaPlant it, wait for it, and cash in on summer flowers, blazing fall color, and patchwork bark.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemanding

Japanese Umbrella PineSciadopitys verticillataA living fossil dressed in soft, whorled needles that pays back patience and steady moisture in spades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

Japanese YewTaxus cuspidataA rugged, shade-loving evergreen that shines as hedging and topiary, and it also ranks among the deadliest plants anyone can grow in a yard.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

Jewel OrchidLudisia discolorGrown for its velvet, vein-streaked leaves, the jewel orchid is the one orchid you keep for the foliage.☀️ Medium indirect · 💧 4–9 daysPet & child safeEasy

Joe Pye WeedEutrochium purpureumTreat it to full sun and moist soil, and Joe Pye weed shoots skyward over the late-summer border, absolutely alive with pollinators.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

JuniperJuniperus chinensisGive it full sun and sharp drainage, and juniper rewards you with a long, easy life and almost no upkeep.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

KalanchoeKalanchoeA hardy little succulent that keeps firing out bright, long-lasting blooms for barely any work.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

KaleBrassica oleracea Acephala GroupPlant it once and keep pulling tender leaves from spring right through winter, because kale just keeps coming.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Kentia PalmHowea forsterianaGive it bright, indirect light and steady water, and the kentia palm rolls out slow, easy elegance across any room.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Kentucky BluegrassPoa pratensisGive it full sun and steady water, and Kentucky bluegrass knits into a dense, self-healing lawn.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Key LimeCitrus × aurantiifoliaGive it full sun, warmth, and free-draining soil, and this thorny little citrus fires back sharp, aromatic limes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Kimberly Queen FernNephrolepis obliterataGive it bright indirect light and steady moisture, and this upright sword fern powers along full and tidy all year.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

KiwiActinidia deliciosaGive it full sun, a strong trellis, and a male partner, and a kiwi vine pays back the patience with fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Knock Out RoseRosaPlant it in full sun and hit it with one spring prune, and the Knock Out roars from June to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

KohlrabiBrassica oleracea Gongylodes GroupGrow it fast and cool, pull it small, and kohlrabi pays you back with a crisp, sweet bulb perched right on the soil.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Kousa DogwoodCornus kousaA small tree that keeps giving, with star-shaped blooms, edible fruit, and peeling bark across all four seasons.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

KumquatCitrus japonicaGive it full sun, even water, and cover from hard frost, and this little citrus keeps pumping out fruit all winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Kwanzan CherryPrunus serrulataPlant it and chase that one unforgettable week of double pink bloom each spring, then keep it thriving the rest of the year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Lacy PhaceliaPhacelia tanacetifoliaSow it once and watch the bees pour in, a haze of lavender-blue buzzing hard all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Lady PalmRhapis excelsaSlow to grow, easy in shade, and safe around pets, the lady palm rewards you with steady, effortless green.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

Lamb's EarStachys byzantinaPlant it for soft, silvery leaves that spread across the ground and reward you for barely lifting a finger.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

LantanaLantana camaraHand it full sun and lean soil and lantana fires off hot color all summer, but every part of it is poisonous.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasy

Large-flowered TrilliumTrillium grandiflorumTuck it into rich, shady woodland soil, and this slow native pays back the wait with a standout spring bloom.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

LarkspurConsolida ajacisTall blue spikes that launch a cool spring garden, a joy to grow yet poisonous in every part.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasy

LavenderLavandula angustifoliaGive it full sun and sharp drainage, keep the soil lean, and lavender rewards you with fragrance for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysMildly toxicEasy

LeekAllium ampeloprasumPlant them deep, feed them hard, and hill the soil up, and a leek hands you a long sweet shank that stands through the cold.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerate

LemonCitrus limonGive it full sun, deep but infrequent water, and frost protection, and a lemon tree keeps pumping out fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Lemon BalmMelissa officinalisSweep a hand through it and the whole garden wakes up: lemon balm throws off a bright, lemony scent and asks for almost nothing.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Lemon VerbenaAloysia citriodoraBrush the leaves and the air bursts with lemon. Give it full sun and warmth, and this tender herb keeps the fragrant harvest rolling.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

LemongrassCymbopogon citratusPile on the sunshine, keep the moisture steady, and hold the warmth, and lemongrass sprints toward a season-long supply of fragrant stalks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

LentilLens culinarisSow it early into cool, well-drained ground and watch this hardy legume feed itself and pay off big at harvest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

LettuceLactuca sativaKeep it cool, moist, and racing along, and lettuce delivers crisp salads in barely a month.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–3 daysPet & child safeEasy

LewisiaLewisia cotyledonGive it sharp drainage and a dry crown, and lewisia crowns its rosette with bright flowers each spring.☀️ Partial sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Leyland CypressCupressus × leylandiiHand it room to breathe and steady water, and this fast evergreen rockets up a private green wall in just a few years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

LigulariaLigularia dentataDrop the leopard plant into damp shade and it rewards you with bold leaves and tall daisy spires.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

Lily of the ValleyConvallaria majalisSweet white bells that race across the shade, and yes, every part of them is poisonous.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasy

LimeCitrus × latifoliaFeed it full sun, brisk drainage, and dependable warmth, and the tree pumps out fruit for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

LingonberryVaccinium vitis-idaeaHand it acidic soil, full sun, and steady moisture, and this low evergreen carpet fires off two crops of tart red berries a year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeModerate

Lipstick PlantAeschynanthus radicansGive it warmth, bright indirect light, and humid air, and the lipstick plant fires red flowers off a hanging basket for much of the year.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

LisianthusEustoma grandiflorumSlow off the line but a total payoff, lisianthus rewards a cool, patient start with rose-like blooms all summer long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemanding

LithopsLithopsTiny living stones that run on almost no water and turn a sunny sill into a little living puzzle.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerate

Little BluestemSchizachyrium scopariumHand it full sun and lean, dry soil and this native grass rockets upright and holds tall from summer straight through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

LobeliaLobelia erinusGive it cool weather, part shade, and steady moisture, and lobelia throws out clouds of blue from spring straight into fall.☀️ Partial sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

LoganberryRubus × loganobaccusGive it full sun, rich soil, and a sturdy trellis, and the loganberry pours out a long summer of tart-sweet fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

LoquatEriobotrya japonicaPlant it in full sun and out of the frost, and the loquat rewards you with sweet fruit when barely anything else is ripe.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

LovageLevisticum officinalePlant it in rich, moist soil and full sun, and one lovage crown keeps the kitchen loaded with celery flavor for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Lucky BambooDracaena sanderianaGive it clean water and bright, indirect light, and this rewarding Dracaena keeps its green going for years.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 Every 7 daysToxicEasy

LungwortPulmonaria saccharataGive it cool shade and steady moisture and lungwort sets the dim corners alight with early spotted leaves and pink-to-blue flowers.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 Every 7 daysPet & child safeEasy

LupineLupinus polyphyllusGive it full sun, cool roots, and lean soil, and lupine throws up tall spires of color from late spring into summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

LycheeLitchi chinensisGive it heat, acidic soil, and a cool winter rest, and this tropical tree pays back every bit of the patience it asks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemanding

MacadamiaMacadamia integrifoliaGive it warmth, deep soil, and a pollination partner, and the macadamia pays you back with rich, buttery nuts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicDemanding

Macedonian ScabiousKnautia macedonicaHand it full sun and lean, well-drained soil, and crimson pincushions dance over the border all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Madagascar Dragon TreeDracaena reflexa var. angustifoliaHand it bright indirect light and fluoride-free water, and the dragon tree rewards you by thriving with almost no fuss.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Maiden GrassMiscanthus sinensisPlant it in full sun and lean soil and maiden grass rockets up tall, silvery plumes that hold strong all winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Maidenhair FernAdiantum raddianumSteady water plus humid air unlocks a billowing cloud of lacy green that rewards every bit of attention.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemanding

Majesty PalmRavenea rivularisFeed it steady moisture, bright light, and humid air, and this riverbank palm rockets a room full of feathery green.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 4–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Malabar SpinachBasella albaTurn it loose in the heat with a trellis to climb, and this vine races upward while it keeps the leaves coming.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

Mandarin OrangeCitrus reticulataGive it full sun, free-draining soil, and shelter from hard frost, and a mandarin tree rewards the effort with fragrant blossom and easy-peel fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

MandevillaMandevilla × amabilisHand it full sun and summer heat, and mandevilla races up its support and fires off trumpet blooms into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

MangoMangifera indicaServe up heat, full sun, and quick-draining soil, and the tree floods a warm garden with a summer's worth of fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

MarigoldTagetesPlant it in full sun and well-drained soil and marigold cranks out bloom from early summer until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Marsh MarigoldCaltha palustrisDrop it where the ground stays wet to soggy, and marsh marigold torches the water's edge with gold before almost anything else stirs.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysMildly toxicEasy

MasterwortAstrantia majorGive it moist soil and dappled shade, and masterwort keeps firing off its starry bracts through the cool of summer.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–5 daysSafety unverifiedModerate

MayapplePodophyllum peltatumA woodland native that throws up its umbrella leaves in spring, spreads fast, then ducks out by midsummer.☀️ Full shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerate

Meadow RueThalictrum rochebruneanumMeadow rue rockets airy clouds of flower up tall, slender stems, throwing soft height and motion across a part-shade border.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

MedlarMespilus germanicaA slow, hardy fruit tree that asks for little and pays off only after the first frosts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Mexican Feather GrassNassella tenuissimaDrop it into lean soil and full sun and watch this grass dance all season long, just stay ahead of its seed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Mexican SnowballEcheveria elegansHand it bright sun and dry roots and the Mexican snowball keeps a tight silver rosette going for years.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Meyer LemonCitrus × meyeriHand it bright sun, even water, and cover from frost, and this dwarf citrus rewards you with fragrant blooms and sweet fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

MilkweedAsclepias syriacaGrow it for the monarchs, hand it sun and lean soil, and a native milkweed practically grows itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Mini MonsteraRhaphidophora tetraspermaGive it bright indirect light, a moss pole, and humid air, and the mini monstera climbs fast all year.☀️ Bright indirectMildly toxicEasy

Miniature RoseRosaGive it full sun, steady water, and good airflow, and a miniature rose blooms from spring right through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

MintMentha spicataGive it steady moisture and a pot of its own, and mint keeps the fresh leaves coming from spring to frost.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

MizunaBrassica rapa var. nipposinicaSow it in cool weather, keep it watered, and cut it often, and mizuna keeps feeding you for weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

Mock OrangePhiladelphus coronariusPlant it in full sun and prune on cue, and mock orange packs early summer with orange-blossom scent.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Mondo GrassOphiopogon japonicusHand it shade and steady moisture, and mondo grass rolls out a soft, dark green carpet that asks for almost nothing.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Money TreePachira aquaticaFast-growing, pet-safe, and endlessly rewarding, the money tree turns a bright corner into a win.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

MonkshoodAconitum napellusTall blue hooded spikes that earned the name queen of poisons, a showstopper for the border and a plant that commands respect.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerate

MontbretiaCrocosmia × crocosmiifloraDrop the corms in once and crocosmia takes off, firing up arching sprays of fiery summer color that hummingbirds dive for.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Moon CactusGymnocalycium mihanovichiiTwo cacti fused into one, the moon cactus fires up a bold chlorophyll-free cap that rides entirely on the green stem below.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–21 daysPet & child safeModerate

MoonflowerIpomoea albaPlant it in full sun and warm soil, and moonflower flings open fragrant white trumpets every evening.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Morning GloryIpomoea purpureaDrop a few scarified seeds at the base of a trellis and morning glory will storm up it in trumpets by late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Moss RosePortulaca grandifloraHand moss rose a hot, sunbaked, sandy patch and watch it explode into color across the whole summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

Moth OrchidPhalaenopsisGive it bright indirect light and a full dry-out between waterings, and a moth orchid rewards you with months of bloom.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Mother of ThousandsKalanchoe daigremontianaAn easy succulent that cranks out its own babies along every leaf edge, just keep it well away from pets.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Mountain FleecePersicaria amplexicaulisGive it steady moisture and room to spread, and mountain fleece rockets up red bottlebrush spikes from June to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Mugo PinePinus mugoA rugged evergreen mountain pine that wants full sun and sharp drainage, then powers ahead on its own.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

MulberryMorus rubraPlant it in full sun with space to spread, and this mulberry cranks out berries by the bucket every early summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

MuskmelonCucumis meloPour on warmth, full sun, and buzzing bees, and the muskmelon rewards you with sweet, netted fruit come late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

MustardBrassica junceaSow it in cool weather and it rockets up, working overtime as a kitchen green and a soil-cleaning cover crop.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Mustard GreensBrassica junceaDrop seed into cool spring or fall soil and mustard greens race to peppery, cuttable leaves in scarcely a month.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

NasturtiumTropaeolum majusGive it poor soil and full sun, and the nasturtium comes back with peppery leaves and bright, edible flowers all summer.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

NectarinePrunus persica var. nucipersicaA nectarine is a peach that ditched the fuzz, and it hands back full sun and one yearly prune as sweet, smooth-skinned fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicDemanding

Neem TreeAzadirachta indicaGive it heat, sun, and free-draining soil, and the neem tree powers through drought and poor ground for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysMildly toxicEasy

NemesiaNemesia strumosaGive it cool weather, steady moisture, and full sun, and nemesia floods a spring bed with color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

NerineNerine bowdeniiLeave the bulbs crowded and undisturbed in full sun, and nerines set the fall border ablaze with pink.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Nerve PlantFittonia albivenisKeep it warm, humid, and evenly moist, and the nerve plant pays you back with leaves stitched in living color.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 3–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

Never-never PlantCtenanthe burle-marxiiGet the light, humidity, and water right and this prayer plant rewards you with bold, patterned leaves that fold up each night.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemanding

New England AsterSymphyotrichum novae-angliaeGive it full sun and a midsummer pinch, and the New England aster explodes into fall color just as the rest of the garden calls it quits.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

New Guinea ImpatiensImpatiens hawkeriFeed it rich, moisture-holding soil and part shade, and New Guinea impatiens powers out blooms from spring clear to frost.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeEasy

New Zealand SpinachTetragonia tetragonioidesPlant this heat-loving summer green and keep pulling tender leaves long after true spinach has bolted.☀️ Full sun · 💧 4–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

NicotianaNicotiana alataGrow it for the night-scented flowers that pour fragrance across the evening garden all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasy

NigellaNigella damascenaSow it once and love-in-a-mist comes back on its own, threading airy blue flowers and horned pods through the spring border.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasy

Norfolk Island PineAraucaria heterophyllaServe up cool air, bright light, and dependable watering, and this living conifer keeps flaunting its tidy, green tiers indoors the year round.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeModerate

Northern CatalpaCatalpa speciosaA tough native shade tree that erupts in showy white flowers and races skyward almost anywhere.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Northern Red OakQuercus rubraA fast native that rewards you with deep shade and brilliant red fall color for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Northern Sea OatsChasmanthium latifoliumA native grass that turns problem shade into a highlight, then dances flat oat-like seed heads from summer clear into winter.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Norway SprucePicea abiesTough, fast, and cold-hardy down to -40°F (-40°C), the Norway spruce grows into a towering evergreen with sweeping, pendulous branches.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

OatsAvena sativaA speedy, good-natured cool-season grass that races to fill three jobs at once: cover for the soil, grain for the feed bin, and cat grass for the windowsill.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

OkraAbelmoschus esculentusGive it heat, full sun, and steady moisture, and okra keeps the pods coming until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Old Fashioned WeigelaWeigela floridaHand it full sun and a well-timed prune, and weigela erupts into a late-spring rush of tubular blooms.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Old Garden RoseRosaTough, fragrant, and easygoing on their own roots, old garden roses pay you back season after season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Old Lady CactusMammillaria hahnianaGive it bright sun, gritty soil, and a dry winter rest, and this woolly little cactus crowns itself with pink flowers.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

OleanderNerium oleanderA tough, drought-proof shrub that blasts out bloom all summer long, with one hard rule attached: every part is dangerously poisonous.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

OliveOlea europaeaGive it full sun, lean soil, and a dry root run, and the olive thrives for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysPet & child safeModerate

Oncidium OrchidOncidiumGive it bright indirect light and a bark mix that drains fast, and the dancing lady orchid rewards you with sprays of fall flowers.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 2–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

OnionAllium cepaMatch the variety to your day length, keep the water steady, and onions all but grow themselves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasy

OrangeCitrus × sinensisHand it full sun, warmth, and well-drained soil, and a sweet orange tree keeps the fruit coming for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

OreganoOriganum vulgareGive it sun, lean soil, and a dry root run, and oregano practically grows itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Oregon GrapeMahonia aquifoliumPlant it in shade with shelter from winter wind and Oregon grape rolls out yellow spring flowers and blue-black berries.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Oriental LilyLiliumTall, richly scented summer blooms that perfume a whole garden, with one hard rule: keep them away from cats.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerate

Oriental PoppyPapaver orientaleGive it full sun and sharp drainage, and the oriental poppy fires off huge silken blooms every spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Ornamental Sweet Potato VineIpomoea batatasHand this vine sunshine, heat, and regular moisture and it races over pot rims and bed edges in a rush of colorful leaves all season long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–5 daysPet & child safeEasy

Osage OrangeMaclura pomiferaPlant it once and let it rip. The Osage orange is just about indestructible, thorns, hedge apples, and all.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Ostrich FernMatteuccia struthiopterisGive it shade and steady moisture, and this hardy fern launches knee-high fronds shaped like green shuttlecocks.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysSafety unverifiedEasy

Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgareGive it sun and lean, well-drained soil, and the oxeye daisy blooms for months, then takes off spreading on its own.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Pampas GrassCortaderia selloanaFew plants throw a bigger show than a pampas grass clump in full plume, but those silver feathers ride on razor-sharp leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Panda PlantKalanchoe tomentosaA fuzzy, silver-green succulent that thrives on bright light, dry soil, and barely any fuss.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 10–21 daysToxicEasy

PansyViola × wittrockianaGet them in the ground as the weather cools and pansies pump out color through fall, winter, and spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

PapayaCarica papayaPour on the sunshine, steady water, and frost-free heat, and this fast mover races from seedling to ripe papaya inside a year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

Paper BirchBetula papyriferaGive it a cool, moist root run and paper birch rewards you with brilliant white bark for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

PapyrusCyperus papyrusPlant it in full sun with wet feet, and papyrus rockets up a summer stand of green, firework-burst rays.☀️ Full sun · 💧 0–1 daysPet & child safeModerate

Parlor PalmChamaedorea elegansGive it low light and steady moisture, and the parlor palm thrives where fussier plants sulk.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

ParsleyPetroselinum crispumGive it rich soil, steady moisture, and a little patience at sowing, and parsley keeps the kitchen in fresh leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

ParsnipPastinaca sativaSow it, wait it out, and let a hard frost land the finishing touch, and the parsnip turns sweet and nutty deep underground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

PassionflowerPassiflora incarnataGive it full sun and room to run, and the maypop rockets up its support, feeds butterflies, and flowers all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

PassionfruitPassiflora edulisGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and a strong trellis, and this fast vine rewards you with fragrant fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

PawpawAsimina trilobaNorth America's largest native fruit, rich as custard and tasting of banana and mango, ripens on a tree few gardeners know.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

PeaPisum sativumSow them while the soil is still cold, give them something to climb and steady moisture, and the pods come sweet and early.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Peace LilySpathiphyllum wallisiiAn easygoing, hard-to-kill houseplant that flags its own thirst and pays back a little light with crisp white blooms.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

PeachPrunus persicaGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and a hard yearly pruning, and a peach tree pays you back in summer fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Peacock PlantGoeppertia makoyanaHand it warmth, humidity, and soft water, and the peacock plant rolls out some of the boldest leaves you can grow indoors.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemanding

PeanutArachis hypogaeaGive it full sun, loose sandy soil, and a long warm season, and the peanut cranks out a whole crop underground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

PearPyrus communisPlant a pair of pears for cross-pollination, drench them in sun, add patience, and reap fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

PecanCarya illinoinensisGive it room, full sun, and a pollination partner, and a pecan shades the yard for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Pencil CactusEuphorbia tirucalliSun-hungry, tough as nails, and a joy to grow, though its milky sap bites back, so handle it with care.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–28 daysToxicEasy

PeonyPaeonia lactifloraPlant it shallow in full sun, then get out of its way, and a peony will outlast the gardener who set it.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Peperomia 'Hope'Peperomia deppeana × quadrifolia 'Hope'Easy, pet-safe, and eager to trail, Peperomia 'Hope' rewards you for just bright indirect light and soil left to dry out.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

PeppermintMentha × piperitaGive it steady moisture and a pot to call its own, and peppermint keeps the fresh leaves coming all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

Perennial RyegrassLolium perenneSow it and it's up in days, giving you fast, fine-bladed, hard-wearing turf that greens a lawn in a fortnight.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Persian ButtercupRanunculus asiaticusDrop the little claws into cool spring soil and watch ranunculus unfurl wave after wave of papery petals.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

PersimmonDiospyros kakiSet persimmon in blazing full sun, let it settle at its own pace, and bare autumn branches light up with fruit that hangs on deep into the cold.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

PetuniaPetunia × atkinsianaGive it full sun and steady feeding, and the petunia fires off color from late spring right up to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Philodendron BirkinPhilodendron 'Birkin'Hand it bright, filtered light and steady moisture, and this pinstriped philodendron keeps cranking out clean white-on-green leaves.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

PickerelweedPontederia cordataA hardy native pond marginal that fires up blue flower spikes all summer, asking only for full sun and wet feet.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

PigsqueakBergenia cordifoliaTough, evergreen, and happy in the shade, bergenia carpets the ground and flowers when little else does.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Pin OakQuercus palustrisA fast-growing shade tree that lights up in fiery fall color, as long as its feet stay in acidic soil.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Pincushion FlowerScabiosa columbariaPlant it in full sun with sharp drainage and the pincushion flower keeps firing off blooms from spring to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Pindo PalmButia capitataA vigorous, cold-hardy feather palm that sends up gray-green fronds in arching sprays and ripens sweet, jelly-ready fruit.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

PineappleAnanas comosusGive it strong light, warmth, and a pot that drains fast, and a grocery-store crown turns into a houseplant that fruits.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Pink Muhly GrassMuhlenbergia capillarisHand it full sun and lean, dry ground, and pink muhly grass erupts into a rose-pink haze every fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Pink Princess PhilodendronPhilodendron erubescens 'Pink Princess'Pair even moisture with a bright spot out of direct sun and this eager climber rewards the effort with pink-streaked leaves in every flush of growth.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerate

Pinstripe CalatheaGoeppertia ornataGive it warmth, humidity, and the right water, and the pinstripe calathea rewards you with painted leaves that dance through the day.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeDemanding

PistachioPistacia veraGive it hot, dry summers and a male tree nearby, and the pistachio rewards your patience with split-shell nuts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysMildly toxicDemanding

PlumPrunus domesticaServe up plenty of sun and deep soil, prune once a year, and a plum tree loads its branches with fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Polka Dot BegoniaBegonia maculataDial in bright indirect light, a careful watering rhythm, and plenty of humidity, and this cane begonia races to repay the effort with leaves flecked in silver spots.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerate

Polka Dot PlantHypoestes phyllostachyaSet it in bright filtered light, keep it moist, and watch those freckled leaves stay bold.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

PomegranatePunica granatumPlant it in full sun, keep the water steady, and watch it load up with ruby fruit each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Ponytail PalmBeaucarnea recurvataBright light and a good dry stretch between waterings, and this easygoing succulent just keeps on going.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Poppy AnemoneAnemone coronariaSoak the corms, give them sun and sharp drainage, and watch poppy anemones blaze through spring in jewel colors.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

PotatoSolanum tuberosumDrop in a few cut tubers, hill high and water well, and dig a bumper crop when fall rolls around.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasy

PothosEpipremnum aureumForgiving, fast, and thriving in a dim corner, pothos is the hardest houseplant to kill.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

Prayer PlantMaranta leuconeuraFeed it soft water, damp soil, and humid air, and the prayer plant pays you back by folding its leaves shut every single night.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeModerate

Prickly PearOpuntia ficus-indicaSun, sharp drainage, and a barely-there watering routine, and prickly pear just keeps on going.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

PrimrosePrimula vulgarisHand it cool shade and steady moisture, and primrose rushes out the garden's first color of spring.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

PrivetLigustrum vulgareA fast, shear-happy hedge that fills in quick and takes any shape, though it bolts out of the garden and poisons grazing animals.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

PumpkinCucurbita pepoGive it full sun, rich soil, and room to run, and one pumpkin vine takes off across half the garden.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Purple ConeflowerEchinacea purpureaDrop it into full sun and lean, well-drained soil and watch coneflower bloom from early summer straight into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Purple HeartTradescantia pallidaFeed it strong light and lean soil, and purple heart races away in rich violet, one of the most rewarding easy plants going.☀️ Full sunToxicEasy

Pygmy Date PalmPhoenix roebeleniiDial in bright, indirect light and even moisture, and this slow, elegant palm rewards you for years.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

QuinceCydonia oblongaSlow to grow and sharp off the branch, quince pays off big with fragrant golden fruit that transforms the moment it hits the pot.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Rabbit's Foot FernDavallia fejeensisGet the light, moisture, and humidity right and those furry paws will march right over the pot.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

RadicchioCichorium intybusRide it into cool fall weather and radicchio flips from harsh green to a knockout deep red with a bittersweet kick.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

RadishRaphanus sativusRadishes race: hand them cool weather and steady water and pull crisp roots in a matter of weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–5 daysPet & child safeEasy

Rambling RoseRosaPlant it in full sun on a strong frame, prune it at just the right moment, and a rambler will race up a fence and burst into early summer flower.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

RaspberryRubus idaeusPlant it in full sun and rich soil, prune once a year, and this fast, generous berry piles your bowl high.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Rattlesnake PlantGoeppertia insignisBold, wavy leaves that fold up at night put on a nightly show and reward you for getting the water and humidity dialed in.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeDemanding

Red CloverTrifolium pratenseSow it once and red clover fixes its own nitrogen, powers your pasture, and leaves the ground richer for the next crop.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Red MapleAcer rubrumFast, hardy, and endlessly rewarding, red maple sets fall ablaze with red and orange.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

Red Spider LilyLycoris radiataSet the bulbs with the neck above the soil, then watch bare scapes rocket up into fiery red blooms come early fall.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Red-hot PokerKniphofia uvariaPlant it in full sun with fast drainage, and red-hot poker rockets up torches of flame-colored spikes all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Reticulated IrisIris reticulataSink the little bulbs in fall and they burst open in icy blues and golds while winter still lingers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Rex BegoniaBegonia Rex Cultorum GroupGrow it for leaves that look painted on, and the rex begonia keeps them coming with bright, indirect light and fresh, moving air.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemanding

RhododendronRhododendronGet the acidic soil and dappled shade dialed in, and this shrub throws out spectacular spring trusses year after year.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerate

RhubarbRheum rhabarbarumPlant one crown and rhubarb keeps rewarding you, sending up tart red stalks every spring while those big leaves happily fend for themselves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasy

Ripple PeperomiaPeperomia caperataCompact, quick to propagate, and fun to grow, ripple peperomia rewards bright light and a light touch with water.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

River BirchBetula nigraFast-growing and tough, river birch flashes peeling salmon-and-cinnamon bark in any garden that keeps it moist and acidic.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

RodgersiaRodgersia aesculifoliaPlant it in damp shade and watch rodgersia power out enormous, sculpted leaves season after season.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeModerate

Roman ChamomileChamaemelum nobileGive it full sun and dry feet, and watch it spread into a soft apple-scented mat.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

RomanescoBrassica oleracea var. botrytisGrow it as a cool fall crop and watch a head spiral up into pure green fractals.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeDemanding

Rose of SharonHibiscus syriacusPlant it in full sun with room to stretch, and watch this tough shrub pump out color from midsummer clear into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

RosemarySalvia rosmarinusPlant this tough, fragrant Mediterranean herb, give it sun and grit, and it pays you back with sprigs for the kitchen all year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Royal FernOsmunda regalisFeed it wet, acidic soil and shade, and this giant fern powers up fronds that climb higher than you stand.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysSafety unverifiedEasy

Rozanne CranesbillGeranium 'Rozanne'One of the longest-blooming perennials you can grow, and it keeps the color coming for next to no effort.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Rubber PlantFicus elasticaHand it bright indirect light and a settled corner, and the rubber plant climbs into a glossy, easygoing indoor tree.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

RueRuta graveolensPlant rue in full sun and lean, dry soil and watch it hold its bold blue-green shape year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

Rugosa RoseRosa rugosaThe rugosa rose powers through salt spray and deep cold, blooms all summer long, and finishes the season loaded with red hips.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Runner BeanPhaseolus coccineusPoint it at the sun, give it something tall to climb and plenty of water, and this fast, generous climber runs until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Russian SagePerovskia atriplicifoliaPlant it in full sun and dry, sharp-draining soil and Russian sage throws up a blue haze from midsummer clear into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

RutabagaBrassica napus subsp. rapiferaGet the seed down in summer, cheer the roots on through the cool weeks, and let a hard frost crank up their sweetness for a harvest that keeps and keeps.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Sacred LotusNelumbo nuciferaSet it up with warm, still water and all-day sun, then watch the lotus send its flowers soaring high over the water.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerate

Sago PalmCycas revolutaA tough, ancient cycad that grows into a real showpiece, though it packs a toxin that can kill a pet.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

SaguaroCarnegiea giganteaHand it blazing sun, sharp drainage, and years of patience, and watch a saguaro rise into a true desert giant.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysPet & child safeDemanding

Salad BurnetSanguisorba minorDrop it into a hot, sunny, lean-soil spot and salad burnet keeps pumping out crisp, cucumber-flavored leaves all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

SalsifyTragopogon porrifoliusDig a deep bed, sow early, and salsify runs down into a sweet, oyster-flavored root worth every day of the wait.☀️ Full sun · 💧 4–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Salvia (Annual)Salvia splendensGive scarlet sage full sun and steady water, and watch it fire up flower spikes from summer right to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

San Pedro CactusEchinopsis pachanoiGive it full sun and a proper dry-out between waterings, and this tall columnar cactus takes off, climbing fast season after season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

SassafrasSassafras albidumA fast, easy native that explodes into orange, red, and purple every fall and spreads with real gusto.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Satin PothosScindapsus pictusGive it bright, indirect light and steady warmth and stand back, because those silver-marked vines will trail and keep going for years.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerate

Saucer MagnoliaMagnolia × soulangeanaPlant it clear of late frost and the saucer magnolia fires off goblet-shaped pink blooms before a single leaf shows.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

Sawara False CypressChamaecyparis pisiferaSet it in full sun and free-draining soil, and false cypress keeps its color firing through every season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Scarlet FirethornPyracantha coccineaFast, fearless, and bristling with thorns, firethorn delivers a flood of white spring flowers and orange-red winter berries.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Scots PinePinus sylvestrisFast, tough, and raring to grow on poor, dry ground, Scots pine turns sun into serious height.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Sea HollyEryngium planumPlant sea holly in full sun and lean, dry ground and it comes alive with steel-blue, thistle-like flowers right through summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Sea ThriftArmeria maritimaGive it full sun and gritty, fast-draining soil, and sea thrift will pack the rock garden with pink cushions.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

SedgeCarexPair the right sedge with the right spot and it delivers easy, year-round texture that keeps going in blazing sun or the deepest shade.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

SedumSedumHand this stonecrop some sun and gritty soil, and it takes off with hardly any coaxing.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

SenecioSenecioGive it bright light and gritty, fast-draining soil, and this blue-green succulent rewards you by practically growing itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysToxicEasy

Sensitive FernOnoclea sensibilisGive it shade and soil that never dries out, and this eager native races to fill a damp corner.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

ServiceberryAmelanchier × grandifloraOne small tree that delivers white spring flowers, sweet June berries, and fiery fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

ShallotAllium cepa Aggregatum GroupDrop in one bulb and watch it multiply into a whole cluster, a payoff that comes back every single season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicEasy

Shasta DaisyLeucanthemum × superbumPlant it in full sun with quick drainage and it powers out clean white daisies straight through summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

ShisoPerilla frutescensKeep pinching and shiso keeps pumping out tender, fragrant leaves for pickles, garnishes, and wraps all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

Shrub RoseRosaPlant it in full sun with airflow, and a shrub rose puts on a show from late spring until frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Shrubby CinquefoilPotentilla fruticosaBombproof and blooming nonstop all summer, shrubby cinquefoil packs a huge payoff into a shrub that barely asks a thing.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Shrubby St. John's WortHypericum frondosumTough as nails, drought-proof, and blazing with bright yellow summer flowers, this native shrub gives back far more than it takes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Siberian IrisIris sibiricaCold-proof, easy to grow, and endlessly rewarding, Siberian iris turns a damp patch into grassy fans and a rush of late-spring bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Siberian SquillScilla sibericaPlant the bulbs once and a rolling wave of early blue comes racing back every single spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

Silver Inch PlantTradescantia zebrinaGive it bright light and a regular pinch, and this trailing inch plant packs out a pot in record time.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Silver Lace VineFallopia baldschuanicaPlant it, stand back, and watch a bare fence vanish under froth of white bloom in a single season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Silver MapleAcer saccharinumQuick, tough, and eager for wet ground, the silver maple races skyward and hands you shade faster than almost any tree.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Sky Pencil HollyIlex crenataA skinny green rocket of a shrub for tight corners, happy on acidic soil and a little winter care.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Slender DeutziaDeutzia gracilisAn easy, pet-safe shrub that erupts in white spring flowers and rewards you for barely lifting a finger.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Slipper OrchidPaphiopedilumKeep a slipper orchid warm, softly lit, and evenly moist, and it puts on a single bloom that runs for months.☀️ Medium indirect · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Smoke BushCotinus coggygriaPlant it in full sun with sharp drainage and watch smoke bush erupt into summer haze and fiery fall leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Snake PlantDracaena trifasciataTough to kill and happy on its own, the snake plant wants bright light, dry soil, and little else from you.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–42 daysToxicEasy

Snap PeaPisum sativum var. macrocarponDrop the seeds into cold spring soil and watch snap peas race up the trellis, loading the vines with sweet, crunchy pods.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

SnapdragonAntirrhinum majusGive snapdragons sun and cool weather and they keep firing out fresh flower spikes across spring and fall.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Snowball BushViburnum opulusPlant it in full sun with space to spread, and the snowball bush erupts into white spring globes year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Solomon's SealPolygonatum biflorumPlant it in rich, moist shade and watch Solomon's seal arch higher and spread wider every single spring.☀️ Full shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Sorghum-sudangrassSorghum × drummondiiA fast, towering summer grass that charges through weeds and cracks open packed soil, paired with a real cyanide warning for grazing animals.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

Southern Live OakQuercus virginianaA sprawling, long-lived shade tree that wants room to grow and little else once it settles in.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Southern MagnoliaMagnolia grandifloraA standout evergreen with glossy leaves and lemon-scented white blooms that anchors a landscape for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

SoybeanGlycine maxPlant it in full sun and warm soil, and this self-feeding legume packs pod after pod all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

SpearmintMentha spicataKeep it moist and give it room of its own, and spearmint pumps out fresh leaves right through the season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

Spider PlantChlorophytum comosumHand it bright indirect light and a splash of water once the soil dries, and the spider plant races ahead while staying safe around your pets.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

SpiderwortTradescantia virginianaThriving in sun or shade, spiderwort throws out fresh three-petaled blooms morning after morning.☀️ Full sunToxicEasy

Spike SpeedwellVeronica spicataPlant it in full sun with sharp drainage and watch speedwell fire off blue spikes all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

SpinachSpinacia oleraceaSow it cool, keep it watered, and grab it young, and spinach rewards you with tender leaves in about six weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

Split RockPleiospilos neliiA tiny stone-mimic succulent that looks like a cracked pebble and pays you back with sun-fueled flowers.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerate

Split-leaf PhilodendronPhilodendron bipinnatifidumGive it warmth, steady water, and bright indirect light, and this big-leaved philodendron powers a plain corner straight into a small jungle.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Spotted Dead NettleLamium maculatumTuck it into cool, dry shade where little else thrives, and the silver foliage lights the ground all season long.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Spring CrocusCrocus vernusSet the corms out in fall and the spring crocus comes charging up with the first color of the year, often straight through the snow.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

St. Augustine GrassStenotaphrum secundatumFeed it heat, faithful water, and a high mow, and St. Augustine grass takes off into a thick, carpet-like lawn.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Staghorn FernPlatycerium bifurcatumMount it on a board, hand it bright indirect light and a good soak, and watch the staghorn throw out antler fronds like a trophy on the wall.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Star CactusAstrophytum asteriasHand it bright light and gritty soil, let it dry right out between waterings, and this spineless little star rewards you by pretty much thriving on neglect.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–21 daysPet & child safeModerate

Star JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoidesSet it loose on a fence and star jasmine rockets up, spilling clouds of fragrant white flowers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Star MagnoliaMagnolia stellataStar magnolia races the calendar and wins, throwing open a cloud of fragrant white stars on bare branches before the leaves even think about it.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

Star of BethlehemOrnithogalum umbellatumA spirited spring bulb that flings open white star flowers at noon, quick to grow and quick to multiply, with a toxic side to respect.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasy

StaticeLimonium sinuatumGive it full sun and quick drainage and statice keeps cranking out papery blooms that hold their color for months after drying.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

SteviaStevia rebaudianaGrow a no-calorie sweetener and snap off a leaf to chew whenever the craving hits.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

StockMatthiola incanaGive stock a cool head start and full sun, and watch it launch tall, sweetly scented spikes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Stokes AsterStokesia laevisA rugged native perennial that keeps firing off fringed blue flowers all summer for barely any effort.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

StonecropSedumGive it full sun and gritty drainage and stonecrop takes off, filling ground fast with almost no effort.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

StrawberryFragaria × ananassaGive it full sun, steady water, and clean straw mulch, and the strawberry rewards you with sweet fruit year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

StrawflowerXerochrysum bracteatumHand it full sun and dry soil, and the strawflower fires back papery blooms that keep going long after the season wraps.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

String of BananasCurio radicansSet it up with bright light, a gritty mix, and dry stretches between waterings, and string of bananas races over the pot edge fast.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

String of ButtonsCrassula perforataHand it bright light and a dry, gritty mix and this succulent stacks its leaves into crisp little towers.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

String of DolphinsCurio × peregrinusGrow a whole pod of dolphins on one trailing string, hang it in bright, indirect light, and let it tumble.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

String of HeartsCeropegia woodiiHand it bright light and a proper dry spell, and the hearts come tumbling down for years.☀️ Bright indirectSafety unverifiedEasy

String of PearlsCurio rowleyanusMaster its thirst signals and this succulent rewards you with long strands of round green pearls pouring over the edge.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerate

String of TurtlesPeperomia prostrataA trailing peperomia strung with tiny leaves that mimic little turtle shells, ready to spill down a shelf for years.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Stromanthe TriostarStromanthe thalia 'Triostar'Serve up soft water, warm humid air, and bright indirect light, and watch those pink-striped leaves put on a show.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemanding

Sugar MapleAcer saccharumHand it deep, moist soil and elbow room, and the sugar maple rewards you with cooling shade and a fall canopy that catches fire.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Summer SavorySatureja hortensisGive it sun and quick-draining soil and this fast, peppery bean herb keeps the harvest coming.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Summer SquashCucurbita pepoPlant it in sun and rich, well-watered soil, and summer squash takes off, piling on fruit by midsummer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

SummersweetClethra alnifoliaGive it steady moisture and a little shade, and summersweet fires off fragrant spikes long after the rest of the garden has clocked out.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

SunchokeHelianthus tuberosusPlant it once and it keeps giving for years, provided you rein in its wandering ways.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

SunflowerHelianthus annuusGive it full sun and shelter from wind, and the sunflower shoots up and holds tall from summer into fall.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Surprise LilyLycoris squamigeraPlant the bulb and wait for the payoff, then cheer as bare pink stalks rocket skyward overnight in the late-summer garden.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Sweet AlyssumLobularia maritimaA fast-spreading carpet of honey-scented bloom that runs from spring to fall and calls in the good bugs.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Sweet Autumn ClematisClematis ternifloraWatch a bare fence disappear under fragrant white bloom the moment late summer arrives.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Sweet CornZea maysGrow it in blocks, never a single row, keep it well fed, and sweet corn hands back plump, milky ears come late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Sweet FlagAcorus gramineusPlant it in constantly wet ground with a little sun, and sweet flag throws up a fresh grassy fan all season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeEasy

Sweet MarjoramOriganum majoranaHand this herb a bright, fast-draining spot and watch sweet marjoram pump out the softest, sweetest flavor the herb patch has to offer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Sweet PeaLathyrus odoratusSow it early, cut it often, and the sweet pea keeps handing back scent and color all spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

Sweet PotatoIpomoea batatasGive it heat, bright sun, and a long summer, and the sweet potato piles the ground with roots.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Sweet WilliamDianthus barbatusDrop it into a sunny, sharply drained bed, let it seed itself, and Sweet William packs the garden with clove-scented clusters year on year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Sweet WoodruffGalium odoratumA fast, fragrant shade carpet that takes off the moment the soil turns cool and moist.☀️ Full shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

SweetgumLiquidambar styracifluaPlant it in deep, acidic soil and full sun and watch the sweetgum throw out star-shaped leaves and a fall show that lights up the yard.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Sweetheart HoyaHoya kerriiWater it like a succulent, give it bright light, and the sweetheart hoya rewards you for barely lifting a finger.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

Swiss ChardBeta vulgaris subsp. vulgarisSow it once, keep snipping the outer stalks, and Swiss chard rewards you with leaves all season long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Swiss Cheese PlantMonstera deliciosaHand it bright indirect light and a pole to climb, and the Swiss cheese plant pushes out big, hole-punched leaves.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasy

Swiss Cheese VineMonstera adansoniiGive it bright indirect light and something to climb, and the Swiss cheese vine takes off, punching holes through leaf after leaf.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

SwitchgrassPanicum virgatumHand it full sun and lean soil and switchgrass rockets up, standing proud from summer clear into winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Tall FescueFestuca arundinaceaDeep roots, real grit, and green through heat and cold, tall fescue rewards anyone who loves a hard-working lawn.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasy

Tamukeyama Japanese MapleAcer palmatumThe weeping laceleaf that erupts in deep red, feathery leaves and only gets better from spring to fall.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

TangerineCitrus reticulataGive it full sun, steady water, and a guard against frost, and a tangerine rewards you with sweet fruit right through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

TeaCamellia sinensisGive it acidic soil, dappled shade, and steady moisture, and this evergreen shrub keeps pushing out the leaves behind every cup of tea.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Tea PlantCamellia sinensisSet it up with acidic soil, part shade, and steady moisture, and Camellia sinensis grows the very leaves behind every cup of tea.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Thanksgiving CactusSchlumbergera truncataFeed it bright indirect light and cool fall nights, and this forest cactus bursts into bloom right on holiday cue.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

ThymeThymus vulgarisPlant thyme in full sun and lean, dry soil and watch it hand you fragrant sprigs year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

Ti PlantCordyline fruticosaSet it up with bright light and clean water, and the ti plant fires back pink, red, and burgundy leaves worth every bit of effort.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerate

Toad LilyTricyrtis hirtaGive it shade and steady moisture and the toad lily rewards you, saving its speckled, orchid-like flowers for the grand finish of the season.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

TomatilloPhysalis philadelphicaGrow two for a real crop, hand them full sun, and keep pulling tart green husks all season long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 4–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

TomatoSolanum lycopersicumHand it full sun, steady water, and good airflow, and the tomato rewards you all summer long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysToxicModerate

Tradescantia 'Nanouk'Tradescantia albiflora 'Nanouk'Bright light, a quick pinch, and Nanouk keeps pumping out bold pink, bushy, endlessly rooting growth.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Tropical Pitcher PlantNepenthesGive it warmth, high humidity, and rainwater, and this carnivore builds its own insect-trapping cups.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeDemanding

Trumpet VineCampsis radicansGive it full sun and a strong support, and the trumpet vine will pack the summer with hummingbirds.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

TuberosePolianthes tuberosaPlant it in full sun and fast-draining soil, and tuberose rewards you with a knockout scent all through late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

Tuberous BegoniaBegonia × tuberhybridaHand it shade, even moisture, and good airflow, and the tuberous begonia rewards you with enormous summer blooms.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicModerate

TulipTulipa spp.Drop the bulbs in each fall, hand them a long cold winter, and tulips explode into the boldest color of spring.☀️ Full sunToxicEasy

Tulip TreeLiriodendron tulipiferaA fast, sky-reaching shade tree that hoists tulip-shaped flowers into the high canopy and blazes gold every fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

TurmericCurcuma longaHand turmeric warmth, rich moist soil, and a long season, and it pays you back with a haul of golden rhizomes.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeModerate

TurnipBrassica rapa subsp. rapaSow it cool, water it even, and pull it young, and the turnip rewards you with roots and greens in one short, satisfying season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Umbrella TreeHeptapleurum arboricolaHand it bright indirect light and a chance to dry out, and the umbrella tree grows into one of the most rewarding, forgiving plants around.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

Urn PlantAechmea fasciataKeep the central cup brimming and the light bright, and this bromeliad pays you back with months of color.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

ValerianValeriana officinalisPlant valerian in full sun and moist soil, and it powers up fast into fragrant summer flowers and a root that gets cats going.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Vanda OrchidVandaGive it bright light and high humidity, soak the bare roots every day, and this orchid comes roaring back with big, showy flowers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–2 daysPet & child safeDemanding

Velvet Cardboard AnthuriumAnthurium clarinerviumThose velvety, white-veined leaves are the reward, and this anthurium delivers them once it gets warmth, humidity, and a careful hand on the watering can.☀️ Bright indirectToxicDemanding

Venus FlytrapDionaea muscipulaNail full sun, rainwater, and a cold winter rest, and a Venus flytrap will hunt its own dinner for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeDemanding

VerbenaVerbena canadensisSet verbena in hot sun and soil that drains in a hurry, and it rewards the effort with wave after wave of bloom from spring clear into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

ViburnumViburnumGive it sun, space, and steady water while young, and viburnum keeps delivering spring fragrance and fall berries for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

ViolaViola cornutaPlant them while it's cool and violas keep firing out cheerful, edible flowers from fall right through spring.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

Virginia BluebellsMertensia virginicaPlant it in rich, moist shade and watch Virginia bluebells wash the spring woodland in sky-blue.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Virginia CreeperParthenocissus quinquefoliaA tough native vine that pays back brilliant fall color for the price of keeping it trimmed.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Virginia SweetspireItea virginicaA native shrub that keeps earning its place, with scented spring spires and blazing fall color year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

WalnutJuglans regiaGive it deep soil, full sun, and room to spread, and a walnut takes off, shading the yard for generations and filling baskets each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysMildly toxicModerate

Water HyacinthPontederia crassipesA showy floating bloom that grows at a breakneck pace and must never reach open water.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasy

Water LettucePistia stratiotesA free-floating rosette that races across warm water, and one that belongs strictly within a contained feature, far from any wild pond or stream.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasy

Water LilyNymphaeaHand it full sun and calm water, and the water lily throws out flowers from late spring clear through fall.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerate

Water PoppyHydrocleys nymphoidesHand it full sun and warm, still water, and water poppy races out glossy leaves and bright yellow blooms all summer long.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasy

WatercressNasturtium officinaleHand watercress cool, clean, moving water and it fires back a peppery harvest from spring straight through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–3 daysPet & child safeEasy

WatermelonCitrullus lanatusGive it full sun, warm soil, and room to sprawl, and watermelon rewards you with sweet, heavy fruit come late summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

Watermelon PeperomiaPeperomia argyraeaGive it bright, filtered light and a smart hand with water, and this little striped stunner practically grows itself.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

Wax BegoniaBegonia semperflorensGive it moist soil, dappled light, and room to breathe, and this begonia rewards you with bloom after bloom from spring to frost.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysMildly toxicEasy

Wax PlantHoya carnosaGive it bright light and a let-it-dry watering habit, and this easy-going wax plant rewards you with clusters of porcelain flowers.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeEasy

Weeping CherryPrunus subhirtellaCome April, the weeping cherry throws open a cascade of pink and white blossom and steals the whole garden's attention.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Weeping FigFicus benjaminaGive it one bright, settled spot and the weeping fig rewards you fast, growing into a lush, arching indoor tree.☀️ Bright indirectToxicModerate

Weeping WillowSalix babylonicaPlant it by water, give it room to spread, and watch the weeping willow sweep its long branches to the ground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

White CloverTrifolium repensA fast, self-feeding carpet that greens the lawn, buzzes with bees, and just keeps going.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

White FirAbies concolorHand it room, sun, and well-drained acidic soil, and the white fir keeps its silvery-blue pyramid standing for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerate

White OakQuercus albaGet one going and settle in for the payoff: a century of shade and a yard full of acorn-hungry wildlife.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Wild GeraniumGeranium maculatumGive it dappled shade and moist woodland soil and this tough native throws a pink carpet across the spring garden.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Wild GingerAsarum canadenseA native shade groundcover that rewards you with a spreading green carpet built for shade and moisture.☀️ Full shade · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Windmill PalmTrachycarpus fortuneiHardy down to single digits, the windmill palm brings a true tropical look to gardens far colder than most palms can stand.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeModerate

Winter AconiteEranthis hyemalisWinter aconite races out ahead of everything, opening bright gold cups while the snow is barely gone.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysToxicEasy

Winter DaphneDaphne odoraHardly any shrub perfumes a winter garden the way daphne does, yet every part of it is poisonous.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysToxicDemanding

Winter SquashCucurbita maxima, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita pepoGive winter squash full sun, sprawl room, and warm soil, and watch it pack the pantry long after frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerate

Winterberry HollyIlex verticillataPair a male with your females and winterberry delivers bare stems packed with red berries all winter long.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

WintergreenGaultheria procumbensGive it acidic soil and cool shade, and wintergreen knits together a glossy evergreen mat loaded with red berries.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 4–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

Wishbone FlowerTorenia fournieriPlant it in the shade, keep it watered, and wishbone flower rewards you with bloom from summer to frost.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 2–4 daysPet & child safeEasy

WisteriaWisteria sinensisHand it full sun, a burly support, and two fearless prunings every year, and wisteria answers each spring with cascades of bloom.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

Witch HazelHamamelis virginianaGive it moist, acidic soil and room to spread, and witch hazel rewards you with ribbon-like flowers just as the rest of the garden clocks out for winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasy

Wood FernDryopteris marginalisA tough native fern that packs the shadiest corner with lush green fronds and keeps coming back stronger.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicEasy

Woodland SageSalvia nemorosaGive it full sun and dry, lean soil, and woodland sage rockets up violet flower spikes from early summer straight through fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasy

WormwoodArtemisia absinthiumPlant it in poor, dry soil and full sun and watch this silver bitter herb practically grow itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysMildly toxicEasy

Xanadu PhilodendronPhilodendron xanaduGive it bright, indirect light and steady moisture, and this self-heading philodendron powers a corner to life with hardly any effort.☀️ Bright indirectToxicEasy

YamDioscoreaGive this climber sun, a tall support, and the long warm season it loves, and it cranks out big, storable tubers.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModerate

YarrowAchillea millefoliumDrop it into full sun and poor, dry soil, then stand back and let yarrow flower all summer.☀️ Full sunMildly toxicEasy

Yaupon HollyIlex vomitoriaEvergreen, unstoppable, and the one North American holly you can brew, yaupon powers through drought, salt, and shade.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasy

Yoshino CherryPrunus × yedoensisPlant a Yoshino cherry and watch clouds of white-to-pink blossom erupt across the yard for two glorious weeks every spring.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerate

YuccaYuccaGive it bright light and a pot that drains fast, then stand back and enjoy, because a yucca will outlast almost anything on your windowsill.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–21 daysToxicEasy

YuzuCitrus junosThe hardiest true citrus there is, yuzu swaps quick fruit for patience and a sheltered, sunny spot.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate

Zebra HaworthiaHaworthiopsis attenuataGive it bright indirect light and a good dry stretch between waterings, and this striped little succulent rewards you for barely lifting a finger.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–21 daysPet & child safeEasy

Zebra PlantAphelandra squarrosaStriped leaves and a golden flower spike, a rewarding grow for anyone who gives it the warm, humid air it loves.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeDemanding

ZinniaZinnia elegansSun-loving and quick to flower, the zinnia blooms nonstop from summer to frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

Zoysia GrassZoysia japonicaTough, dense, and drought-tolerant once it takes hold, zoysia rewards a slow start with a lawn that keeps on giving.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerate

ZucchiniCucurbita pepoGive it a blast of full sun, warm soil, and water it never has to beg for, and a plant or two will pour squash into your kitchen all summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasy

ZZ PlantZamioculcas zamiifoliaGlossy, tough as nails, and content in a forgotten corner, the ZZ plant asks for almost nothing and pays you back for years.☀️ Bright indirect · 💧 14–30 daysToxicEasy