Even among experienced gardeners there is always some trial and error when it comes to plant selection. Knowing what a plant needs to thrive and doing your best to put it in that situation is always a good idea, but sometimes you really don’t know how a plant will do until you put it in the ground. Read on to learn about my quest for native red flowing perennial for my garden.
I tend mostly towards cool colors in the garden, especially when it comes to summer flowers. Our NC temperatures are so hot that even thinking about a cool color makes me feel better. But, last summer I decided to try a deep red flowering perennial in my very hot and dry front yard. After doing some research I settled on two plants – Helenium ‘Mariachi Salsa’ and Gaillardia ‘Arizona Red Shades’. Both are US natives for full sun and can tolerate my now Zone 8a conditions.
However, after a season in the ground it became clear that the plants were not performing in the same way. The Helenium burned while the Gaillardia increased in size and bloomed consistently. Once the Helenium emerged in the spring I transplanted it to a cooler, but still bright location in my back yard, which also tends to stay wetter for a longer period after the rain.
Although I prefer the aesthetics of the Helenium I was so impressed with the Gaillardia’s toughness that I decided to add an additional cultivar ‘Arizona Apricot’ to the front beds. All three plants are now doing great in their respective locations.
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