Michigan Full Flowering Perennials
To thrive in Michigan landscapes, perennials must be cold hardy to United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 4 or 5. Zone 4 experiences annual average minimum temperatures down to minus 30 degrees, while zone 5 lows reach to minus 20 degrees. Some areas of northern Michigan even range into zone 3b, which has average annual lows of minus 35 degrees. Cold-hardy perennials bloom year after year, providing Michigan gardens with color, fragrance and texture. Some even attract beneficial wildlife, such as honeybees, butterflies and hummingbirds, to your landscape. Does this Spark an idea?
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Wet Sites
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Hibiscus grows in hardiness USDA zones 5 through 9. These colorful perennials produce large blooms in a many shades and thrive in parts of Michigan receiving high rainfall. Hibiscus prefers full sun, wet soil and grows from 6 to 8 feet tall. Lythrum, or purple loosestrife, also thrives in wet soil. This tall perennial grows to 5 feet tall and produces bright, purple-to-pink flower spikes. Lythrum is hardy between zones 3 and 9 and prefers full sun.
Shade Tolerant
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Ligularia tolerates wet soil, but prefers moist, well-drained sites. An upright perennial, ligularia grows to 5 feet tall and blooms in the summer with long spikes of bright-yellow blossoms. Ligularia is hardy between USDA zones 5 and 7 and thrives in light to afternoon shade. Astilbe can also grow in partial shade conditions. These perennials, which are hardy between zones 4 and 8, produce red-to-white blossoms in the summer and have fern-like foliage. Michigan State University's Gary Doerr recommends the Astilbe pumila cultivar for Michigan landscapes. Grow astilbes in rich, well-drained soil.
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Full Sun
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Hollyhocks bloom from spring to fall with large, white, yellow, orange, pink or purple flowers standing out in the landscape. Hardy from USDA zones 5 through 9, hollyhocks prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Hollyhocks grow from 2 to 5 feet tall and often reseed themselves. The black-eyed Susan also thrives in Michigan sites with full sun and well-drained soil. These perennials have large, golden-yellow blossoms with dark centers and bloom in late summer. Black-eyed Susans are hardy from zones 3 through 9 and grow to 2-1/2 feet tall.
Wildlife Attracting
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The bearded iris attracts butterflies and hummingbirds with its large, late-spring blooms. Flowers vary in color from blue to red, pink, yellow and white. This adaptable plant is hardy between USDA zones 3 and 10 and prefers full sun and loamy soil. Depending on the variety, bearded iris can be as small as 8 inches or as tall as 40 inches. The butterfly milkweed attracts monarch butterflies and birds. Hardy between zones 3 and 9, this spreading perennial grows up to 3 feet tall with a 1-1/2-foot spread. A North American native, the butterfly milkweed produces yellow and orange blossoms in midsummer. Plant this drought-tolerant perennial in sandy to loamy soil and full to part sun.
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