Plants

Growing profiles for the perennials worth planting, each covering hardiness zones, sun and soil, planting, care, the best varieties and the problems to watch for. Filter by zone, sun or deer resistance, or browse from A to Z.

4 profiles starting with C

Catmint

Nepeta × faassenii, Nepeta racemosa and hybrids
Zones 3–8Full sunDeer resistant
A wide, soft mound of 'Walker's Low' catmint covered in lavender-blue flower spikes in a sunny garden bed

Catmint blooms from late spring into fall in full sun and dry soil in zones 3 to 8, and shrugs off deer and drought. Here is how to plant it, when to shear it for rebloom, how it differs from catnip and the best varieties.

Coneflower

Echinacea spp.
Zones 3–9Full sunDeer resistant
Pink-purple coneflowers with orange-brown centers blooming in a sunny perennial garden bed.

Coneflowers thrive in full sun and lean, well-drained soil in zones 3 to 9, bloom from early summer into fall, and feed pollinators and birds. Here is how to plant, grow and keep them coming back, plus the best varieties to choose.

Coral Bells

Heuchera spp. and hybrids
Zones 4–9Part shadeDeer resistant
Young coral bells with ruffled copper and amber leaves glowing in the sun, planted in a gravel-mulched bed

Coral bells bring year-round leaf color to part shade in zones 4 to 9. Here is how to plant and care for them, why the crowns need resetting every few years, and the best varieties for sun, shade and heat.

Creeping Phlox

Phlox subulata
Zones 3–9Full sunSometimes browsed
Long bands of magenta and white creeping phlox in full bloom covering the sloped bank of a narrow river in spring

Creeping phlox covers slopes, walls and path edges with sheets of spring color in zones 3 to 9. Here is how to plant and care for it, when to shear it and the best varieties to grow.