Head High Perennials in the Hot South

Jim said, “I was 13 and had only been in the South for a year when I first saw them. Huge magnolia flowers and towering dog fennel. But I’m talking about the people, the rednecks in big trucks. And the Southern women with big hair. Were there aliens here?”

I tried to keep him on track, “Can you focus, please? I’m asking about plants. Is it true that perennial borders are bigger in the South? When I look at flowers from Midwest, North, and West on Instagram this time of year, they all seem short. Well, beautiful, tidy, waist-high perennial borders. Am I wrong?”

He kept on but finally got to the point, “Big breast, big hair, big flowers. It does define the South to me. The memory most potent was the towering bouffant of Mrs. Pitman down the road in Flat Creek. But to get to your question, plant size is certainly more a situation based on place.”

I was standing in my Momma’s garden. What I’d call a typical Southern country garden where, in August, plants reach overhead and spill out into walkways. All this growth comes from our climate: heat through September, rich soils, hot days, hot nights, and so far, 40 inches of rain. And, of course, our growing season for things like canna started in late March. In this garden, there’s been no irrigation or fertilizer this year. Our tons of sun make that chlorophyll pump out energy.

From a good bit of travel, I’ve seen spectacular ‘tropic-isimo’ gardens all over the US. But the difference between those and this one I’m in is intention. Those take a good bit of planning and stimulation from fertilizer and extra water. On the other hand, here in USDA Zone 8b, we have to intentionally plant compact perennials or do lots of pruning to keep a perennial border at waist-high. This is, after all, the climate where folks came to grow sugarcane, watermelons, and cotton. Tidyness is the alien here.

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Here’s a 5-minute video of an informal walk through Momma’s perennial garden.

I’d really love y’all comments on the inclusion of video in these stories. Would you like to see more? Is it bothersome? Would you prefer an essay to read quietly?

Below the video, there’s a poll. Please take a minute to respond. Below that is a plant list with a brief description of each plant in the video.

Abyssinian Banana has Dramatic burgundy leaves, but this false banana only lives for three or four years. (Ensete ventricosum)

Crinum ‘JC Harvey’ flowers late, but I love its fountain of apple green foliage.

Four o’clock reach about 5 feet tall this time of year. They seed in, so you need a big space. I love that they cover up the old foliage of spring perennials. (Mirabilis jalapa.)

Hidden Ginger makes an excellent foliage plant for shade and lovely cut flower. (Curcuma longa ‘Emperor’.)

Fire Spike adds broad, glossy leaves and scarlet flowers in October. (Odontenema stricta.)

New Zealand Flax just hates it here. I’ve killed a few hundred. (Phormium tenax.)

Figs (Ficus caryica)

Wooly Morning Glory climbs 30 feet with silver felted leaves. I’ve grown it for 30 years and really love this annual vine. (Argyria nervosa.)

Phlox. Look for old varieties that are passed along, such as ‘Speed Limit 45.’ The old cultivars have more sparse flowers, but they live for decades. In big box store “nurseries” today, you see all these new, smaller cultivars, but be aware they do not perennialize well here. If you want to spend the dough, then use them as summer annuals.

Daylily ‘Autumn Minerete’ reaches five feet tall and flowers in August. It’s a bit floppy in our Zone. In cooler climates like Atlanta and Raliegh, it stands up tall and stout.

Ramie adds elegant variegation to shade. But will grow in full sun where it reaches 5 feet tall. It loves wettish soil. (Boehmeria nipononivea 'Nichirin.’ Introduced by Ted Stephens of North Augusta, SC.)