Gardening Ideas The South's Most Iconic Plants By Southern Living Editors Updated on October 9, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Southern Living We'll never get tired of flowers, trees, and shrubs like hydrangeas, azaleas, and magnolias. Gardening in the South is a great way to add pops of color to your home's exterior or harvest herbs and crops to use in your favorite summer recipes. Despite all the reasons to love Southern gardens, the high temperatures and humidity can complicate this activity—unless you know what plants will thrive in your region's weather conditions. Look for heat and drought-tolerant plants, be mindful of the areas in your yard that get full sun, and find beautiful species that love growing in the South. Read on for 12 of our favorite classic Southern plants. 01 of 12 Camellias Ralph Anderson Botanical Name: Camellia japonicaSun Exposure: PartialSoil Type: Well-drained, Rich, MoistSoil pH: Acidic (6.0-6.5) Camellias are among the South's icons, but these flowers are native to Asia. André Michaux, the botanist to King Louis XVI of France, brought camellias to Charleston, South Carolina, in the late 1700s, and they've graced our gardens and tables ever since. Also called "common camellias," they have uncommonly beautiful glossy, evergreen leaves and luscious blooms in shades of pink, white, and red. Some even have yellow flowers. "I'm always partial to pink blooms," says JoAnn Breland, horticulturist for the City of Charleston. "I also like the forms of camellias. The flowers of 'Professor Sargent' resemble folded crepe paper. They're so perfect that they don't even seem real." 02 of 12 Azaleas Ralph Anderson Botanical Name: Rhododendron spp.Sun Exposure: Full,PartialSoil Type: Well-drained, MoistSoil pH: Acidic (4.5-6.0) Azaleas would take the crown if the South had a beauty pageant for shrubs. In peak bloom, they are simply stunning, adorned with frilly flowers in reds, pinks, purples, whites, oranges, and yellows. Evergreen azaleas (most are from Japan) are popular and have swept the South. Deciduous azaleas are native. They all offer bright blossoms, and many are fragrant. Buy plants while in bloom to ensure you get the colors or combinations of colors you prefer. Keep things simple: Use masses of the same selection for a bold display. Spring-blooming bulbs such as daffodils, Spanish bluebells, and snowflakes make great partners for azaleas, but don't worry—they won't upstage the queen. 03 of 12 Hydrangeas Getty Images Botanical Name: Hydrangea macrophyllaSun Exposure: PartialSoil Type: Well-drained, Moist, RichSoil pH: Acidic (6.0-6.2) Also known as bigleaf hydrangeas, French hydrangeas are favorite plants that Southerners love to clip and share with friends and family members. On warm summer days, giant balloons of delicate blooms in blues, pinks, purples, and white seem to float up like magic from the lush green foliage of these shrubs. Despite the variety of colors available, most people associate them with one classic hue. "French hydrangeas have tremendous appeal because of the heavenly blue color of their blooms," explains Dr. Michael A. Dirr, author of Hydrangeas for American Gardens. "What other shrub fills that void in the garden?" 04 of 12 Climbing Roses Photo: Jean Allsopp Botanical Name: Rosa setigeraSun Exposure: FullSoil Type: Well-drained, Loamy, RichSoil pH: Acidic (6.0-6.5) If your garden needs a lift but is not ready for a total redo, train a rose to climb. Few ornamentals can change the look and mood of a space like a climber. Climbing roses Add height, dimension, and color and fill voids more gracefully than most other plants. One well-placed rose can soften the corner of a porch, perfuming a doorway, blanket an arbor, or add even more charm to a picket fence. "All of the great gardens of the world include roses," says Dr. William C. Welch, author of Antique Roses for the South. "They add elegance wherever they're used." Old or antique roses have thrived in Southern gardens for years with minimal care. We love them (and you will too) because they are tough and relatively disease and bug-free. 05 of 12 Crepe Myrtles Southern Living Botanical Name: Lagerstroemia indicaSun Exposure: FullSoil Type: Well-drainedSoil pH: Acidic to Slightly Acidic (5.0-6.5) Nothing says summer in the South like crepe myrtles. They grow easily and bloom so long that we love them like family members—except in late winter and spring when chopping them down to thick, ugly stumps (a crime known as "crepe murder"). People do this because they'll buy a crepe myrtle only for its color without checking how big their plant will get. So when it inevitably blocks the upstairs windows, out comes the pruning saw. Let's stop this terrible practice by choosing crepe myrtles according to color and size by reading labels when you shop. Regular watering will be crucial to the survival of your crepe myrtle once planted. Make sure the roots stay moist as long as it's warm. Next year, your plant will need much less water. 06 of 12 Magnolia Trees Van Chaplin Botanical Name: genus MagnoliaSun Exposure: Full, PartialSoil Type: Well-drained, MoistSoil pH: Acidic (5.5-6.5) No other tree conjures up images of the region like the Southern magnolia. Its glossy, dark, and evergreen foliage has bronze, velvety undersides that are durable and drought tolerant. The beautiful, large white flowers perfume the evenings in spring and summer. In fall and winter, its leaves become indispensable holiday decor when fashioned into elegant wreaths and garlands. Many might not realize that there's an equally regal cousin of the Southern magnolia called saucer magnolia (also known as tulip magnolia) that produces bright pink blooms in early spring. These trees are also icons of the Southern landscape and your home. 07 of 12 Chrysanthemums Rena-Marie / Getty Images Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum spp.Sun Exposure: FullSoil Type: Well-drained, MoistSoil pH: Acidic to Neutral (6.5-6.7) It's a sure sign that it's fall in the South when our garden centers start to fill up with pansies, violas, and mums.—You know cooler temps are just around the corner. These colorful annuals have long been favorites of ours. "They bloom prolifically and don't ask for much," says Hilton Head horticulturist Carol Guedalia. "They are always happy plants—an ideal choice for both new and experienced gardeners." Excellent in containers, these plants look beautiful when displayed on their own or mixed with ornamental cabbages and kale. 08 of 12 Glowing Tulips Photo: Roger Foley Botanical Name: TulipaSun Exposure: FullSoil Type: Well-drainedSoil pH: Acidic to Neutral (6.0-6.6) Elegant tulip blooms grace spring gardens with a variety of colors and forms. Classic annual tulips might not necessarily grow well in the South, so treat these flowers as perennials in hot climates. Plant tulip bulbs at least six to eight inches deep in late fall or early winter. It helps to buy pre-chilled tulip bulbs since they need three to four months of low temperatures to grow correctly. Protect tulips from high winds if you live in an area with intense storms. 09 of 12 Daffodils Roger Foley Botanical Name: Narcissus pseudonarcissusSun Exposure: Full, PartialSoil Type: Well-drained, MoistSoil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.0) Each spring at Moss Mountain Farm in Roland, Arkansas, the stars come out twice—once at night, like everywhere else, and again in the daytime, when innumerable daffodils illuminate hills and meadows from horizon to horizon. The plantings are the handiwork of the farm's owner—author, designer, and TV personality P. Allen Smith—who has loved these flowers since he was a boy. Smith believes the impact of a display depends on more than just sheer numbers. Where you plant these bulbs is just as important as how many plants or acreage you have to showcase these flowers. 10 of 12 Cherry Trees Van Chaplin Botanical Name: PrunusSun Exposure: FullSoil Type: Well-drainedSoil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.0) Streets across the South lined with cherry trees put on quite a show when in color. In early spring, thousands of glorious pink or white blossoms adorn its leafless branches. During fall, the tree bears striking fall foliage with stunning bark. Not only do cherry trees grow easily with full sun and well-drained soil, but they come in many shapes and sizes. 11 of 12 Dogwood Trees Getty Images Botanical Name: Cornus floridaSun Exposure: Full, PartialSoil Type: Well-drained, Moist, LoamySoil pH: Acidic to Neutral (5.5-7.0) Another beloved spring-flowering tree is the dogwood. It's native to the Eastern U.S. and grows from New England to Central Florida. White is the typical flower color, but named selections also come in shades of pink to nearly red. Plant dogwoods in full sun to light shade in moist, well-drained soil. 12 of 12 Maple Trees Roger Foley Botanical Name: Acer palmatumSun Exposure: FullSoil Type: Well-drained, Moist, Loamy, Rich, Sandy, ClaySoil pH: Acidic (6.2-6.5) Both graceful and versatile, Japanese maples are the chameleons of the plant world. Some leaves show brilliant reds in spring, change to green by summer, and finish the fall in yellows and oranges. Others start red and stay red till their leaves drop in autumn, revealing their sculptural forms. Leaves can be palm-shaped or lacy, almost feathery, and their available color palette includes red, green, orange, purple, white, and pink. William B. Shell of Auburn, Alabama, is an expert on growing Japanese maples. He planted his first tree in 1967 and has more than 1,000 in his yard. "Japanese maples are an excellent choice for the beginning gardener, as they are essentially carefree once established," he says. "They offer year-round interest with their ever-changing beauty." Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit