Why White?

White flowers brighten shady areas, and are especially enjoyable at dusk when their blossoms pop through the shadows.  Add even more interest with contrasting textures and forms, both in plant shapes and in flowers. Mix tall, spiky plants like Culver’s Root with shorter plants like Iris crista ‘Alba’.  Add in a shrub like Hydrangea arborescens, whose rounded flower heads shine throughout their bloom season.

Buttonbush – Even pollinators love white flowers!

Native Trees and Shrubs that Bloom White

Coast Azalea (Rhododendron Atlanticum)

Other native trees and shrubs that bloom white:

Viburnums
Dogwoods
Fringe Tree
Clethra
Hydrangea arborescens
Sweetbay Magnolia

Native Perennial Plants that Bloom White

Heuchera Villosa ‘Autumn Bride’

Physostegia ‘Miss Manners’

Pure white hibiscus moeschutus. Grown by seed, they range in color from pale pink to white.

Other native perennials that bloom white:
Iris cristata ‘Alba’
Asters: Snow Flurry, Calico, Frost, and White Wood
Phlox paniculata  ‘David’
Liatris spicata  ‘Floristan White’
Echinacea – White Selections
Tiarella cordifolia

What to Include With Your White Plants

Try adding plants with silver or gray leaves like Antennaria,  Rattlesnake Master. , or Broad Toothed Mountain Mint. Add bottlebrush grass whose airy seed heads float above blossoms and mingle with foliage adding texture.

When your garden is complete, wait for dusk, get a cool drink, pull up a lawn chair, and enjoy while the sun sets!