Perennials for Windy Northeastern Gardens

Choose Tough Plants for Difficult Conditions

Oct 16, 2008 Elizabeth Loveland

Learn which perennials thrive in windy Northeastern North American gardens.

Compared to much of the rest of the US and Canada, the majority of Northeastern North America has little wind most of the time, with most gardens being fairly sheltered from windy days as well. However, some gardens are much windier than average, and this presents unique problems in the Northeast. Many of the perennials generally recommended for windy sites do poorly in areas with winters that are both cold and wet. These perennials generally do well in windy Northeastern gardens:

Yarrow ‘The Pearl’ (Achillea ptarmica): This white-flowered yarrow is a different species than most commercially available yarrows, blooming in small clusters on wiry stems instead of in large umbels that have a tendency to bend over in the wind. It will bloom from early summer to late fall where it’s happy, and in windy sites, it is much less likely to self-seed than usual.

New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis): This native Northeastern plant, beloved by butterflies, blooms in reddish-purple on tall, strong stems from late July to early autumn. Finches and other seed-eating birds enjoy its fluffy seeds later in fall. It takes slightly longer to adapt to the fast-drying soil common to windy sites, but having the patience to water it when dry for its first six weeks will pay off with years of colorful flowers.

Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximilianii): This perennial sunflower blooms in lemon yellow on wiry stems starting in midsummer. It has a tendency to send up new stalks from its creeping root system, so plant it in an area of the garden where this is an asset instead of a detriment. This is another plant whose seeds birds enjoy.

Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata): Though often thought of as plants that need coddling, garden phloxes stand up surprisingly well to windy conditions. They tend to be shorter in windy gardens than in other gardens, so take that into account when planning a windy perennial border. As an added bonus, the excellent air circulation in windy gardens means that they are much less likely to get powdery mildew.

White Wedding Phlox (Phlox carolina 'Miss Lingard'): This tough shorter relative of garden phlox bears its fragrant white blooms from midsummer to mid-autumn, and your grandmother probably grew it too. It adapts best to windy sites if planted on the leeward side of a sturdy plant, so that the wind that reaches it is slightly softened.

Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum): This native Plains perennial adapts well to windy Northeastern gardens. It blooms in bright yellow flowers from late summer into autumn on extremely sturdy stalks. Its flowers are popular with bees, and birds enjoy its seeds. As a bonus, its common name comes from how its leaves form cups along the stalk, collecting rainwater. Birds and pollinating insects tend to quickly learn this, and will come to the garden after a rain to drink from its cups, then staying to eat pests or pollinate flowers. Like New York ironweed, it appreciates a little extra water until its long, strong taproot establishes.

Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa): This native goldenrod looks different than what most people think of when they picture goldenrod, blooming in starry individual yellow flowers clustered along a stalk instead of in golden wands. It blooms from early to late autumn, and like most goldenrods, it is quite popular with bees and other pollinators.

Basket of Gold (Aurinia saxatilis syn. Alyssum saxatilis): Blooming with mid- to late spring bulbs, this creeping yellow-flowered perennial with grey-green leaves seems to especially like windy conditions, often reblooming without shearing in early summer in such sites.

For a more general article on wind-tolerant perennials, please see Angela England’s Wind Tolerant Perennial Plants.

The copyright of the article Perennials for Windy Northeastern Gardens in Plants & Bulbs is owned by Elizabeth Loveland. Permission to republish Perennials for Windy Northeastern Gardens in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.