Native Wildflowers
This list of Wildflowers which are Native to the South Carolina Lowcountry is provided for Sun City Hilton Head residents as options when they are deciding which plants to use in their landscapes. The Sun City Environmental Club strongly recommends the use of natives. This list follows the recommendations of the Spring Island Trust Native Plant Project, which may be found at their website: https://npp.springislandtrust.org/plant-database. A comprehensive list of their resources used in creating the list can be found there as well. Recommendations from Audubon for our zip code have also been included. When available, a link has been provided to the NC Extension Plant Toolbox for photos and more detailed information on each plant.
Our club recommends Spring Island’s plant sales as an affordable source for plants. Plants listed with an * may be found at Spring Island sales. Go to https://npp.springislandtrust.org/ to subscribe to receive advance notice of future sales and more! Other sources for listed plants can be found under the Resources tab.
Plants highlighted in BOLD are recommended by Audubon for additional wildlife benefits.
Note they are listed by their scientific name, as it is a more accurate identifier when purchasing plants. Several plants may have the same or similar common name.
Sun/Part Sun
Achillea millefolium- Yarrow: Prefers full sun, tolerates occasionally dry or wet soil, spreads easily but easily separated. Can cause contact dermatitis.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/achillea-millefolium/
*Ageratina aromatica- Lesser Snakeroot: Grows 2-3 feet high, white flowers keep color a long time, Aug-Nov. All parts of plants are poisonous when eaten.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ageratina-aromatica/
*Aquilegia canadensis- Red columbine: Grows 1-3 feet high, Showy red blooms, will grow in shade, flowers great for hummingbirds and long tongued insects.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/aquilegia-canadensis/
*Asclepias perennis – Aquatic Milkweed: In the milkweed family, so is a host plant for the Monarch butterfly. It grows 1-2 feet tall. It has white blossoms from June through September. It likes moist soil and partial sun.
https://scnps.org/plants/asclepias-perennis/
Asclepias incarnata- Swamp/Marsh Milkweed: Grows 3-5 feet tall, pink to mauve blossoms, native to wet soil but adapts to moist clay and loam. Subspecies “pulchra” is bushier, has deeper colored flowers. Deer and rabbit resistant. Host plant for monarchs.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asclepias-incarnata/
*Asclepias syriaca- Common Milkweed: 3-5 feet tall, flowers range in color from green to white to pink to purple. Deer resistant. Host plant for monarchs.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asclepias-syriaca/
*Asclepias tuberosa- Butterfly weed: milk weed but has no milky sap. Host plant for monarchs, prefers dry soil, easy to grow from seed. Showy orange/yellow flowers.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asclepias-tuberosa/
*Asclepias verticillata- Whorled Milkweed: White flowers bloom in summer, 2-3 feet tall, deer resistant. Clay ok. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asclepias-verticillata/
*Baptisia alba- White false indigo: Grows 2-6 feet high, deep tap root. Long lived, blue/green foliage, showy white flowers in spring. Use as specimen or back of border.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/baptisia-alba/
*Carphephorus paniculatus- Deer’s Tongue: deer resistance assumed, vanilla scent, dried used in cigar tobacco.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/carphephorus-paniculatus/
*Chrysopsis mariana-Maryland Goldenaster: short lived, prefers sand but adaptable, supports specialized bees. Tolerates poor soil. Late summer to Autumn blossoming.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/chrysopsis-mariana/
*Coreopsis lanceolota- Lanceleaf Coreopsis: fine in clay, good cut flower, dead head to increase bloom time, not reliably perennial but self-seeds
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/coreopsis-lanceolata/
*Echinacea pallida- Pale Purple Coneflower: Can be aggressive, nice paired with grasses, long-lived, deep tap root. Blooms June to late July.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/echinacea-pallida/
*Echinacea purpura- Purple Coneflower: True native (not cultivar) is reddish purple blossom in summer. Resistant to deer, heat and humidity. Grows 3-4 feet.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/echinacea-purpurea/
*Eryngium yuccifolium- Rattlesnake Master: Can be aggressive self-seeder, can remove seed heads. Heads provide winter interest. Leaves look like a yucca plant- bl/gr. Larval host for Black swallowtails.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/eryngium-yuccifolium/
*Eupatorium coelestinum- Wild ageratum, Blue mist flower: can be aggressive, tolerates clay, ground cover option, showy blossoms.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/conoclinium-coelestinum/
Eupatorium perfoliatum- Common boneset: 4-6 feet tall, white flowers summer and fall, deer and rabbit resistant. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/eupatorium-perfoliatum/
Eupatorium rotundifolium var. scabridum- Roundleaf Thoroughwort: 3 feet tall, tolerates wet and dry soil, deer and rabbit resistant, white flowers. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/eupatorium-rotundifolium/
*Gaillardia pulchella- Blanket flower: Prefers full sun, does not like soggy soil, prefers sand but will tolerate other soils if well drained.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/gaillardia-pulchella/
*Helenium flexuosum – Purple-headed Sneezeweed: 1-3 feet, Full sun, moist soil, occasional inundation, blooms May- August, cut back for increased blooming, dead head.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/helenium-flexuosum/
*Heliopsis helianthoides – Oxeye sunflower: Does great in clay, early bloomer, blooms profusely, short-lived, deer resistant
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/heliopsis-helianthoides/
*Liatris spicata- Blazing star: Full sun, tolerates moist soil, moderately deer resistant, tolerates clay, purple blossoms.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/liatris-spicata/
*Lobelia cardinalis- Cardinal flower: Tolerates occasionally wet soil, prefers richer soils, tolerates all day dappled sunlight, 4-5 feet tall, red blossoms.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/lobelia-cardinalis/
*Monarda fistulosa- Bee balm: Prefers moist soil, tolerates clay, 2-4 feet tall, deer resistant
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/monarda-fistulosa/
Oenothera biennis- Evening primrose: Blossoms close when hit by sunlight, fertilized by night-flying moths and early bees, showy yellow blossoms
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/oenothera-biennis/
Penstemon digitalis- Foxglove beardtongue: Tolerates clay if well drained, 2-4 feet tall, white blossoms similar to Foxglove.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/penstemon-digitalis/
*Physostegia Virginiana - Obedient Plant: bends and stays, mint family, can be aggressive but easy to pull, purple blossoms.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/physostegia-virginiana/
*Polymnia uvedalia - Bearsfoot: tall, use in back of border, shape of leaf- bears foot, don’t cut down in winter as native bees overwinter, not aggressive
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/smallanthus-uvedalia/
*Rudbeckia fulgida - Orange Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan: Easy to grow, spreads by runners, does not like soggy soil, mod. Deer resistance
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rudbeckia-fulgida/
*Rudbeckia hirta- Black-eyed Susan: short lived biennial, aggressive if no competition, long bloom time
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rudbeckia-hirta/
*Rudbeckia triloba -Brown-eyed Susan: short-lived, informal in appearance. Rugged. Moderate deer resistance.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rudbeckia-triloba
*Salvia Azurea-Blue Sage: Self-seed, high deer resistance. Tall but can prune early to thicken and shorten.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salvia-azurea/
*Salvia coccinia - Scarlet Sage: Comes in red, coral and white. Self-seed. High deer resistance. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salvia-coccinea/
*Scutellaria integrifolia – Tall scullcap: Mint family, short and attractive,plant front of bed
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/scutellaria-integrifolia/
Solidago caesia- Wreath Goldenrod: Blooms summer and fall, not aggressive, 3-4 feet tall. Showy yellow flowers. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solidago-caesia/
Solidago odora- Anise-scented goldenrod: Clump forming, not as aggressive, 1-2 feet tall, tolerates some shade, tolerates clay, deer resistant
* Solidago rugosa- Wrinkle leaf goldenrod: Important to specialized bees, late blooms for pollinators, compact, cascading, clump-forming
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solidago-rugosa/
Solidago speciosa- Showy goldenrod: One of the showiest of goldenrods, tolerates clay, deer resistant, 4 feet high
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solidago-speciosa/
*Solidago stricta- Wand goldenrod: Important to specialized bees, late blooms for p ollinators, likes moist sites
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solidago-stricta/
*Stokesia laevis- Stokes Aster: 1-2 feet high, showy blue/purple blooms early to mid-summer. Deer and rabbit resistant. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/phlox-divaricata/
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum- White Woodland Aster: Fall bloomer, showy, clay OK, prefers alkaline soil. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/symphyotrichum-lateriflorum/
Shade/Part Shade
*Packera aurea- Golden Groundsel: 1-2 feet tall, yellow flowers in spring and summer, tolerates wet soil. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/packera-aurea/
*Phlox divaricata- Woodland Phlox: 6 inches to 1 foot tall, blue/purple/lavender blooms in spring, moist soil, rabbits may eat foliage. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/phlox-divaricata/
*Salvia lyrata- Lyre-leaf Sage: Lavender flowers spring to early summer, moderate deer resistance, 1-2 feet tall. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salvia-lyrata/common-name/lyre-leaved-sage/
*Spigelia marilandica- Woodland Pinkroot: Flowers attract hummingbirds. Poisonous if eaten. Flowers red with yellow. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/spigelia-marilandica/
*Tradescantia Virginiana - Spiderwort: Shade, part shade, foliage deteriorates mid-summer, deer may browse foliage, purple flowers.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/tradescantia-virginiana/
*Viola sororia – Common blue violet: rabbits may eat, but deer resistant, wet-ish soil, aggressive, shade.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/viola-sororia/