Tall perennial flowers really do wonders if you’re hoping to add some vertical flair to your garden. Most of these outdoor perennials shoot up anywhere from 4 to 8 feet (sometimes even more!) and the best part? You plant them once and they keep coming back year after year, making them a staple for any tall garden.
If you have a bright spot, choosing tall perennial flowers full sun varieties can help create colourful gardens that stand out. You can even find tall perennial flowers that bloom all summer to ensure your tall flower plant display stays vibrant for months. These tall perenials bring structure and visual interest while requiring less maintenance than annuals once established.
As a tall outdoor plant, there’s a surprising variety out there, with different bloom times and colors to fit just about any spot, sunny or shaded. They can completely change the vibe of your landscape, especially when they’re in full, showy bloom.
1) Delphinium (Consolida ajacis)
Delphiniums are kind of legendary for their dramatic, upright flower spikes, with some varieties hitting six feet! You get these dense clusters of blooms in blue, purple, pink, white, or even red through the summer.
They’re happiest in cooler climates with rich, well-drained soil. Delphiniums make excellent backdrop plants for borders or cottage gardens, and butterflies and hummingbirds seem to love them.
2) Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium)
Joe Pye Weed is a North American native that can reach an impressive 6 to 8 feet tall. It throws out big clusters of pinkish-purple flowers from late summer into early fall, so it’s a real showstopper when most other things are winding down.
It’s tough (hardy from Zones 3 to 9) and not too fussy about conditions. Butterflies flock to it, and deer and rabbits usually leave it alone, which is always a plus.
3) Prairie Dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum)
Prairie Dock is a great choice if you want something truly tall but not overwhelming at the base; while the leaves stay low, the flower stalks usually hit 6 to 10 feet!
Its massive, sandpaper-textured basal leaves and bright yellow, daisy-like flowers from late summer into fall are pretty hard to beat.
Drought? No problem. Once established, this hardy perennial barely needs you thanks to a massive taproot that can reach over 10 feet deep into the ground. It loves full sun and open spaces, and pollinators adore the late-season nectar. Deer, on the other hand, don’t seem interested in those tough, rough leaves.
4) Bee Balm (Monarda)
Bee Balm is a must if you want a burst of color in summer. Its tubular flowers come in red, pink, purple, or white, and the plant grows about 3 to 4 feet tall, spreading slowly via rhizomes.
Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees all make a beeline for it (pun intended). The foliage is aromatic, and it blooms for ages; from midsummer to early fall. Perfect for borders or any spot where you want to attract pollinators.
5) Garden phlopx (Phlox paniculata)
Phlox paniculata, or garden phlox, stands 2 to 4 feet tall and is loaded with fragrant flower clusters from midsummer through early fall in colors of pink, purple, magenta, red, white.
It’s happiest in full sun with moist, well-drained soil (Zones 4–8). The flowers are magnets for hummingbirds and butterflies, and they look great in a vase, too.
6) Foxglove (Digitalis)
Foxglove is about as dramatic as it gets, with flower spikes that can reach 6 feet tall. The bell-shaped blooms in vibrant purples, pinks, whites, and yellows, dangle down strong stems.
They thrive in partial shade with rich, well-drained soil. Most are biennials, but some newer hybrids bloom reliably every year. Hummingbirds and bees can’t resist, and deer usually steer clear. Just a heads up: all parts of foxglove are toxic.
7) Hollyhock (Alcea)
Hollyhocks are classic cottage garden plants, shooting up 4 to 6 feet tall with big, showy flowers that bloom from early summer into fall. You’ll find them in pink, red, yellow, white; sometimes even nearly black!
They’re technically biennials or short-lived perennials, but with a little care, they’ll stick around for years in zones 3 to 9. Plant them along fences or at the back of a border for that old-fashioned garden look.
8) Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Cardinal flower adds a jolt of scarlet red from late summer into early fall. It grows 2 to 3 feet tall, so it’s not the tallest, but those blooms are impossible to ignore.
It loves wet spots, such as streams, rain gardens, or shady low areas. Hummingbirds (especially ruby-throated ones) love the tubular flowers, and butterflies visit, too. The dark green, lance-shaped leaves look good all season.
9) Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
Rose Mallow is a go-to for massive, tropical-looking color right in your own backyard. This North American native gets up to 4 to 7 feet tall and features large, lush green foliage plus stunning, dinner-plate-sized flowers in shades of white, pink, or red from mid-summer into early fall.
It’s a moisture-loving perennial that thrives in wet spots where other plants might struggle, like pond edges, marshes, or rain gardens. Hummingbirds and pollinators flock to the giant blooms, so your garden will be buzzing all season, and it’s a reliable choice for adding some serious drama and height to a sunny border.
10) Ligularia
Ligularia brings bold height (up to 6 feet!) to shady spots. It’s happiest in zones 4 to 8 and really needs consistently moist soil.
The big, heart-shaped leaves form dense clumps, and in mid to late summer, it sends up spikes of yellow or orange daisy-like flowers. After a frost, it dies back, but it’s back again every spring.
11) Veronica (Speedwell)
Veronica, or Speedwell, offers upright spikes of blue or purple blooms. Most varieties grow 12 to 20 inches tall, so they’re perfect for the middle of a border.
They bloom through summer and don’t ask for much. Speedwell thrives in full sun or partial shade, and pollinators, especially butterflies and hummingbirds, are frequent visitors.
12) Gooseneck Loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides)
Gooseneck Loosestrife stands 24 to 36 inches tall and is instantly recognizable by its curved, white flower spikes that really do look like a goose’s neck.
Blooms show up from July to September, and the foliage puts on a show in fall, turning orange-red. It’s hardy in zones 3–8 and likes full sun to partial shade. It does spread pretty enthusiastically, so keep that in mind.
13) Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) stands an impressive 4 to 8 feet tall and is loaded with bright yellow, daisy-like flowers from midsummer through fall. It’s a hardy North American native that thrives in zones 3 to 9 and is a true giant of the prairie.
Give it full sun and moist, well-drained soil to see it really take off. One of its coolest features is the way its large, sandpaper-textured leaves join together around the square stem to form a literal “cup” that catches rainwater. You’ll often see birds, bees, and butterflies stopping by these natural basins for a drink. It’s a pollinator powerhouse that adds massive vertical interest to the back of a border or a native meadow garden
14) Tall Bearded Iris (Iris x germanica)
Tall Bearded Iris brings a shot of color in early summer, with blooms up to 3 feet high. The flowers are intricate; sometimes pastel, sometimes deep blue or purple, and occasionally wild combos of reds and oranges.
Plant these hardy perennials from late August into mid-October for the best results. The sword-like foliage looks good even when the flowers are done.
15) Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)
Cutleaf coneflower grows anywhere from 3 to 7 feet tall and is a staple for the back-of-the-border spots where you need some serious height. The flowers feature cheerful, bright yellow petals that droop downward, surrounding a distinct, greenish-yellow cone in the center.
It’s a vigorous grower that handles a variety of conditions, though it really loves spots with a bit more moisture than your average coneflower. The “cutleaf” part of its name comes from its deeply lobed, attractive green foliage that stays looking good all season. Blooms appear from midsummer into fall, drawing in plenty of pollinators, and it’s happy in zones 3 to 9 without needing much fuss at all.
16) Sidalcea (Prairie Mallow)
Prairie mallow sends up elegant spikes of satiny flowers, a bit like mini hollyhocks. They bloom all summer in pink, white, red, or purple, and butterflies and hummingbirds are fans.
It grows 2 to 4 feet tall and about 18 to 24 inches wide. Full sun and moist, well-drained soil work best. Deadheading keeps the flowers coming.
17) Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
Blazing star is a North American native with tall, bottlebrush spikes of purple flowers from mid-summer into fall. It usually hits 3 to 6 feet tall and has narrow, grassy leaves at the base.
The vertical spikes are a real standout and bring in butterflies and pollinators. It loves full sun and is super low-maintenance, making it great for borders, wildflower meadows, or cutting gardens.
18) Tall Sedum (Sedum telephium)
Tall sedum, sometimes called Autumn Joy, grows on sturdy stems about 12 to 24 inches tall. The gray-green, fleshy leaves look good all season, even before the flowers open.
In summer, you get broccoli-like flower clusters that shift from pale green to rosy pink, then darker red and bronze as fall rolls in. These drought-tolerant plants thrive in full sun and well-drained soil with hardly any fuss.
19) Japanese Anemone (Eriocapitella japonica)
Japanese anemone brings delicate, elegant blooms on tall, wiry stems; usually 2 to 4 feet high. It flowers from late summer into fall, just when you need a fresh pop of color.
You’ll find blooms in white, pink, or purple, about 2 to 3 inches across. Japanese anemone is hardy in zones 4 to 8 and grows well in part shade or full sun.
20) Smooth Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)
Smooth Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) usually stands somewhere between 2 and 4 feet tall, so it’s a pretty solid pick if you want a late-season burst in your garden. This native perennial tosses out daisy-like blooms starting in late summer and hanging on well into fall.
Its smooth, bluish-green leaves are honestly kind of striking, and it’s right at home in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8. If you’re into pollinators, this one’s a winner; it draws them in when most other flowers have already called it quits for the year.
