When it comes to creating an impressive garden, incorporating plants with varying heights, colors, and blooms can create a dramatic and dynamic landscape. One attractive option is to include flowers that grow tall, as these towering beauties not only add height and visual interest, but can also serve as a living privacy fence or hide an unsightly view. In this article, we’ll explore 24 different species of tall-growing flowers, categorized into various plant groups for easy reference.
From elegant lilies to feathery cosmos, these floral giants can range from 3 to 9 feet in height – transforming your garden into a breathtaking haven bursting with vibrant, enchanting colors. Whether you have a green thumb or are just starting on your gardening journey, including these stunning tall flowers is sure to make an indelible impact on your outdoor space.
Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses are a stunning addition to any landscape, offering height, texture, and eye-catching beauty. They come in various sizes and can be grouped together to create privacy or simply a focal point in your garden. In this section, we will be discussing Pampas Grass and Feather Reed Grass, two popular options for those looking to grow tall ornamental grasses.
Pampas Grass
Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) is a perennial ornamental grass native to South America. Known for its impressive height and showy plumes, Pampas Grass can grow up to 10 feet tall, making it an excellent choice for creating privacy or adding an interesting visual element to your garden. This plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It is also drought-tolerant, making it an attractive option for regions with limited water availability. To maintain its appearance, it is advised to trim the grass back in late winter or early spring, promoting healthy new growth.
Feather Reed Grass
Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’) is another ornamental grass variety that offers excellent height and texture. Feather Reed Grass can grow up to 6 feet tall and is known for its distinct upright habit, which adds visual interest to your garden throughout the year, including during winter months. This plant prefers full sun and well-drained soil to reach its full potential. Feather Reed Grass is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9, making it a versatile choice for various climates. With its elegant appearance, this ornamental grass is well-suited for both formal and informal landscapes.
Tall Perennials
Tall perennial plants add vertical interest to a garden and make a great choice for growing in beds, borders, or as standalone displays. They can be used to create privacy screens or add textural contrast to a garden with a variety of heights, colors, and forms. In this section, we will discuss a selection of tall perennial plants that can grow well in most garden settings.
Delphinium
Delphiniums are known for their towering spikes of colorful flowers that can grow up to 6 feet tall. Available in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white, they are a popular choice for adding a burst of color to any garden. Delphiniums thrive in full sun to partial shade and require well-drained, fertile soil.
Canna Lily
Canna Lilies are a tropical perennial boasting large, lush leaves and vibrant flowers. They can grow up to 8 feet tall and come in a range of colors, including red, orange, pink, and yellow. Canna Lilies prefer full sun, and they need moist, well-draining soil to grow properly.
Sunflower
Sunflowers are a classic tall plant, reaching heights up to 12 feet. They’re not only remarkably easy to grow but also add a cheerful touch to any garden. Sunflowers require full sun, well-draining soil, and only moderate water, making them a low-maintenance option.
Hollyhock
Hollyhocks are a traditional cottage garden favorite that can grow up to 8 feet tall. These biennial or short-lived perennials feature showy flowers in a range of colors from white to pink, red, and even black. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. Hollyhocks tend to reseed themselves, which ensures their presence in the garden for years to come.
Joe-Pye Weed
Joe-Pye Weed is a native North American plant that can grow up to 7 feet in height. With its large, mauve flower clusters and sturdy stems, it makes a statement in the garden. This plant is low-maintenance and well-suited to moist, well-draining soil with full sun or partial shade.
Giant Hyssop
Giant Hyssop is a tall perennial herb, growing up to 6 feet in height. With its blue-purple flower spikes and aromatic foliage, it adds both color and fragrance to the garden. Thriving in both full sun and partial shade, Giant Hyssop requires well-draining soil and moderate water needs.
Tall Phlox
Tall Phlox, also known as Garden Phlox, is a popular perennial that can grow up to 6 feet tall. It features large clusters of fragrant flowers in various colors, including pink, purple, and white. Tall Phlox is easy to grow and does best in full sun and well-drained soil
Sneezeweed
Sneezeweed is a North American native perennial that can grow up to 5 feet tall. It’s known for its daisy-like flowers in shades of yellow or red, with a prominent central cone. Sneezeweed prefers full sun and well-drained soil, making it a low-maintenance option for the garden.
Goldenrod
Goldenrod is known for its golden-yellow flowers and ability to grow up to 5 feet tall. This native North American plant adds color to late summer and fall gardens. Goldenrod thrives in full sun and well-draining soil with moderate water needs.
Giant Allium
Giant Allium is known for its large, spherical flower heads that can reach up to 4 feet in height. These perennials come in shades of purple, blue, and white, and add an architectural element to the garden. They require well-draining soil and full sun to grow well.
Tall Verbena
Tall Verbena can grow up to 6 feet tall, featuring clusters of tiny purple flowers that attract butterflies and other pollinators. This low-maintenance plant prefers full sun and well-draining soil. Its airy, open form adds a light touch to any garden.
Russian Sage
Russian Sage is a tall, drought-tolerant perennial that can reach heights of up to 4 feet. Its branching stems feature small, lavender-blue flowers and silvery-gray foliage. Adapted to full sun and well-draining soil, Russian
Tall Annuals
Tall annual flowers can make a stunning visual impact in gardens and act as a living privacy fence, while providing bursts of color throughout the growing season. The following are some remarkable examples of tall annuals that can be easily incorporated into any garden design.
Japanese Silver Grass
Japanese Silver Grass, scientifically known as Miscanthus sinensis, is an ornamental grass that grows tall, reaching heights of up to 6-8 feet. This grass is admired for its feathery, silver-gray plumes that sway gracefully in the wind. It thrives in full sun and well-draining soil, and is also drought-tolerant. Japanese Silver Grass can act as an attractive backdrop to other colorful flowers in the garden.
Common Mullein
Common Mullein, or Verbascum thapsus, is a striking biennial plant that can grow up to 6 feet tall. It showcases tall spires of yellow flowers and large, fuzzy leaves. While technically a biennial, it often acts like an annual in the right growing conditions. This drought-tolerant plant can grow in poor soils and is typically found in sunny, open locations.
Amaranth
Amaranth, belonging to the genus Amaranthus, is a group of annual plants that can grow quite tall, with some species reaching up to a stunning 8 feet in height. Amaranth plants are known for their vivid colors and diverse leaf shapes, featuring stunning reds, oranges, and yellows. They thrive in full sun and well-draining soil and are also heat and drought-tolerant, making them a versatile choice for a wide range of gardens.
Love-Lies-Bleeding
Love-Lies-Bleeding, also known as Amaranthus caudatus, is a unique annual flower that reaches heights of up to 4 feet. It is recognized for its dramatic, cascading red flower tassels that hang from the stems, resembling waterfalls. This eye-catching plant prefers full sun and well-draining soil and can add an extraordinary touch to borders and garden beds.
In conclusion, incorporating tall annuals like Japanese Silver Grass, Common Mullein, Amaranth, and Love-Lies-Bleeding into your garden can create a visually appealing and diverse landscape. Each of these plants offers its own distinct characteristics, ensuring a lively and captivating outdoor space.
Shrubs and Climbers
For those who are looking for tall flowers to adorn their gardens, shrubs and climbers offer a fantastic selection of colorful and impressive plants. These flora enhance the garden’s visual appeal and add vertical interest to landscaping. In this section, we will provide a brief overview of six remarkable tall-growing shrubs and climbers.
Wisteria
These enchanting climbing plants are known for their cascading clusters of flowers that drape in a stunning display. They come in various shades, such as purple, pink, and white, and are perfect for covering trellises and pergolas. Wisteria thrives in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9 and requires full sun exposure for optimal growth.
Trumpet Vine
Trumpet vines are fast-growing climbers with vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. They are available in colors like orange, red, and yellow, and prefer full sun exposure. Trumpet vines can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions and grow well in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9.
Clematis
These versatile climbing plants produce large, showy flowers in a variety of colors ranging from white to deep purple. They are ideal for covering fences, trellises, and arbors, and can grow well in both sun and partial shade. Clematis is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9, and some varieties even bloom in the fall.
Morning Glory
With their cheerful, funnel-shaped flowers that bloom in the early morning, morning glories can quickly cover a trellis or fence. They are available in different colors like blue, pink, purple, and white. These climbers thrive in full sun and grow best in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 10.
Sweet Pea
Sweet peas are charming climbers that produce delicate, fragrant flowers in various shades of pink, purple, red, and white. They prefer cooler climates and bloom during spring to early summer. Sweet peas do well when provided with a trellis or support structure and are suitable for USDA hardiness zones 2 to 9.
Bougainvillea
These eye-catching climbers boast vibrant, papery bracts that surround their delicate flowers, creating an impressive display of color. Bougainvillea comes in shades of red, orange, pink, purple, and white. They require full sun exposure to thrive and are best suited for USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11.
Incorporating tall-growing shrubs and climbers into your garden can make a striking addition to your landscape, providing both color and vertical interest. Experiment with different combinations of these remarkable plants to create a unique and appealing garden space.
My name is Daniel Elrod, and I have been houseplant love ever since I was 17. I love how much joy they bring to any room in the home. I’ve always been amazed at how a few pots of flowing leaves can turn a drab and sterile office into an inviting place where people love to work at.