• Liatris spicata is an unusual but beautiful native flower in North Carolina.Liatris image by Lidka from Fotolia.com
  
  Many perennials native to North Carolina are good candidates for planting in the home landscape. Perennials, unlike annuals, return from their woody growth or roots each spring. Native perennials, if planted in the right location, use less water and fertilizer than many non-native plants. For that reason, native plants are gaining in popularity with gardeners in North Carolina.
  
  

Liatris

• Liatris, dense gay feather or dense blazing star (Liatris spicata), is a bulb plant that grows as one or two long stems up to 3 feet tall. The tufted purple flowers open in late summer and fall at the top of the stem first, then gradually open downward along the sides of the stem over two or three weeks. The flowers and seeds are attractive to birds and butterflies.
  
  

Coral Honeysuckle

• Coral honeysuckle, or trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), is a non-invasive small woody vine growing to 15 to 25 feet. It is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions in sun to partial shade. The flowers are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies and the seeds are sought after by songbirds. Coral honeysuckle grows best with some support, such as a trellis, so the flowers can be seen and enjoyed all summer.
  
  

Wax Myrtle

• The wax myrtle (Morella cerifera) is an evergreen multi-trunked native shrub in North Carolina that grows to 20 feet tall and 8 feet wide. The blue berries produced in winter are attractive to wildlife. The seeds are covered with a waxy coating that was removed by settlers to make candles. The leaves are aromatic when crushed. For landscaping purposes, the wax myrtle can be pruned as a hedge or trained into a small tree.
  
  

Purple Passionflower

• The unusual but beautiful passion flower.Passion Flower image by Boster from Fotolia.com
  
  The purple passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is an aggressive vine growing to 25 feet that clings by tendrils to upright structures or grows along the ground. It spreads by seed and underground roots. The purple flower has several distinct parts and is highly unusual. The plant gets its name because different parts of the flower were once said to represent a different part of the Jesus crucifixion story which is commonly known as the Passion. The egg-shaped fruit, or maypop, is used in jellies and jams or eaten fresh. The purple passionflower vine dies to the ground in winter, reappearing in the spring.
  
  

Joe-Pye Weed

• Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatoriadelphus fistulosus) is also called Queen of the Meadow or Trumpetweed. It appears in moist rich meadows across the North Carolina growing up to 10 feet tall. The non-branching stems produce large purple flower-heads, up to 12 inches across, in late summer and fall. The flowers are attractive to butterflies and other nectar-loving insects.
  
  

Purple Coneflower

• The purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a native perennial that produces purple daisy-like flowers during the summer. The flowers bend naturally to give the flowers a drooping appearance. The purple coneflower is heat and drought tolerant, but performs best in fertile well-drained soil. The flower stems can reach 5 feet when the plant is grown under optimal conditions. The broad dark-green leaves are rarely bothered by insect pests. Root divisions can be made in the fall.