Read most plant labels and you’ll get the impression that the majority of plants need well-drained, nutrient-rich soil to grow. Yet many plants in their native habitat grow in conditions that would be considered less than optimal – and guess what? They still thrive. Although many plants prefer or need nutrient-rich soils to reach their full potential, many plants thrive in what is considered poor or poor-quality soil, generally defined as soil lacking nutrients and micro-nutrients. organizations.
“Plants grow all over the world in almost every type of soil imaginable,” says Kelly Norris, horticulturist and author of New naturalism and the next Your natural garden. “The challenge for gardeners is understanding how to adapt to the soils they have available, which can seem limiting at first glance.” His recommendation for changing your point of view? “Adopt an attitude to create a garden that can prosper where you grow up,” he says. “The options are almost always more numerous than they appear at first glance.”
Knowing the soil type in your garden is the first step in determining what will grow well and thrive. Next, you will need to learn about the many plants that can grow well in poor quality soil. To that end, we spoke with Norris and other gardening experts about what plants to choose if your soil isn’t perfect. The following plants, from lemon balm to lavender to echinacea, will flourish in your garden regardless of soil quality.
Melissa
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A native North American wildflower, lemon balm (Monarda didyme), also known as wild bergamot, is a plant that can grow almost anywhere. “Bee balm is a great choice for poor soil,” says Kathy Jentz, author of Ground cover revolution. Want to know how strong bee balm is? “I grew some in my ‘hell strip’ – the narrow strip of land between the sidewalk and the street – where the soil is exposed to road pollutants, salt spray and is generally compacted from years of heavy foot traffic.” , she says.
- Areas: 3 to 9
- Adult size: 10 to 48 inches tall x 10 to 36 inches wide
- Care requirements: Partially in full sun
Blue Star
These flowers look like blue stars, which gives them the common name of this genus. Amsonia flowers. These pretty flowers can withstand all types of soil. “The genus runs the gamut from species that grow in the desert southwest to those that grow in the southern plains,” says Kelly Norris, horticulturist and author of New naturalism and the next Your natural garden. “Deep taproots ensure long-lasting, long-lasting plants once established.”
- Areas: 3 to 11
- Adult size: 2 to 3 feet high and wide
- Care requirements: Part shade to full sun; limestone, clayey, sandy or loamy soil
Butterfly Weed
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Butterfly weed (Tuberous asclepias) is a plant native to North America and produces small, bright orange flowers in clusters. Norris says there are a range of distinct ecotypes that exist and can grow in many soil types, including clay and sand.
- Areas: 3 to 9
- Adult size: 1 to 2 feet tall x 1 to 1.5 feet wide
- Care requirements: Full sun
Yarrow
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Yarrow (Yarrow) has tiny white flowers that grow in clusters with feathery leaves. “Yarrow is an excellent native plant that will grow well in poor soil and a sunny location,” says Jen McGuinness, author of Bird-friendly gardening: Tips and projects to support birds in your landscape. Norris says it’s a great option for sandy or gravel soils and can even work well in clay soils. “Yarrow grows in a wide range of conditions around the world,” says Norris. To give you an idea of how resilient yarrow is, Norris says he has “actually seen yarrow blooming on an abandoned copper mine road in Colorado, a virtual moonscape where few other plants can survive “.
Another important benefit of growing yarrow is its ability to attract good insects. “The flat clusters of flowers attract beneficial insects like native ladybugs and hoverflies (and act as) a larval host plant for the painted butterfly,” says Mary Phillips, native plant habitat strategy/certifications manager at the National Wildlife Federation.
- Areas: 3 to 9
- Adult size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 1.5 to 2 feet wide
- Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade, loamy or sandy soil
Daylily
Many gardeners like daylilies because they are easy to grow, can withstand droughts or high temperatures, and offer a range of hues. “Daylily (Daylilies spp.) is a plant I like to plant in poor soils because it is very tolerant of it,” says Jentz. “It may flower a little better in ideal situations, but in less than ideal soils it still grows. a show.”
- Areas: 3 to 10
- Adult size: 6 inches to 5 feet tall by 2 to 4 feet wide
- Care requirements: Prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade; grows in sandy or clayey soil.
False Indigo
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Large perennial plant belonging to the legume family, false indigo (Baptism australis) produces several small flowers on the same stem. “Like many deep-rooted legumes, false indigos thrive in a wide range of soils,” says Norris. “The market is full of species and hybrids that provide many planting options for gardeners in the eastern half of the United States. »
- Areas: 3 to 9
- Adult size: 4 to 5 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
- Care requirements: Partially in full sun
goldenrod
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With long stems featuring a plethora of yellow flowers, goldenrod (Solidago spp.) is a wonderful native flower to grow in the garden. “(Goldenrod) provides late-season nectar for a variety of pollinators, including migratory monarch butterflies,” McGuinness says. “These plants grow exuberantly and can spread, so give them room to grow or be prepared to harvest self-seeded volunteers in subsequent years.”
- Areas: 4 to 8
- Adult size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 1.5 to 2 feet wide
- Care requirements: Full to partial sun
Echinacea
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Echinacea (Echinacea purpurée) are a hardy plant native to eastern North America. They come in a range of colors, although you will often find pinkish-purple flowers with their petals facing downward. “Purple coneflower tolerates clay and sandy soils,” says Phillips. She adds that they have low nutrient requirements and are drought tolerant. These flowers can tolerate poor soil, but they need full sun for large, showy flowers, according to McGuinness. She says to avoid soil that is too acidic, as it makes it difficult for the plant to grow. Phillips adds that over time, “the decomposition of fibrous roots adds nutrients to the soil.”
- Areas: 3 to 8
- Adult size: 2 to 5 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
- Care requirements: Part shade to full sun
Lavender
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Fragrant perennial plant, lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a compact shrub that produces purple flowers that attract pollinators. “Lavender can grow well in ‘lean’ soils,” says Jentz. “Most Mediterranean herbs, like lavender, are adapted to life in nutrient-poor soils.”
- Areas: 5a to 9a
- Adult size: 2 to 3 feet tall x 2 to 4 feet wide
- Care requirements: Full sun
New England Aster
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New England Aster (Symphyotrichum New England) is a perennial plant that thrives in poor soil and provides important nectar in the fall for many pollinators, McGuinness says. She suggests providing them with plenty of room to grow. They can also do well in clay soil.
- Areas: 4 to 8
- Adult size: 3 to 6 feet high x 2 to 3 feet wide
- Care requirements: Full sun
Rosemary
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Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) is a hardy, drought-tolerant herb that produces light purple flowers when in bloom. It is native to the Mediterranean region and has adapted to harsh conditions, normally growing in rocky, barren soil, says Linda Vater of the Southern Living Plant Collection.
- Areas: 8 to 10
- Adult size: 2 to 6 feet tall x 2 to 4 feet wide
- Care requirements: Full sun
Slender Mountain Mint
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Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) is native to North America and attracts many pollinators. This mint stands out with its silvery green leaves and fragrant pink flowers. Mountain mint has a shallow root system and, according to Phillips, it “can access limited nutrients and moisture near the surface.” She adds that mint can grow in dry, medium or moist clay, sandy or loamy soil.
- Areas: 2 to 8
- Adult size: 1.5 to 5 feet tall x 1 to 3 feet wide
- Care requirements: Full to partial sun
Sweet viburnum
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Viburnum (The most fragrant viburnum) has many varieties, including shrubs and small trees, so you’re bound to find one that suits your gardening needs. Vater recommends the hybrid variety, Coppertop Sweet Viburnum, because it is adaptable and resilient. “It can tolerate most soil types, including sandy and clay soils (and) does not need rich soil to thrive,” she says.
- Areas: 2 to 9
- Adult size: 3 to 20 feet tall x 3 to 12 feet wide
- Care requirements: Partially in full sun