16 New Perennials To Love In 2022

Every year growers release new plant introductions, wowing us with new flower and foliage colors, leaf forms, and better resistance to insects and common diseases. Today, we will look at the new perennials, the plants that “die” down to the ground in the Winter and come back to life the next Spring.

 

 

The ‘Edge Of Night’ Hibiscus delivers bubblegum pink flowers measuring 7-8 inches across set against nearly jet-black foliage. It’s a striking border plant or a specimen container plant. This perennial hibiscus (also known as swamp mallow) grows up to 4 feet tall with a 5 foot spread.

You can grow ‘Edge Of Night’ in either full or part sun but the best foliage color develops in full sun.

• Hardy in zones 4-9
• Flowers in Summer
• Native to North America
• Grows best in moist, well-drained soil

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

A non-vining herbaceous Clematis, ‘Stand By Me Lavender’ is a somewhat upright growing bush or shrub-like clematis that grows up to 3’ tall with a similar spread. Although it is not the vining type of clematis it will benefit from a small trellis or a tomato support cage.

• Hardy in zones 3-7
• Flowers in early Summer through late Spring
• Easy maintenance
• Grows best in full sun or light shade with average, well-drained soil that is slightly alkaline

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

‘Hope Springs Eternal’ Hosta is a beautiful choice for those shaded areas that do not get much sun. Lush blue leaves with ruffled creamy white edges return year after year to brighten our hearts. Flowers are near white.

• Hardy in zones 3-9
• Flowers midsummer
• Easy maintenance
• Grows best in full to part shade with well drained soil enriched with organic matter

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

Dark bronze leaves make the ‘Boom Chocolatta’ Geranium a useful contrast to green leafed perennials in the border garden. Also great as a container plant on the patio with its blue-purple flowers.

‘Boom Chocolatta’ has a mounding growth habit and reaches about 26 inches tall.

• Hardy in zones 4-8
• Flowers early to late Summer
• Easy maintenance
• Grows best part to full sun with a well drained soil

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

Here we have another outstanding bedding perennial that also makes a great container specimen. ‘Fairytale Bride’ Hydrangea shows off its lacey bright white flowers all Summer long. 

Avoid pruning this hydrangea except to remove any dead wood. Afternoon shade is recommended in hot climates.

• Hardy in zones 6-9
• Flowers in Summer
• Easy maintenance
• Grows best in part to full sun

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

Blue Star is an apt name for this perennial with it’s blue star-shaped flowers. Also known as Amsonia, ‘String Theory’ provides 3 seasons of interest. In Summer you have green textured foliage, in Spring you have light periwinkle blue flowers, and in fall the foliage turns a burning yellow-orange.

Heat tolerant and grows 32-36 inches tall and wide.

• Hardy in zones 4-9
• Flowers early Spring
• Easy maintenance
• Grows best full sun to part shade with average moist soil

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

‘Evening Gown’ Heuchera or Coral Bells is a short perennial with striking ruffled glossy black foliage. The flowers are also incredible with pink buds that open to white flowers. A nice contrast to the dark foliage. 

• Hardy in zones 4-9
• Flowers 
• Easy maintenance
• Grows best rich, well-drained humus in sun or shade

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

‘Backlight’ Phlox can brighten the back of a perennial border like few other plants can. Dark green foliage on 28-30 inch tall stalks bear pure white flower panicles. 

Native to North America, this new variety pairs well with other white flowering plants in a moonlight garden.

• Hardy in zones 3-8
• Flowers middle to late Summer
• Easy maintenance
• Grows best part sun to sun with moist, well-drained soil

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

 

The ‘Coral Jade’ Sedum features rich green leaves topped by coral pink blooms. Good late season bloomer and thrives without supplemental water or fertilizers.

Sedum, or “StoneCrop” is a succulent-like plant that reaches up to 18 inches tall and 30 inches wide.

• Hardy in zones 3-9
• Flowers late Summer through early Fall
• Drought tolerant
• Grows best full sun with well-drained average or poor soil

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

Also new in garden centers this year is the colorful ‘Back in Black’ Sedum. This sedum will fill your sunny garden with nearly black leaves all Summer long. Later in the growing season this perennial flowers with cream petals and red centers.

‘Back in Black’ is a great contrast to the green foliage of other perennials and garden bed plants.

• Hardy in zones 3-9
• Flowers in late Summer through early Fall
• Easy maintenance
• Grows best in full sun with poor to average well-drained soil

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

 

The majestic foliage of the ‘Miss America’ Hosta captured our hearts last year when it actually won the Miss America Pageant. Kidding aside, hostas perform best in shaded areas where most plants fail. 

Green leaves striped with cream veined centers brighten up dark areas in the garden. The flower stalks reach up to 61 inches tall and with a foliage spread of up to 55 inches wide.

• Hardy in zones 3-9
• Flowers in midsummer but mostly grown as a foliage plant
• Easy maintenance
• Grows best full or part shade with moist but well drained enriched soil

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

‘Lemon Squeeze’ Fountain Grass resembles the chartreuse-gold leaves of lemongrass but adds the blooms of fountain grass. This ornamental perennial grass sends up copper flower panicles in midsummer.

‘Lemon Squeeze’ grows up to 36 inches high with a spread of 30 inches.

• Hardy in zones 5-9
• Flowers midsummer through early fall
• Easy to care for
• Grows best in full sun with a rich, well-drained soil. Fountain grass does not tolerate consistently wet soil.

 

 

Rich lavender-pink blooms adorn this hybrid Phlox all season long. ‘Opening Act Romance’ Phlox is an early flowering hybrid that will fill the back of the garden with fragrant and continuous blooms.

Native to North America. Also a good pollinator plant.

• Hardy in zones 4-8
• Flowers early to late Summer
• Easy maintenance
• Grows best part to full sun with well-drained soil and regular fertilizing

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

Much like the desert, ‘Tiramisu’ Sedum exhibits many colors throughout the growing season. This sedum displays bronze foliage all season and pink buds that open to cream flowers appearing in late Summer.

Easy care and heat/drought tolerant. Sedum performs best with a well drained soil and requires no supplemental watering. 

• Hardy in zones 3-9
• Flowers late Summer, early Fall
• Easy care
• Grows best full sun with poor to average soil

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

Fantastic in garden beds and containers, ‘Banana Cream II’ Shasta Daisy is a prolific bloomer with its creamy white flowers and yellow buds that keep coming all Summer long.

This new variety has a height of 20-24 inches and spreads up to 22 inches wide. Attracts bees and butterflies.

• Hardy in zones 5-9
• Blooms early to late Summer 
• Easy maintenance
• Performs best in full sun with good draining average to rich soil

Grower: Proven Winners

 

 

Give your garden or patio table an exotic touch with the new Calla Lily called ‘Dubai Nights’. This calla lily features speckled leaves and beautiful dark purple nearly black flowers.

Calla lilies are a compact perennial reaching only 12-15 inches tall.

• Hardy in zones 7-10
• Flowers midsummer
• Easy care
• Grows best full sun to partial shade with organically rich, well-drained soil that is kept moist.

Grower: Holland Bulb Farm

Where Can I Find These And Other New Perennials?

You should start seeing these plants at garden centers and nurseries starting this Spring. You can always ask the manager when new varieties will be available. 

Also, many plant nursery centers will make a special order for their customers. It never hurts to ask.

Know Your Growing Zone

The U.S.D.A. plant hardiness zone map was developed to help gardeners, landscapers, and farmers to tell if any specific type of plant can survive in a particular area.

Zones are determined by the minimum average temperature in a given area. See the color coded map and legend below.

 

 

If your retail options are limited, you can also purchase any of the plants featured here online via one of the following options:

• Amazon (the Proven Winners store page on Amazon for new perennials)
• Proven Winners Direct
• Holland Bulb Farms (for the ‘Dubai Nights’ Calla lily)

Note: this page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you). This helps to support the website and content we create. Thank you!

I hope you have found one or a few new perennials to bring fresh color and beauty to your gardens this year! Thanks for reading everyone!