The Perennial Plant of the Year Program promotes the use of perennials. Four perennials are selected by the Perennial Plant of the Year Committee from an extensive list of nominations made earlier by Perennial Plant Association members. Each year members cast their vote for one of the four selected plants with the following attributes:

• suitable for a wide range of climate types
• low maintenance
• easily propagated - easily comes true from seed or vegetative propagation
• exhibits multiple seasonal interest

2010 Plant Perennial of the Year

The Perennial Plant Association has awarded the title of Perennial Plant of the Year® to Baptisia australis (Blue False Indigo). Baptisia is a desirable plant due to its deep blue to violet spring flowers, the attractive light green compound leaves and hardiness. A great perennial to use as a border plant in gardens but naturally, it grows wild at the borders of woods, along streams and meadows. In nature, they develop deep taproots, which make them quite difficult to move once established. Container grown plants are much more successful transplants due to more their developed root systems.

Previous winners:

2009 Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'
2008 Geranium ‘Rozanne’
2007 Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’
2006 Dianthus gratianopolitanus
2005 Helleborus xhybridus
2004 Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'
2003 Leucanthemum 'Becky'
2002 Phlox 'David'
2001 Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
2000 Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue'
1999 Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'
1998 Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus'
1997 Salvia 'Mainacht' (May Night)
1996 Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'
1995 Perovskia atriplicifolia
1994 Astilbe 'Sprite'
1993 Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'
1992 Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'
1991 Heuchera micrantha 'Palace Purple'

Return to top