Let It Grow! Native Plants That Take Care of Themselves

Key Points

• Native plants like purple coneflower, little bluestem, and bee balm offer beauty without constant upkeep.

• Grouping plants by sunlight and soil needs makes gardening easier and more successful.

• Choosing native species supports pollinators, birds, and long-term garden health.

Rooted in Simplicity: Nature’s Easiest Garden Wins

Tired of watering nonstop or watching new plants wither before summer’s halfway done? Want a yard that actually works with your climate instead of fighting it every season? This post breaks down the best low-maintenance native plants for a landscape that looks amazing and takes care of itself.

By the end, you’ll know which plants fit into your landscape design, saving you time and water while still getting the thriving garden you’ve always wanted.

What Are the Best Low-Maintenance Native Plants for Tennessee?

Native plants thrive with little intervention because they’re naturally adapted to south-central Tennessee’s red clay soil and humid Highland Rim climate. These low-maintenance options work well in our area and those with similar climates:

• Wild Blue Phlox – Spring blooms in partial shade; fragrant and pollinator-friendly.

• Coreopsis – Bright yellow summer blooms, great in sun and dry soils.

• Winterberry – Shrub with bold red berries in winter, bird-attracting and resilient.

• Virginia Bluebells – Soft blue spring bloomers that spread in shade gardens.

• Cardinal Flower – Striking red flowers for wet areas and rain gardens.

• Little Bluestem – Ornamental grass with seasonal color and low input needs.

• Sweet White Trillium – Classic woodland perennial with dark-centered blooms.

• Bee Balm – Bold color and pollinator magnet, spreads easily in sun or meadow.

• Northern Sea Oats – Unique seed heads and graceful texture in partial shade.

• Purple Coneflower – Classic pollinator plant that thrives in poor soil.

• Butterfly Weed – Bright orange, drought-tolerant, and supports monarchs.

• Black-eyed Susan – Hardy bloomer that thrives with neglect.

Wild Blue Phlox

This low-maintenance plant brings a soft, fragrant splash of color in early spring.

Its clusters of blue and purple flowers thrive in partial shade and moist soil. Butterflies and hummingbirds love it, and it’s ideal for a shade garden or woodland edge.

Coreopsis

These flowering plants are known for their bright yellow flowers and long blooming season.

They need full sun and well-drained soil, but they’re forgiving once established. They’re a great choice if you’re after showy yellow flowers and minimal effort.

Virginia Bluebells

These native perennials bloom early in the season with bell-shaped, sky-blue blossoms.

They die back in early summer, but make a graceful appearance each spring without needing pruning or fertilizer. Perfect for under trees or shaded borders.

Lemon Mint

Lemon mint grows wild across much of eastern North America.

It’s a low-maintenance annual with purple flowers that attract pollinators and smell amazing. It self-seeds easily, so once you plant it, it tends to return year after year.

Wild Geranium

Native to eastern North America, this pink-to-purple woodland bloomer prefers partial shade and average soil.

It requires almost no care and naturalizes well in quiet corners of the garden. Its leaves stay tidy even after the blooms fade.

Butterfly Weed

Also known as butterfly milkweed, this striking plant produces bright orange flowers in full sun and dry soil. It supports monarch butterflies as a host plant and fits beautifully into pollinator gardens and naturalized borders.

Let’s start designing your low-maintenance landscape.

Easy Native Shrubs and Grasses for Structure

Low-maintenance native plants don’t have to stop at flowers. Native shrubs and native grasses add structure, support wildlife habitat, and carry your garden’s design through the off-season. Many of these offer visual interest well into early fall or even winter.

Winterberry

This deciduous shrub drops its leaves in fall but hangs on to brilliant red berries that birds love.

It can grow in wet soil and handles occasional flooding, making it great for low spots or a rain garden. While deer may nibble on twigs, they usually recover fast.

Sunburst

Part of the St. John’s Wort family, Sunburst is a compact native shrub with yellow blooms and blue-green foliage. It prefers full sun but tolerates light shade, and it adds subtle structure with zero fuss.

Little Bluestem

This native grass is famous for its color shift—from blue in summer to fiery orange in fall.

It thrives in poor soil with no need for soil amendments and helps with erosion control on slopes and dry spots. Leave the stems standing through winter for visual interest and wildlife cover.

Northern Sea Oats

With flat, papery seed heads that shimmer in the breeze, this grass brings movement to any low-maintenance garden.

It handles partial shade well and thrives in different soil conditions. They’re great for layering under native trees or taller plants.

Blue False Indigo

Also called blue wild indigo, this wildflower behaves like a small shrub.

It’s slow-growing but very long-lived, producing tall spikes of blue or purple flowers in late spring. It resents transplanting but needs no support, no pruning, and no fertilizer.

Pollinator Favorites That Practically Grow Themselves

Pollinators don’t need perfect rows or fertilizer. They need nectar-rich, native species that bloom over time and grow reliably. These low-maintenance flowering plants support other wildlife too, like bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects.

Bee Balm

A top choice in any native plant garden, bee balm produces shaggy, colorful blooms that attract pollinators in midsummer.

It spreads easily, grows in full sun or partial shade, and smells great when brushed. Its dense growth helps crowd out invasive plants.

Wild Columbine

This delicate-looking perennial is tougher than it looks.

It thrives in rocky soil, blooms in late spring, and draws in hummingbirds like a magnet. Once planted, it often self-seeds and returns every year.

Purple Coneflower

With tall stems and bright purple flowers, this native perennial is iconic.

It prefers full sun and well-drained soil but tolerates drought and neglect. The seed heads feed birds after bloom time, making it one of the most useful flowering plants around.

Black-Eyed Susan

This sunny wildflower is practically a symbol of low maintenance.

Black-Eyed Susan can grow in dry, rocky, or clay-heavy soil and blooms from early summer to early fall. It’s also one of the best starter plants if you’re just beginning to plant native.

Shade-Friendly Showstoppers

Not all native plants need full sun. These options are built for shady yards, woodland edges, or tucked-under-tree corners. They thrive with minimal light and limited watering once roots are established.

Sweet White Trillium

Trillium is a classic of the eastern North American forest floor.

Its three-petaled white flowers bloom in early spring and fade as summer begins. It prefers rich, moist soil and works well among ferns or under native trees.

Woodland Phlox

This low-growing perennial covers the ground with violet-blue or lavender blooms in late spring. It’s resistant to most diseases and spreads slowly, making it ideal for a shade garden or along woodland paths.

Asters

Asters bring color to the garden when most flowering plants are fading.

They bloom in late summer into early fall and tolerate full sun to partial shade. Look for varieties native to your state for better disease resistance and drought tolerance.

Low-Maintenance Design Tips with Native Plants

• Group native plants that prefer full sun together to reduce watering and boost plant health.

• Place shade-loving native species like wild blue phlox or sweet white trillium in low-light corners.

• Use native perennials of varying heights to layer texture and fill vertical space naturally.

• Combine low growers like wild geranium with mid-height plants like bee balm and taller plants like blue wild indigo.

• Create seasonal overlap by pairing early spring bloomers with late summer stunners like asters.

• Plant native grasses like little bluestem or northern sea oats for erosion control and year-round texture.

• Mulch with pine straw, leaf litter, or shredded bark to conserve moisture and prevent weeds.

• Add compost around new plants to boost root development in poor or compacted soil.

• Avoid overdesigning—native plant gardens look best when loosely arranged to mimic wild growth.

Care and Maintenance Practices (Spoiler: They’re Minimal)

• Water new plants regularly for the first few weeks to help them establish deep roots.

• Let rainfall take over once plants are established—most native species are drought-tolerant.

• Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot, especially in dry-loving plants like butterfly weed.

• Deadhead flowering plants like Black-Eyed Susan and coreopsis to extend the blooming season.

• Cut back native grasses such as little bluestem in late winter to make way for spring growth.

• Leave seed heads and dead leaves through fall and winter to support birds and other wildlife.

• Skip synthetic fertilizer—native plants often thrive in lean or well-drained soil without additives.

• Don’t panic about bugs—many native species attract beneficial insects that keep pests in check.

• Monitor for invasive plants early in the growing season to protect your native species.

FAQs About Native Plants

Can I mix native plants with non native plants in the same garden?

You can mix native and non-native plants in the same garden by choosing non-invasive non-natives and grouping natives together. This preserves ecological balance and supports local wildlife. Avoid aggressive species that outcompete natives and monitor growth.

Can I collect native plant seeds or seedlings from the wild?

Collecting native plant seeds or seedlings from the wild is discouraged. Instead, buy from certified native nurseries or plant sales to avoid harming natural ecosystems and to ensure species purity. Removing wild plants can damage local habitats and introduce invasive or hybrid species.

Will a garden of native species look overgrown or unkempt?

A native plant garden can look tidy and intentional when plants are grouped by height, bloom time, and color. Use ground covers, perennials, grasses, and shrubs for structure. Mulch annually, deadhead blooms, and remove invasives to maintain a polished appearance.

Be Rooted in Local Beauty with Niedergeses Landscape

Niedergeses Landscape designs gardens that feel wild, effortless, and entirely custom to your space. From native shrubs that bloom year after year to native grasses that solve erosion problems, we build low-maintenance landscapes that actually work for your lifestyle.

If you’re ready for a yard that looks good without the constant upkeep, fill out our contact form today or give us a call. Let’s plant something that grows better, lasts longer, and feels at home in a Columbia backyard, a Lewisburg homestead, or a slope above the Buffalo River.