Tall perennials

These are the perennials in our records whose average height is 120 cm (about 4 feet) or more, taken as the midpoint of the height range in each record. A plant is listed here only if its record gives a hardiness zone of 7 or colder, so it can stay in the ground over winter in zone 7 or colder; dahlias are left out for that reason. The table below compares every plant we list side by side.

Varieties
33
Height
3–8 ft (91–250 cm)
Hardiness
USDA zones 3–10
Flowers

20 Lilies

7 Peonies

6 Black-eyed Susans

All 33 tall perennials

A African Queen lily flower up close on the plant African Queen Trumpet lily with apricot orange trumpets and a bronze reverse on 50 to 60 inch stems. Midsummer, Late summerTrumpet and Aurelian
A Anastasia lily flower up close on the plant Anastasia Orienpet lily with wide open white flowers and rose pink centers on 4 to 6 foot stems. Late summerInterdivisional hybrid
A Canada lily lily flower up close on the plant Canada lily Native species lily with up to 20 nodding speckled bells in orange, red or yellow. Midsummer, Late summerSpecies
A Casa Blanca lily flower up close on the plant Casa Blanca Oriental lily with pure white flowers up to 10 inches across on 4 to 5 foot stems. Midsummer, Late summerOriental
A Conca d'Or lily flower up close on the plant Conca d'Or Orienpet lily with large lemon yellow flowers edged cream white on 3 to 5 foot stems. Midsummer, Late summerInterdivisional hybrid
Copper King Trumpet/Aurelian lily with melon orange flowers and a deep maroon reverse on 4 to 6 foot stems. MidsummerTrumpet and Aurelian
Golda Emanis Giant coneflower with golden spring foliage and tall yellow flowers, June to July. Early summer, MidsummerRudbeckia maxima
A Golden Glow black-eyed Susan flower up close on the plant Golden Glow Victorian double coneflower with fully double yellow flowers on 5 to 7 foot stems, July to September. Midsummer, Late summerRudbeckia laciniata
A Golden Splendor lily flower up close on the plant Golden Splendor Trumpet lily with deep yellow trumpets and maroon-striped reverses on 4 to 5 foot stems in midsummer. MidsummerTrumpet and Aurelian
A Green Wizard black-eyed Susan flower up close on the plant Green Wizard Rayless western coneflower with black cones and green sepals, 3 to 5 feet tall. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summerOther species
A Guinea Gold lily flower up close on the plant Guinea Gold Martagon lily with small dangling golden flowers on 4 to 5 ft stems. Late springMartagon
A Hanakisoi peony flower up close on the plant Hanakisoi Japanese tree peony with semi-double pink flowers about 8 inches across, grown in Japan before 1910. Mid springTree
A Henry Eilers black-eyed Susan flower up close on the plant Henry Eilers Sweet coneflower with quilled yellow rays and brown centers, 3 to 5 feet, July to September. Midsummer, Late summerRudbeckia subtomentosa
A Herbstsonne black-eyed Susan flower up close on the plant Herbstsonne Tall coneflower with drooping yellow rays and green cones, 5 to 7 feet, June to August. Early summer, Midsummer, Late summerRudbeckia laciniata
A High Noon peony flower up close on the plant High Noon Tree peony with semi-double lemon yellow flowers flared raspberry at the base, blooming in May. Late springTree
A Kinkaku peony flower up close on the plant Kinkaku Tree peony with full yellow flowers edged in pink, up to 8 inches across, blooming May to June. Late spring, Early summerTree
A Lady Alice lily flower up close on the plant Lady Alice Lilium henryi hybrid with reflexed flowers and an apricot gold throat on 4 to 5 foot stems. Midsummer, Late summerTrumpet and Aurelian
A Leopard lily lily flower up close on the plant Leopard lily Tall West Coast species lily with nodding orange-red flowers spotted dark brown. MidsummerSpecies
A Lilium martagon lily flower up close on the plant Lilium martagon Eurasian species lily with many nodding, maroon-spotted pink to white flowers in summer. Midsummer, Late summerSpecies
A Madonna lily lily flower up close on the plant Madonna lily Heirloom species lily with pure white trumpet flowers in early summer, planted just 1 inch deep. Early summerSpecies
A Mrs. R.O. Backhouse lily flower up close on the plant Mrs. R.O. Backhouse Martagon lily from 1921 with straw yellow, magenta backed flowers on 3 to 5 ft stems. Late spring, Early summerMartagon
A Pink Perfection lily flower up close on the plant Pink Perfection Aurelian trumpet lily from 1950 with warm to deep pink trumpets on 5 to 6 foot stems. Midsummer, Late summerTrumpet and Aurelian
A Regale lily flower up close on the plant Regale Species trumpet lily with white flowers and a pink reverse on 3 to 5 foot stems. Early summer, MidsummerSpecies
A Renkaku peony flower up close on the plant Renkaku Japanese tree peony with semi-double pure white flowers about 8 inches across, grown since at least 1889. Mid spring (estimated) Tree
A Rialto lily flower up close on the plant Rialto Oriental lily with large upward-facing white flowers and a green eye, up to 1.5 m. Midsummer, Late summer (estimated) Oriental
A Rudbeckia maxima black-eyed Susan flower up close on the plant Rudbeckia maxima Giant native coneflower with yellow rays and tall dark cones on 5 to 7 foot stalks, June to July. Early summer, MidsummerRudbeckia maxima
A Shima-Nishiki peony flower up close on the plant Shima-Nishiki Japanese tree peony with semi-double red flowers irregularly striped white around yellow stamens. Mid spring (estimated) Tree
A Shimadaijin peony flower up close on the plant Shimadaijin Japanese tree peony with semi-double reddish purple flowers about 8 inches across and golden stamens. Mid spring (estimated) Tree
A Taiyo peony flower up close on the plant Taiyo Japanese tree peony with semi-double bright red flowers and yellow centers, blooming early in the season. Mid spring, Late springTree
A Tiger Babies lily flower up close on the plant Tiger Babies Asiatic lily with recurved peach and pink flowers with dark freckles, 3 to 5 feet tall. Early summerAsiatic
A Tiger lily lily flower up close on the plant Tiger lily Species lily with bright orange, black freckled recurved flowers on 4-foot stems in midsummer. MidsummerSpecies
A Turk's cap lily lily flower up close on the plant Turk's cap lily Tall native species lily with nodding, maroon-spotted orange Turk's cap flowers in July. MidsummerSpecies
A Zelmira lily flower up close on the plant Zelmira Orienpet lily with large coral peach flowers on strong 4 to 5 foot stems in August. Late summerInterdivisional hybrid

How to choose

  1. Compare the Height column. A wide range means the plant may stay shorter in some gardens.
  2. Check the Hardiness column against your USDA zone.
  3. Match the Sun column to the back of your bed, where the RHS suggests tall, substantial plants usually go.

Compare side by side

Color Sunlight
African Queen Trumpet and Aurelian lily 4–5 ft (127–152 cm) 3–9 Midsummer, Late summer Full sun, Part sun
Anastasia Interdivisional hybrid lily 4–6 ft (122–183 cm) 4–8 Late summer Full sun
Canada lily Species lily 3–5 ft (91–152 cm) 4–8 Midsummer, Late summer Part sun, Part shade
Casa Blanca Oriental lily 3½–5 ft (102–152 cm) 4–9 Midsummer, Late summer Full sun, Part sun
Conca d'Or Interdivisional hybrid lily 3–5 ft (91–152 cm) 4–8 Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Copper King Trumpet and Aurelian lily 4–6 ft (122–183 cm) 5–10 Midsummer Full sun, Part sun
Golda Emanis Rudbeckia maxima black-eyed Susan 5–7 ft (152–213 cm) 4–9 Early summer, Midsummer Full sun
Golden Glow Rudbeckia laciniata black-eyed Susan 5–7 ft (152–213 cm) 3–9 Midsummer, Late summer Full sun, Part shade
Golden Splendor Trumpet and Aurelian lily 4–5 ft (122–152 cm) 4–9 Midsummer Full sun, Part sun
Green Wizard Other species black-eyed Susan 3–5 ft (91–152 cm) 3–9 Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Guinea Gold Martagon lily 4–5 ft (122–152 cm) 3–8 Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Hanakisoi Tree peony 3–5 ft (91–152 cm) 4–7 Mid spring Full sun, Part shade
Henry Eilers Rudbeckia subtomentosa black-eyed Susan 3–5 ft (91–152 cm) 4–8 Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Herbstsonne Rudbeckia laciniata black-eyed Susan 5–7 ft (152–213 cm) 5–9 Early summer, Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
High Noon Tree peony 4–5 ft (122–152 cm) 4–9 Late spring Full sun, Part shade
Kinkaku Tree peony 4–5 ft (122–152 cm) 4–7 Late spring, Early summer Full sun, Part shade
Lady Alice Trumpet and Aurelian lily 4–5 ft (122–152 cm) 4–8 Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Leopard lily Species lily 5–8 ft (150–250 cm) 5–9 Midsummer Full sun, Part shade
Lilium martagon Species lily 3–6 ft (91–183 cm) 3–8 Midsummer, Late summer Full sun, Part shade
Madonna lily Species lily 3½–5 ft (100–152 cm) 6–9 Early summer Full sun, Part sun
Mrs. R.O. Backhouse Martagon lily 3–5 ft (91–152 cm) 3–7 Late spring, Early summer Full sun, Part shade
Pink Perfection Trumpet and Aurelian lily 5–6 ft (152–183 cm) 4–8 Midsummer, Late summer Full sun
Regale Species lily 3–5 ft (91–152 cm) 4–9 Early summer, Midsummer Full sun, Part sun
Renkaku Tree peony 3–7 ft (91–213 cm) 4–7 Mid spring (estimated) Full sun, Part shade
Rialto Oriental lily 3½–5 ft (100–150 cm) 4–9 (estimated) Midsummer, Late summer (estimated) Full sun, Part shade
Rudbeckia maxima Rudbeckia maxima black-eyed Susan 5–7 ft (152–213 cm) 4–9 Early summer, Midsummer Full sun
Shima-Nishiki Tree peony 3–6 ft (91–183 cm) 4–9 Mid spring (estimated) Full sun, Part shade
Shimadaijin Tree peony 3–7 ft (91–213 cm) 4–9 Mid spring (estimated) Full sun, Part shade
Taiyo Tree peony 3–6 ft (91–183 cm) 3–8 Mid spring, Late spring Part shade, Full sun
Tiger Babies Asiatic lily 3–5 ft (91–152 cm) 4–9 Early summer Full sun (estimated)
Tiger lily Species lily 4 ft (122 cm) 4–9 Midsummer Full sun, Part sun
Turk's cap lily Species lily 4–7 ft (122–213 cm) 5–8 Midsummer Full sun, Part shade
Zelmira Interdivisional hybrid lily 4–5 ft (122–152 cm) 4–8 Late summer Full sun

Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.

Frequently asked questions

Do tall perennials need staking?

The RHS says plants with tall brittle stems and substantial flower spikes are easily damaged by strong winds, and that supports are ideally put in during spring, before the plants have made much growth.

Do tall perennials always go at the back?

The RHS says that in general they do, though tall, slender plants or those with a thin canopy can be placed near the front for a more natural look.