Yellow perennials can be some of the most beautiful plants in your garden; best of all, they don’t require yearly planting. Once established, perennials will keep coming back from their roots, year after year, to grace your little piece of earth with their bright flowers. Because of this, you’ll want to be sure to pick the right perennials for your garden, otherwise, you’ll have to put in the effort to pull them out if you don’t like how they look.
Picking the perfect perennials starts with observing your garden closely. You’ll want to see how the sun moves over the ground, letting you know whether you need sun or shade-loving plants. Consider the blooming periods of the perennials you have in mind for your garden. Not all plants will bloom at the same time, so by choosing plants carefully, you can enjoy a garden that’s in bloom all spring and summer long. Finally, choose perennials that will complement each other instead of competing for space in your garden. This way you’ll be able to make your garden look lush and full instead of cramped.
Below we explore 15 of our favorite yellow perennials that make great additions to any garden space.
Yarrow
Yarrows are known for their flat-topped clusters of tiny flowers and feathery leaves. They bloom in many colors, yellow being one. Expect blooms from late spring to early fall. Yarrows prefer full sun and well-drained dry soil. See our list of Yarrow varieties here.
Tickseed
If you plan to add some yellow to your flower beds, Tickseed (Coreopsis) is an excellent perennial to consider. They are easy to grow and perfect for beginner gardeners. Tickseed blooms for over three months in pink or yellow. They thrive in full sun to light shade. Tickseed can be quickly grown from seed.
Fumewort
Fumewort (Corydalis) can grow in full sun to light shade. They’re perfect for rock gardens and wall planting. Fumewort is a prolific self-sowers. They grow to be 9 to 15 inches in height. And bloom for over four months.
Evening Primrose
Sundrops, yellow evening primrose is an excellent choice. They grow in full sun and well-drained soil. They bloom in pink, white, or yellow for around two months. Evening primrose grows to be six to twenty-four inches. The best way to propagate is to divide in spring or fall.
Coneflower
Yellow Coneflower (Rudbeckia) perennials are an excellent choice for well-drained, dry not overly rich soil and if you are growing them in full sun for maximum yellow blooms. A great tip is to remove some of the flowers to help stimulate continued blooms.
Pincushion
The pincushion is an unpopular long-blooming plant. Some varieties bloom in blue, lavender, pink, white, or yellow. They thrive in early summer to mid-fall. Pincushions are known to bloom for three months or longer. You can plant them in containers, rock gardens, and along borders.
Spring-Blooming Yellow Perennials
Basket of Gold Perennial Flower
Basket of gold are bright yellow clusters of flowers. They bloom in mid-spring to early summer. They grow 8 to 12 inches tall. Basket of gold prefer full sun or light shade and thrive in average to poor soil with excellent drainage. USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Leopard’s Bane
Leopard’s Bane blooms in early spring to late spring. They prefer full sun to light shade. Leopard’s Bane grows 1 to 3 feet tall and spreads 2 feet. They have a hard time dealing with heat and humidity. They do better in cooler climates. A cooling mulch is an excellent idea for these plants. USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Yellow Dutch Hyacinth
Yellow Dutch hyacinth (Hyacinthus Orientalis), also called City of Haarlem, has beautiful tubular clusters of bright yellow, star-like flowers that envelope the stem. They bloom in early spring and will provide dazzling color for weeks. This hyacinth grows to 8 to 10 tall. It likes average to fertile well-drained soil but will suffer in soggy soil. It does best in full sun for at least 6 hours a day. The yellow Dutch hyacinth is hardy in zones 4 through 8 and will bloom for several years, but the flowers may decrease over time.
It is toxic to humans, cats, dogs, and horses.
Summer-Blooming Yellow Perennials
Chamomile
Chamomiles have delightful daisy-like flowers. They are easy-to-grow yellow perennials. Chamomiles bloom for 10 to 12 weeks. They prefer full sun to light shade and thrive in average well-drained soil. Chamomiles will bloom nonstop right into fall, but you have to deadhead the plant regularly for maximum blooms.
Fall-Blooming Yellow Perennials
Helenium
Helenium often called sneezeweed, blooms in yellow, copper, orange, red, or white. They like full sun and thrive in moist, even wet, poorly drained soil. Use lots of mulch for these plants since they love cool soil.
Helianthus (Sunflower)
The perennial Sunflower is not as well known as the annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Some species of perennial sunflowers grow to be 2 to 3 feet tall, other species can be taller. These late-summer bloomers prefer full sun and bloom for four weeks or more. They thrive in just about any soil type except dry soil unless you keep them well-watered.
Drought Resistant Yellow Perennials
Hardy Ice Plant
Hardy Ice Plant (Delosperma) has daisy-like flowers that bloom in incredibly bright colors like purple and yellow. They bloom 4 to 5 weeks and grow 2 to 6 inches tall. They prefer full sun and thrive in average well-drained soil. They won’t tolerate moist soil. Once established they need minimal watering.
Prickly Pear
Opuntia is also prickly pear blooms in early summer in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9. They like full sun and thrive in very well-drained soil. Prickly pear grows to 6 to 12 inches tall and spreads 1 to 2 feet.
Phlomis
Phlomis bloom in yellow, lavender, and pink. They thrive in full sun to light shade in well-drained, light sandy soil.
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.) are a popular flower found in perennial beds across the U.S. While they grow wild in many locations, cultivated varieties typically produce larger and showier blooms. Traditional rudbeckias have golden yellow petals with a dark brown center.
Rudbeckia likes well-draining, slightly acidic to neutral soil. Although it thrives in moist soil, it is quite drought-tolerant and performs well in hot, dry weather. It reaches heights of 2 to 3 feet and has a spread of 1 to 2 feet. Plant rudbeckia in full sun for a lively display of color from summer until frost. It is hardy in zones 3 through 9.
Water-Loving Yellow Perennials
Skunk Cabbage
Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton) blooms in white or yellow in early spring. They thrive in full sun in rich wet soil. Skunk cabbage has a distinct musky odor that is noticeable up close or on a hot windless spring day.
Torch Lily
Also called red hot pokers, torch lilies (Kniphofia) is striking in the flowerbed. They bloom on tall spikes in brilliant shades of yellow, orange, red, and green, with the brightest color (usually red or deep orange) adorning the tip and blending to lighter hues towards the bottom, giving it the impression of a bright flame or poker.
Plant torch lilies in full sun in neutral well-drained soil. Water them once a week to saturate the soil but avoid letting them sit in soggy soil as this can lead to root rot and kill your plants. They are hardy in zones 5 through 9.
