Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Native to Alabama and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms Jun through Sep and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Alabama · Zones 7–9
Native Plants for Alabama
Alabama gardens sit in the Southeast — a landscape of longleaf pine, oak-hickory woods, and warm humid bottomlands. The plants below evolved with that climate (hot, humid subtropical) and are hardy through zones 7–9, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Southeast
Ecoregion: Gulf Coastal Plain & Cumberland Plateau
Collections for Alabama
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Alabama. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
54 native species
For bees
50 native species
Butterflies
47 native species
Hummingbirds
15 native species
For birds
27 native species
Deer-resistant
40 native species
Full sun
49 native species
For shade
17 native species
Drought-tolerant
29 native species
Clay soil
46 native species
Rain garden
25 native species
Groundcovers
10 native species
Flowering shrubs
14 native species
Grasses
6 native species
Low-maintenance
31 native species
Evergreen
5 native species
Fall color
14 native species
Fragrant
9 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Alabama.
A cross-section of the 63 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
An Alabama native at 2–4 ft tall that blooms Jul through Sep, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
5–8 ft tall and it blooms Jul through Sep — an easy fit for Alabama, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
An Alabama native at 2–4 ft tall that flowers in Jul and Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
1.5–3 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Sep — an easy fit for Alabama, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
Native to Alabama and hardy in zones 3–9; it flowers in Jun and Jul and reaches 5–10 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
An Alabama native at 2–4 ft tall that flowers in May and Jun, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
Native to Alabama and hardy in zones 5–9; it blooms May through Jul and reaches 4–8 ft.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Native to Alabama and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Apr through Jun and reaches 1–2.5 ft.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
15–25 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Alabama, hardy in zones 5–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Sep through Nov — an easy fit for Alabama, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
An Alabama native at 2.5–4 ft tall that flowers in Jul and Aug, comfortable in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
2–4 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Alabama, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Native to Alabama and hardy in zones 5–9; it blooms Jun through Aug and reaches 5–10 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
3–5 ft tall and it flowers in Sep and Oct — an easy fit for Alabama, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
An Alabama native at 1.5–2.5 ft tall that blooms Jun through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Sourcing
Where to buy Alabama natives
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.