Late-Emerging Perennials: Don't Panic, They're Just Sleeping

Late-Emerging Perennials: Don't Panic, They're Just Sleeping

As spring unfolds, gardeners eagerly scan beds for signs of life. But perennials, shrubs, and bulbs don't all wake at once—and it's easy to mistake a late riser for a loss. Patience is key: a plant that's tardy to the party is often just dormant, not dead.

Perennials & Shrubs That Wake Up Last

• Leadwort (Ceratostigma)
• Milkweed (Asclepias)
• False Indigo (Baptisia)
• Ferns
• Balloon Flower (Platycodon)
• Hibiscus, including Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

First-Year Delays

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria) and Clematis can be slow their first spring after planting. Lady's Slipper Orchids (Cypripedium), Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum), and False Solomon's Seal (Smilacina) may not appear above ground at all in their first year.

Weather-Related Sluggishness

After a very wet winter, Astilboides and Darmera can be painfully slow. Among bulbs, Daffodils and Lilies may lag in their first spring.

Late-Leafing Shrubs

Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) is among the last shrubs to leaf out. Wisteria and Trumpet Creeper (Campsis) are also slow. Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle,' Caryopteris, and Buddleia may die back to the ground—prune off dead wood, and they'll resprout from the remaining stubs.