7 perennials with XXL flowers
Create a spectacular flower border!
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Certain perennial plants, such as peonies or daylilies, stand out for their large flowers. They will let you easily create a striking flower bed! They can fit into different garden styles: more exotic with the Echium pininana and Hemerocalle ‘Ruby Spider’ (to pair with perennial plants with lush foliage: Gunnera, ferns, Fatsia…), or more delicate and romantic, with poppy ‘Royal Wedding’ and peony ‘Henry Bockstoce’!
These XXL-flowering perennial plants will easily find a place among giant perennial plants with lush vegetation, but you can also, conversely, create contrasts of form by lightening their flowering with small flowers: Gaura, Persicaria, Sanguisorba, etc.
Discover in this article our selection of the best giant-flowering perennial plants and our tips to grow them!
Romneya coulteri
Flowers of Romneya coulteri resemble large white poppy flowers — hence its common name Tree Poppy. They measure 15–20 cm in diameter and are pleasantly scented. They consist of six very light white petals with a crinkled appearance, surrounding a centre of golden-yellow stamens. Romneya is a giant perennial, which can reach up to 1.5 m in height! It is somewhat tricky to to grow, and does particularly well in southern half of France, notably in Mediterranean areas. In the garden it needs a warm, sunny position, and thrives in free-draining, rather dry, poor and stony soil. It is hardy down to −10 °C and dislikes excess moisture.
Large white flowers with yellow stamens of Romneya coulteri (photo Manuel M. V.)
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12 giant and imposing perennial plantsHerbaceous peony 'Henry Bockstoce'
Paeonia lactiflora ‘Henry Bockstoce’ produces large semi-double, bright-red flowers in May–June, measuring 16 to 20 cm in diameter. It’s one of the most beautiful red-flowering peonies! Its striking colour is much admired. Flowers are borne on sturdy stems that support their weight without staking. Discover also peony ‘Sea Shell’, which produces large single flowers formed of soft-pink petals, wide open and revealing yellow stamens at the centre. Plant these peonies in full sun or partial shade in good garden soil that stays fairly cool.
Large red flowers of Paeonia lactiflora ‘Henry Bockstoce’
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Oriental poppy 'Royal Wedding'
Oriental Poppy ‘Royal Wedding’ is truly impressive with flowers 20 cm in diameter. Usually flowers in June–July and produces pure white flowers, punctate at centre by large black macules, with delicate dark red shades that add intensity to the flowering. A delicate, romantic flowering, yet deep and intense. Plant in sun, preferably in good garden soil, rich, fresh and light.
White flowers, maculate with black, of Oriental Poppy ‘Royal Wedding’ (photo Elke Mader)
Daylily 'Ruby Spider'
Hemerocallis ‘Ruby Spider’ is a variety with striking flowering, producing large summer flowers dark red on the outside and bright yellow at the centre. An impressive contrast that draws the eye to the centre of the flower! Flowers consist of six petals and have six long, incurved stamens at the centre, very decorative. This Hemerocallis has an exotic style and pairs nicely with crocosmias, cannas, kniphofias… Moreover, like all Hemerocallis, its flowers are edible!
Striking bright red and yellow flowering of Hemerocallis ‘Ruby Spider’ (photo Jim, the Photographer)
Echinacea 'Double Decker'
Echinacea ‘Double Decker’ offers large flowers in summer, 15 cm in diameter, composed of pink petals; its originality lies in a second row of petals sitting above the cone of the main flower. Flowers thus appear topped by a doubled crown, rather rare for Echinacea. Moreover, it is an easy, hardy plant, adaptable to harsh conditions, tolerating short periods of drought, cold, wind, etc. It mainly needs well-drained soil and a sunny position.
Echinacea ‘Double Decker’ offers original flowers, topped by a second row of petals
Hibiscus moscheutos
Marsh hibiscus produces very large flowers made up of five petals, which come in shades of pink, even red, depending on variety. They are nicely rounded, regular in shape, and reach up to 25 cm in diameter. We particularly recommend variety ‘Pink Passion’, which offers beautiful bright pink flowers. Its deeply cut, dark purple foliage is also much admired. It is a large perennial whose aerial parts die back in winter, then it resprouts from the stump in spring. As its name suggests, marsh hibiscus needs soil that stays moist from spring to autumn. In winter, better that soil remains cool without being waterlogged. Discover also superb Hibiscus coccineus, with similar growing conditions, offering large bright red flowers!
Large rounded, very regular flowers of Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Red’
Canary viper's bugloss
Canary viper’s-bugloss, or Echium pininana, is also a gigantic and impressive plant, which reaches up to 3 metres tall when in flower. Its very exotic appearance is much admired! In summer it produces large, very long conical flower spikes made up of purple flowers, from which very thin green leaves emerge. It is a plant that needs warmth. It is not very hardy, and cultivation should be limited to regions where risk of frost is very low (Mediterranean rim, Atlantic coast…). Sit it in full sun, in well-drained, rather dry soil.
Huge inflorescences of Canary viper’s-bugloss (photos Leonora Enking / Linda De Volder)
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