Low-maintenance plants are resilient plants that thrive even with very little care or attention and are perfect for homeowners with limited time or experience. Black-eyed Susans, trumpet honeysuckle, and Indiangrass are only some of the most low-maintenance plants for Kentucky landscapes.
Kentucky is home to bluegrass music and fried chicken, but it’s also home to a variety of native plants that will bring curb appeal to your landscape without much input from you. We’ll help you discover which of these low-maintenance plants are right for your lawn.
9 low-maintenance plants in Kentucky
The list below is only a fraction of the low-maintenance plants you can find in the Bluegrass State. For even more low-maintenance plants for Kentucky, visit this list of the best Kentucky native plants for home landscapes.
1. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Colorful and showy with attractive blooms, black-eyed Susans are a Kentucky local that are a favorite among birds and butterflies, as well as other pollinators and beneficial insects.
Black-eyed Susans are considered low-maintenance for a variety of reasons:
- Tolerate a wide range of growing conditions
- Don’t require a lot of fertilizer
- Only need to be deeply watered once a week in good weather
- Self-seed
- Deer-resistant
- Drought-tolerant
Black-eyed Susans can be cultivated by seeds or rhizomes and can aggressively take over if they are not given any competition. They will need to be dead-headed and pruned to produce and promote future blooms.
- Plant type: Biennial or short-lived perennial wildflower
- Appearance: Striking daisy-like yellow or golden ray flowers with hairy stems and leaves
- Bloom duration: June-September
- Mature height: 2 to 3 feet
- Sunlight needs: Full
- Soil preferences: Thrives in dry to moist, well-drained soils rich in organic matter
- USDA hardiness zone: 3 to 7
2. Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)
Despite how the name would have you believe, blue-eyed grass is actually a member of the iris family. It is a ground cover that grows dense clumps of small, delicate, star-shaped flowers in meadows across Kentucky.
There are a few traits that make it low-maintenance:
- Resistant to insects and diseases
- Self-seeding
- Does not require regular mowing, pruning, or trimming
- Does not need to be weeded often
- Tolerates a wide range of temperatures
- Thrives in various soils
Blue-eyed grass will suffer and decline if it is allowed to dry out, but should also be protected from the wetness of winter. It benefits from being divided every 2-3 years, and heavy mulch causes it to develop crown rot.
- Plant type: Perennial flower
- Appearance: Delicate, bright blue-violet flowers with a yellow eye. Stiff, upright, sword-shaped leaves form a fan shape.
- Bloom duration: March-June
- Mature height: 1 to 2 feet
- Sunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil preferences: Thrives in moist, occasionally dry soils with good drainage
- USDA hardiness zone: 4 to 9
3. Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
With its showy yellow-orange flowers, butterfly milkweed is a great source of nectar for butterflies and other pollinators. It is a great choice for pollinator gardens and walkways. You can expect it to be crawling with caterpillars in the spring and summer.
Butterfly milkweed is classified as low-maintenance for the following reasons:
- Deer-resistant
- Generally pest and disease-free
- Drought-tolerant
- Grows in a variety of different soils
- Requires little to no fertilizer
- Requires minimal watering
Butterfly milkweed does not produce a milky sap, making it unusual compared to other types of milkweed. Even though it’s a source of nourishment to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, take care! It’s a poisonous plant for dogs, cats, and horses.
- Plant type: Herbaceous perennial shrub
- Appearance: Clusters of bright orange to yellow-orange flowers with five petals. Hairy stems.
- Bloom duration: June-August
- Mature height: 1 to 2 feet
- Sunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil preferences: Thrives in moist, occasionally dry soils with good drainage as well as clay, sand, loamy, and shallow rocky soil.
- USDA hardiness zone: 3 to 9
4. Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
With spikes of scarlet blooms, the cardinal flower is a native Kentucky plant that is attractive to people and beneficial insects alike. It’s the perfect addition to any butterfly or native garden.
Cardinal flowers boast many low-maintenance traits, including:
- Deer and rabbit-resistant
- Pest and disease-free
- Self-seeding
- Cold and heat-tolerant
- Grows in a variety of different soils
Cardinal flowers are toxic to people and pets if consumed in large quantities. To encourage blooming, they must be dead-headed.
- Plant type: Herbaceous perennial wildflower
- Appearance: Spikes of large tubular red flowers. Finely toothed, lance-shaped dark green leaves.
- Bloom duration: July-September
- Mature height: 2 to 4 feet
- Sunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil preferences: Thrives in moist to wet, humus-rich soil as well as limestone-based, sandy, loamy, or clay soils.
- USDA hardiness zone: 3 to 9
5. Eastern purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
With large purple flowers that bloom throughout the summer, the purple coneflower is a popular perennial found in open woods and prairies, but it is also a perfect addition to your Kentucky landscape.
Purple coneflowers are considered low-maintenance for a few reasons, including:
- Drought-tolerant
- Self-seeding
- Thrives in a variety of soil conditions
- No serious pest or disease issues
- Deer-resistant
- Low water requirement
The purple coneflower genus name comes from the Greek echinos, which means “hedgehog,” in reference to their spiny, brown centers. Due to their nectar, these flowers are attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, but the seeds are also a favorite among songbirds.
- Plant type: Herbaceous perennial wildflower
- Appearance: Drooping purple ray-shaped petals around a spiny cone. Long stems with coarse, lance-shaped, dark green leaves.
- Bloom duration: June to August
- Mature height: 3 to 4 feet
- Sunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil preferences: Thrives in moist, occasionally dry soils with good drainage. Can grow in clay, loamy, sandy, and shallow rocky soils.
- USDA hardiness zone: 3 to 8
6. White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)
White snakeroot is a Kentucky native that is attractive to pollinators. It is a nonaromatic herbaceous perennial that can be found in rocky areas. It is a great choice for an accent plant for borders, cottage gardens, butterfly gardens, and shade gardens.
It’s classified as low-maintenance for several reasons:
- Shade-tolerant
- Drought-tolerant
- Can grow in various soil types, including nutrient-poor soil
- Doesn’t require fertilization
- Self-propagating
Be aware that white snakeroot is a highly toxic plant that can cause trembling in cattle and milk sickness in humans.
- Plant type: Herbaceous perennial wildflower
- Appearance: Fluffy small bright white flowers. Smooth stems with lance-shaped leaves and long nettle-like stalks.
- Bloom duration: July-October
- Mature height: 1 to 3 feet
- Sunlight needs: Full sun
- Soil preferences: Thrives in moist, occasionally dry soils. Does well in rocky, clay, or loamy soil.
- USDA hardiness zone: 3 to 9
7. Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Wild columbine has many nicknames, including “Turks cap” and “Jack-in-Trousers.” This perennial with striking red and yellow spurred flowers is perfect for planting along borders or in pollinator or butterfly gardens since it attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. They’re also well-suited for containers and small gardens.
It has several features that classify it as low-maintenance:
- Easy to grow
- Drought tolerant once established
- Self-seeding
- Disease and pest-resistant
- Shade tolerant
- Needs very little fertilizer
Coming into contact with the sap from a wild columbine can cause irritation to the skin. The faded flowers should be removed to promote additional blooms, and the plant should be cut to the ground when the foliage declines.
- Plant type: Herbaceous perennial wildflower
- Appearance: Drooping, spurred, bell-shaped red and yellow flowers. Fern-like foliage and bright green leaves.
- Bloom duration: April-June
- Mature height: 1 to 3 feet
- Sunlight needs: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil preferences: Thrives in moist soils with good drainage. Does well in clay, loamy, or sandy soil.
- USDA hardiness zone: 3 to 8
8. Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
This high-climbing, twining vine is perfect for trellises, arbors, and fences and can even be used as a groundcover. Its long tubular red flowers are full of sweet, tasty nectar that attracts hummingbirds and pollinators, making it perfect for pollinator gardens. Honeysuckle can even be used for erosion control if it’s allowed to grow low on the ground.
It’s considered low-maintenance for the following reasons:
- Drought-tolerant
- Cold-tolerant
- Adapts to various soils
- Deer-resistant
- Fairly pest and disease-free (with some exceptions)
The trumpet honeysuckle is vulnerable to aphids, powdery mildew, and leaf spots in hot, humid climates. It is also highly flammable and should not be planted close to your home.
- Plant type: Perennial vine
- Appearance: Large, narrow, trumpet-shaped flowers that range from scarlet to orange. Smooth dark blue-green leaves.
- Bloom duration: March-June
- Mature height: 10 to 20 feet
- Sunlight needs: Full sun
- Soil preferences: It prefers moist soils with good drainage but tolerates dry soil. It does well in clay or loamy soil.
- USDA hardiness zone: 4 to 9
9. Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Indiangrass is a warm-season bunchgrass used as an ornamental due to its impressive height. It has broad blue-green stalks with soft, plume-like seed heads that take on a metallic, golden sheen. Indiangrass grows low for most of the year before growing tall and blooming with yellow flowers in early autumn.
It’s considered low-maintenance for the following reasons:
- Drought-tolerant
- Pest and disease-resistant
- Thrives in a wide range of soil types
- Tolerates many poor conditions
- Self-seeding
Indiangrass is great for erosion control, but it is a flammable plant and should not be planted near your home.
- Plant type: Perennial grass
- Appearance: Clumps of slender, blue-green stalks that turn yellow in the fall. Feathery tufted blooms.
- Bloom duration: August-October
- Mature height: 4 to 7 feet
- Sunlight needs: Full sun
- Soil preferences: It prefers moist, occasionally dry soils, but it does well in clay or shallow rocky soil.
- USDA hardiness zone: 4 to 9
FAQ about low-maintenance Kentucky plants
What is the best low-maintenance grass for my Kentucky lawn?
Tall fescue is a cool-season grass that thrives throughout Kentucky. It’s the most widely adapted grass seed for Kentucky lawns, and several different turf cultivars have been developed, so you have plenty of variety to choose from.
What are the most common weeds in Kentucky?
There are a whole bunch of weeds that you can expect to find in the Bluegrass State, but here are a few of the most common weeds in Kentucky:
- Large crabgrass
- Nutsedge
- Clover
- Violets
- Creeping Charlie
When should I start planting a landscape in Kentucky?
The best time to start planting your Kentucky landscape is in the spring after the last of the frost has gone. This tends to be around April but can vary depending on where you are in the state and your Kentucky planting zone. In Lexington, the growing season starts on April 15 and ends on October 25.
Hire a pro
If you need advice choosing the best low-maintenance plants for your Kentucky landscape, let Lawn Love connect you with lawn care professionals in your area for all of your lawn care needs. Efficient and affordable service is right at your fingertips.
Main Image Credit: yewchan | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
