The Best New Plants for 2025
It takes a long time for garden magazine editors to get excited about a new plant. Perhaps that’s because we see so many offerings crash and burn within the first year of hitting garden center shelves, never to be seen or heard from again. That’s why we take the business of reviewing new plants for this annual feature so seriously. In many cases, we’ve been able to test these introductions in our own beds and borders for at least a year (or often longer). If the plant does well, we’ve included it in the pages that follow. For other plants that we couldn’t test ourselves, we’ve gone to great lengths to interview as many people involved in the breeding of perennials, shrubs, or annuals as possible to delve deeper into what makes them great (thus making our “best” list) or not (the entries you won’t see here). Typically, new varieties can be hard to find right away, so like many of you, we often wait a year or two before actively seeking them out. However, with these particular highlights, we couldn’t wait to share – after reading about them, you might just feel like the search was worth the effort.
1. ‘Stars and Stripes’ Bulrush
What’s not to love about ‘Stars and Stripes’? This eye-catching bulrush features green-and-white/pale-yellow-striped blades that provide a vertical accent in water gardens, ponds and wetland areas. Its bold leaves add texture and architectural interest, while its low-maintenance nature ensures easy beauty.
2. 'Summer's End' Ironweed
'Summer's End' Ironweed is a late-blooming perennial known for its deep purple flowers that attract butterflies and pollinators in early fall. It has an upright, vase-like habit, with soft green leaves providing a striking contrast to its vibrant blooms. This hardy native thrives in full sun and moist, well-drained soil, making it a great choice for lawn gardens and natural landscapes. Once established, it is drought-tolerant.
3. 'Emperor's New Clothes' Hosta
A regal addition to shady gardens, 'Emperor's New Clothes' features wavy, creamy-white leaves with thin green edges that create a glowing effect in low light. It is a play on 'Empress Woo', but much more compact than the former. The pale white-lavender flowers appear on tall leaves in summer, providing extra elegance. We’ve never seen a hosta like this before, and that’s really saying something.
4. ‘Darklight’ Baptisia
If you’re looking to make a bold statement, try this hard-edged option. ‘Darklight’ Baptisia is a striking perennial with deep, almost black flower stalks adorned with bright white flowers. Tall, long-lasting candles of bloom rise above a lush mound of blue-green leaves from late spring to early summer. ‘Darklight’ attracts bees and butterflies, while the plant’s bushy habit is very sturdy (don’t miss it!). Highly drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, ‘Darklight’ is perfect for sunny borders.
5. Sombrero Mandarin Mambo Coneflower
Give your garden a feast of color with Sombrero® Mandarin Mambo. This vibrant coneflower features rich orange petals surrounding a copper-brown central cone, creating a striking display from mid-summer through fall. Its compact, sturdy habit makes it a great choice for borders, containers, or pollinator gardens. Sombrero® Mandarin Mambo thrives in sunny locations and attracts lots of bees and butterflies, and it is also very drought-tolerant and low-maintenance.
6. 'Wild Blue Yonder' Bluestar
This may be the beefiest bluestar we've ever seen! 'Wild Blue Yonder' brings a simple charm to gardens with its delicate star-shaped periwinkle-blue flowers that bloom in late spring. Its finely textured, feathery green leaves add interest throughout the growing season, turning vibrant shades of gold in fall. This low-maintenance perennial is deer-resistant, tolerant of a variety of soil types, and It is a perennial, and is perfect for pollinator gardens or natural plantings.
7. 'Lavender Clostics', a shining star
This stunning new native features spikes of tall, slender lavender-pink flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. The stems seem to emerge from the leaves that cluster at every conceivable angle - talk about whimsical! The feathery, upright leaves provide an elegant contrast to the vibrant flowers. This plant is certainly a striking vertical element. It is drought tolerant and deer resistant.
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