Flowering Ground Cover Perennials in Orange

Sun-Loving Herbaceous Perennials

• Herbaceous perennials die back to the ground when they enter their winter dormancy period. Orange herbaceous ground covers seem to reflect sunlight back at the viewer. One fall-blooming orange perennial is the mammoth “Dark Bronze” garden mum (Chrysanthemum morifolium “Dark Bronze”), which grows best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. This 14-inch-tall and 20-inch-wide plant produces orange-bronze petals surrounding yellow centers. “Tropical Lemonade” tickseed (Coreopsis “Tropical Lemonade”) produces orange-red daisy-like blossoms from summer through fall, attracting butterflies to the yard. In USDA zones 8 through 11, this perennial forms a compact mound reaching 8 inches tall and spreading 14 inches wide with bright green leaves.

Shade-Tolerant Herbaceous Perennials

• Many varieties of orange herbaceous ground covers prefer full sun exposure but will tolerate partial shade. One orange ground cover is the bishop’s hat (Epimedium x warleyense), which grows best in USDA zones 4 through 8, reaching 12 inches tall and wide. In full to part shade, coppery, orange-red blossoms appear in spring over light green, heart-shaped leaves. “Werner Arends” avens (Geum coccineum “Werner Arends”) produces 5- to 7-inch-tall leaves and 15- to 18-inch-tall orange semi-double blossoms. This ground cover blooms from spring through summer in USDA zones 4 through 9.

Full Sun Evergreen Perennials

• Some orange perennials produce leaves that offer coverage year-round. These evergreens keep the soil from drying out through quick evaporation in full sun locations. For example, the Sunny “Dark Florence” African daisy (Osteospermum ecklonis Sunny “Dark Florence”) grows best in USDA zones 9 through 11, sporting vibrant orange petals with red-purple streaks on the undersides. This evergreen reaches 8 to 12 inches tall and wide with blooms appearing from spring through fall. In mild winter areas, the flowers can bloom year-round. The Ravers Pumpkin Pie African daisy (Arctotis hybrid “Archley”) reaches 10 to 12 inches high in USDA zones 8 through 11, forming a compact plant covered in orange showy flowers from spring through summer.

Part Shade Evergreen Perennials

• Some shade-tolerant orange perennials give brilliant floral displays while producing evergreen leafy coverage. One perennial succulent with orange flowers is the kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana), which grows best in USDA zones 10 through 12. This orange star-shaped flowering succulent reaches 18 inches tall and wide, bearing dark green leaves with scalloped edges. The clusters of flowers appear for weeks during the summer. “Orange” stalked bulbine (Bulbine frutescens “Orange”) produces narrow green leaves creating mats 1 to 2 feet tall and spreading 3 to 4 feet wide in USDA zones 8 through 11. Orange blossoms on top of long flower stalks attract hummingbirds from spring until the end of summer.