White flowers are ethereal, delicate, and peaceful. Light flowers like bright stars against a sea of green foliage, glow in the moonlight, lighten up shady areas in the garden, and are a natural complement to any garden plant palette. Did you know those elegant white flowers could have a noble purpose as well? Choosing native plants with white flowers means that you can nourish pollinators and support local wildlife while adding beauty and interest to your yard or garden all year round. White flowering plants come in all shapes and sizes, from small woodland species to larger wildflowers, and are a sustainable choice for native gardeners in every US state.
But how can white native flowers do more than just look pretty in your yard? Keep reading to find out how white flowers can do more than just look stunning in your garden, and how to make the most of these beautiful white bloom plants in your landscape design.
White Flowers and Pollinators: Making Your Garden Glow
Native plant species are those that have evolved in a specific area over thousands of years. As such, native plants usually have natural relationships with the other wildlife that live in an area, including pollinators. Moths, bees, and butterflies are all attracted to light-colored flowers in shades of white, yellow, and cream, and white-petaled flowers that can glow at night are especially attractive to nocturnal pollinators. White flowering plants are great for “moon gardens” and will support a wide variety of hawk moths, owlet moths, and native bees in your garden.
White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) is a native plant with white flowers that is excellent for attracting pollinators. Turtleheads are native wildflowers and wetland plants that bloom in late summer, making them an excellent source of late-season nectar for native bees and other pollinators. Turtlehead is also a host plant for the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly, and its tubular white blooms are a favorite of native bumblebees with long tongues.
Wild Quinine (Parthenium integrifolium) is another pollinator favorite, with crisp white, ferny flowers that resemble Queen Anne’s lace but are hardier and better for native bees. Native white bloom plants are a beautiful addition to your garden, so whichever species you choose, it is always a great idea to add some structural elements like ornamental grasses and colorful perennials nearby to create depth and beautiful focal points.
Striking White: Native Plants that Anchor a Garden Design
White is also an excellent contrast color or visual anchor in a native garden, especially when it breaks up a palette of similar colors. As a neutral color that makes surrounding colors appear brighter by comparison, white perennial flowers can also draw the eye when you use them as accents among other native plants and grasses.
Goat’s Beard (Aruncus dioicus) is a feathery, native woodland plant with airy white flowers that add graceful structure and textural interest to part-shade gardens. Goat’s Beard blooms in early to mid-summer and does well in moist soils and other garden conditions. The creamy white flowers will glow in woodland edges and other shady spots in your native garden.
Another graceful white native plant for wilder woodland gardens is White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum). A perennial native to eastern North America, this indicator species is a sign of healthy woodland ecosystems. This species can take a long time to reach blooming age if you start from seed, but these three-petaled white flowers are well worth the wait, and a reliable early spring favorite once they are established.
White woodland natives like Goat’s Beard and White Trillium are a beautiful and easy way to add seasonality and height to a naturalized or shady area in your yard.
Wildlife-Friendly White: The Bigger Ecosystem Picture
Native plants are an important ecosystem anchor, often with benefits that go beyond beauty and form. For instance, Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) produces large flat-topped clusters of small white flowers in the early summer, as well as delicious dark berries that birds and small mammals adore. Elderberry also has cover and erosion control properties and is great if you are looking for a shrub to plant on slopes or along stream banks.
Many white flowers for garden use, like Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), are available in white or very pale pastels and are more than just a pretty face. Yarrow has long-lasting blooms, attracts pollinators, and is extremely deer-resistant. This hardy white perennial flower is also useful in natural landscaping for dry slopes, cottage gardens, and meadow plantings.
Native species are also an important part of the delicate ecosystem balance, unlike many exotic ornamentals. According to the U.S. Forest Service, preserving native plant species also helps to support the wider biodiversity and long-term health of native ecosystems.
Best White Native Flowers for Your Garden
If you want to start using white-flowering native plants in your garden, you have many options at TN Nursery to choose from. Here are two to try now:
1. White Trillium
This shade-loving spring bloomer is a perennial favorite for native plant enthusiasts and woodland gardeners. White Trillium is native to shady woodland habitats and does well beneath deciduous trees or in a naturalistic border. The large, snow-white flowers sit atop long elegant green stems and are a sure sign of a healthy native understory.
2. Yarrow Plant (White)
Looking for a hardy native perennial that will give you a long-lasting bloom season? Yarrow is a wonderful option for many locations, from cottage gardens to dry slopes, meadow plantings, and herbal or natural landscaping projects. Yarrow white flowers also attract pollinators and are extremely resistant to deer browsing.
Designing a White Natives Border
If you are planning to design a white native flowers border, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Choose plants with height and structure for a backbone. Tall native plants like Goat’s Beard are an excellent choice for the base of your white natives border.
- Fill in layers with mid-height and low-growing natives. Layer in Wild Quinine or Turtlehead and then fill in with low-growing and early bloomers like Yarrow or Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria).
- Highlight night-scented species to make a moon garden. Moon gardens are a charming use of white flowers and native plants that open at dusk. Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) is a great pollinator-supporting plant that blooms late in the evening and throughout the night.
- White-flowering native shrubs? Don’t forget them! Shrubs like Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) have lovely cascading blooms that are also fragrant and light up rain gardens beautifully.
Native White Flower Care Tips
Native plants are usually easier to preserve and more resilient than non-native species, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore their needs altogether. Here are a few white bloom plant care tips to keep in mind:
- Pay attention to soil types. Many natives have specific soil preferences.
- Mulch with natural materials to retain moisture and mimic natural forest duff.
- Use fertilizer sparingly. Overfeeding can cause leggy, weak growth and fewer blooms.
- Give them time. Some native plants may take several seasons to become established before they reach full bloom.
White Natives Wrap Up
White-flowering native plants have many important uses beyond adding beauty and elegance to your garden. Restoring and supporting the native ecosystem and local wildlife food web is an important long-term goal for any eco-conscious gardener. Whether you want to create a moonlit bed, a white-themed native border, or a wildflower pollinator patch, including white flowers for garden use is one of the best ways to support a biodiverse, balanced natural environment.
Native plants by TN Nursery are a healthy, wildlife-friendly, water-conserving option for any gardener or landscaper looking for new varieties. Check out our full native plant collection to find more white native flowers to try in your yard.
FAQ
What are the best white flowers for gardens?
Some of the best white flowers for gardens are White Trillium, Goat's Beard, Yarrow, and White Turtlehead.
How do white flowering plants perform in shade?
Many white flowering plants, like White Trillium and Goat's Beard, do well in full or partial shade.
Can white perennial flowers thrive in my region?
Yes, Yarrow and Trillium are two examples of white perennial flowers that can grow in most parts of the U.S. as long as they have the right soil and light.
Are shade tolerant white flowers low maintenance?
Yes. Once established, many native white bloom plants that like shade need very little care.
How can I combine white bloom plants with colorful plants in the garden?
To add color and texture to your landscape, plant white bloom plants next to colorful perennials or ornamental grasses.
