Fragrant Plants
Gardening for Fragrance – Here you will find wonderful plants that will perfume your garden.
Pick fragrant flowers in the early morning or late afternoon – the volatile oils that carry the scent are evaporated by the sun. For the most intense experience of a flower’s fragrance, lean close and breathe lightly into it before inhaling. The heat and rush of air releases the fragrant oils. Fragrances seem to lose their scent after a few moments, but the flower hasn’t run out of perfume – rather, your olfactory system is saturated and you are numbed by the smell.
Don’t use chemical sprays on fragrant flowers in bloom – it can affect the scent.
FILTER THE ITEMS ON THIS PAGE BY:
Plant Type
Genus
Common Name
Light Requirements
Bloom Color
Bloom Time
Height
Uses
Resistances
Type
Genus
Common Name
Light Requirement
Flower Color
Bloom Time
Height
Uses
Resistance
Buddleia – Little Rockstars Red Butterfly Bush
At 1' tall, it is the shortest Butterfly Bush we know of.
Buddleia – Prince Charming Butterfly Bush
A flower color rarely seen.
Echinacea purpurea – Purple Coneflower
Gorgeous Missouri native perennial for natural and formal settings.
Lilium – Friso Tree Lily
Jumbo 8" intensely fragrant blossoms on tall 4-6' stems.
Lonicera sempervirens – Coral Honeysuckle
Easy to grow Missouri native vine.
Monarda bradburiana – Bee Balm
Important Missouri native pollinator plant.
Monarda fistulosa – Wild Bergamot
An important Missouri and Illinois native pollinator food source.
Nepeta – Cat’s Pajamas Catmint
A purr-fect perennial it brings loads of dark indigo blue flowers.
Nepeta – Nova Catmint
Lavender purple blossoms all season on low 4" tall sun perennial.
Oenothera macrocarpa – Missouri Evening Primrose
Top Missouri native perennial highly recommended.
Phlox paniculata – Gzhel Garden Phlox
Fascinating lavender-blue and white striped blossoms, hardy.
Phlox paniculata – Jeana Garden Phlox
Best performer in top field trial, top award winner.
Phlox paniculata – Peppermint Twist Garden Phlox
Super fun two-colored blossoms on hardy sun perennial.
Phlox paniculata – Sherbet Blend Garden Phlox
Unique colors on a flamboyant plant, hardy perennial.
Phlox paniculata – Stars and Stripes Garden Phlox
Unique colors on a flamboyant plant, hardy perennial.
Pycnanthemum muticum – Blunt Mountain Mint
Top choice to attract butterflies and more, multiple award winner. Missouri Botanical Garden Plant of Merit, Perennial Plant Association 2025 Perennial of the Year.
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium – Slender Mountain Mint
2020 Native of the Year.
Salvia – Blue By You Meadow Sage
2024 Perennial Of The Year, a vast improvement over old varieties.
Salvia – Color Spires Crystal Blue Sage
Crystal blue flowers unlike any other.
Salvia – Rose Marvel Meadow Sage
Largest flowers in its class, perennial.
Verbena canadensis – Rose Verbena
2023 Native of the Year. Profuse blooming Missouri native perennial.
Actea racemosa – Cimicifuga racemosa – Fairy Candles
Our most enchanting Missouri and Illinois native plant.
Agastache – Morello Hummingbird Mint
Dense bright raspberry pink flowers bloom spring through fall on this annual or short-lived perennial.
Agastache – Pink Pearl Hummingbird Mint
Vigorous hummingbird-loving sun perennial.
Agastache – Rosie Posie Hummingbird Mint
Hummingbirds find it irresistible.
Agastache – Royal Raspberry Hummingbird Mint
Vigorous hummingbird-loving sun perennial.
Agastache Sunrise Rose Hummingbird Mint
Extremely long blooming selection.
Amelanchier arborea Downy Serviceberry
Colorful year round with flowers, berries, foliage and bark.
Amelanchier laevis, Allegheny Serviceberry
Native plant with showy multi-seasonal interest.
Apios americana – Groundnut Vine
Missouri native vine for shade.
Asclepias sullivantii – Prairie Milkweed
Important food source for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.
Asclepias verticillata – Whorled Milkweed
Important food source for Monarch butterflies.
Bignonia capreolata – Cross Vine
2" trumpet shaped blossoms, Missouri and Illinois native vine.
Buddleia – Black Knight Butterfly Bush
12" florets loaded with countless shades of pink petals.
Buddleia – Chrysalis Cranberry Butterfly Bush
Vibrant flowers on a petite plant.
Buddleia – Pink Cascade II Butterfly Bush
12" florets loaded with countless shades of pink petals.
Buddleia – Pugster Blue Butterfly Bush
Multiple award winner. Plump full-sized flowers on dwarf shrubs.
Buddleia – Pugster Periwinkle Butterfly Bush
Showy pinky-purple flowers on dwarf shrubs.
Buddleia – Pugster Pinker Butterfly Bush
Large pink flowers on dwarf shrubs.
Buddleia – Pugster White Butterfly Bush
Large white flowers on dwarf shrubs.
Buddleia – Ruby Chip Butterfly Bush
Ruby pink flowers on petite sized shrubs. Adored by butterflies.
Buddleia – Violet Cascade Butterfly Bush
Ginormous weeping flowers.
Calamintha – Calamint
2021 Perennial Plant Association Perennial Plant Of the Year. Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Of Merit. Sun-loving perennial.
Calycanthus – Aphrodite Carolina Allspice
Beautiful fragrant flowers.
Calycanthus floridus – Carolina Allspice
Award winning Missouri native shrub with highly scented flowers.
Calycanthus Simply Scentsational – Carolina Allspice
Highly fragrant flowers with fruity fragrance.
Caryopteris – Beyond Midnight Bluebeard
Popular variety.
Caryopteris – Dark Knight Bluebeard
Showy blue flowers are pollinator magnets.
Caryopteris – Grand Bleu Bluebeard
Showy blue flowers are pollinator magnets.