These tropical semi-succulents are easy, drought-tolerant houseplants with attractive and vibrant foliage. They vary in appearance, though many have small, flat leaves, and thick stems. The plants are generally compact in size and slow-growing, which makes thempopular houseplants, also for hanging baskets. Credit: Chatty Losty/Getty Images Some leaves are rounded and shaped like hearts, while others have elongated, pointed leaves. The foliage is usually bright green, but it can also be striped, spotted, or marbled....

This romantic spring bloomer makes beautiful cut arrangements. Southern Living/Evgeniya Vlasova Key Takeaways Ranunculus is a favorite amongst flower lovers for good reason. Ranunculus can be grown from bulb-like corms to flower during cool spring weather. Credit:Southern Living/Evgeniya Vlasova For that reason, most gardeners grow ranunculus as seasonal spring flowers. Regardless of when or where you plant them, ranunculus will need to be protected when frost is expected. Ranunculus thrive in full sun and in organically enriched, well-drained soil....

Blooms fill the branches of the redbud to announce spring’s arrival. Inna Giliarova / Getty Images Redbuds include some of our most charmingnative trees. In the South, redbuds are typically planted in the fall along with most other trees and shrubs. Credit:Inna Giliarova / Getty Images They grow a foot or two a year, eventually reaching their full size of around 30 feet tall. In winter, the dark, leafless branches form an attractive silhouette, especially effective against a light-colored wall....

There might not be an easier flower for your pots or garden beds. Ruellia is hardy in Zones 8 to 10 (USDA). These plants resist damage by browsing deer. Credit:Southern Living/Adrienne Legault Plant ruellia in spring once the danger of frost has passed. Ruellia grows well in our humid Southern climate and likes regular moisture and well-drained soil. It forms large clumps with spreading roots, and its seed capsules scatter seed....

This herb has been prized for years for its culinary and ornamental potential. Sage offers you handsome evergreen foliage in the form of asmall mounding shrub. Plant sage after the last frost in a sunny spot with well-draining, sandy soil. Salvia farinaceaPollinators love this heat-tolerant plant with blue or white blooms.Echinacea’Hot Lava’Flaming orange-red petals lend jaunty pops of color.Credit: Robbie Caponetto It can grow quickly, maturing and spreading to 3 feet tall and wide....

The easy-to-grow Sasanqua camellia, commonly known as Yuletide camellia, combines stunning autumn flowers with handsome foliage. TheSasanqua camelliais one of the classic plants that define our region and its beauty can dominate autumn. Sasanquas display laxity, grace, and airiness unmatched bycommon camellias. Credit: Getty Images This structure leaves space between, and its stems are much more pliable. Plant Attributes Southern Living/Vlasova Evgeniya Camellia Sasanqua Care Sasanqua camelliais a cinch to grow....

These perennial, cold-hardy succulents are a delight in the garden. A number were reclassified in the genusHylotelephiumin the same plant family, but are still sold as sedum. They are tall and upright and produce clusters ofpollinator-friendly flowersin summer or fall. Credit:Southern Living/Adrienne Legault Others creep or trail along the ground and produce small flowers in spring or summer. The multi-textured foliage can be the main attraction, ranging from chartreuse to silvery blue to garnet or burgundy....

Daisies are a girl’s best friend. There’s nothing pretentious about daisies. You’ve loved these cheerful, common flowers since you learned to draw them in kindergarten. He named it after the snow-capped Mt. Shasta mountain near his home. Daisies can grow quite tall once established and are generally best planted in the back of the border. Shasta daisies like to self-sow, so deadheading flowers can help prevent spreading and becoming invasive....

If you give it ideal conditions, this easygoing houseplant will reward you by blooming. Getty Images Key Takeaways One of theeasiest houseplantsis the snake plant, also called mother-in-law’s tongue. Snake plants belong to theDracaenagenus, withD. Credit:Getty Images trifasciatabeing the most commonly cultivated houseplant species. The defining feature of this plant is erect, spiky, sword-like leaves that resemble snakes. It is a slow-growing plant. Most snake plants have dark green leaves with lighter green or yellow borders or accented veins....

These cool-season annuals also make excellent cut flowers. aimintang / Getty Images Snapdragons (Antirrhinummajus) arecool-season annualflowering plants known as hardy annuals. They prefercool temperatures to flower, such as early spring or mild winter. Credit:aimintang / Getty Images Snapdragons get their name because the flowers' florets resemble a dragon’s snout. Children enjoy squeezing the florets to separate the top from the bottom, like opening the dragon’s jaw. Easy to grow from seed, snapdragons proliferate extensively....

Enchanting spider lily flowers seem to appear out of the blue, adding color to late-summer gardens. Spider lilies move around with us in the South. True pass-along plants, these hardy bulbs thrive in old gardens, yards, and cemeteries. The long, delicate stems of spider lilies make them ideal for cut-flower arrangements.Credit: Ralph Lee Anderson Their show starts a few days after a good rain shower in mid-summer through September. From bare ground, stalks burst through and unfurl their fragrant,vibrant red showwith curvy petals and stamens....

Theres hardly a family dinner or holiday meal in the South without squash on the table. Fromold-school squash casseroleto roastedbutternut squash, theres a squash recipe for every season. it’s possible for you to grow both summer andwinter squashin your garden. Credit:Getty Images /Cavan Images You usually can grow more than one crop of summer squash per season in your garden. It takes up a lot more space in the garden, reaching up to 25 feet in length....

Create your own berry patch in a compact container. If you’re not ready to commit to a full-blown berry patch, strawberries alsogrow well in containers. In the spring, set the plants in regular pots, hanging baskets, or window boxes. Credit:Getty Images Some gardeners prefer using terra-cotta strawberry pots. You don’t need a backyard to harvest your own strawberries. It takes 60 to 90 days for them to grow from seed to berry....