25 Plants That Start With A

1. Adriatic Bellflower

Scientific Name: Campanula garganica

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 7

Adriatic bellflower is a beautiful, spreading shrub that grows close to the ground. Its periwinkle, star-shaped flowers add the perfect dose of color to a landscape border or cottage garden.

2. Aeonium

Scientific Name: Aeonium spp.

Type: Succulent

Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11

Aeoniums are a genus of succulents containing around 35 individual species. While these plants vary in size and color, they all boast leaves in a distinct rosette pattern.

3. African Violet

Scientific Name: Saintpaulia ionantha

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 11 to 12

Despite its fickle nature, you can find the African violet in countless houseplant collections. It brings some much-needed color to many indoor spaces.

4. Agastache

Scientific Name: Agastache spp.

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 10

Agastache is a genus of pollinator-friendly, flowering plants that contains over 20 different species. Some of the most well-known varieties include anise hyssop (A. foeniculum) and hummingbird mint (A. cana).

5. Agave

Scientific Name: Agave spp.

Type: Succulent

Hardiness Zone: 5 to 11

Plants within the Agave genus are some of the most recognizable members of the succulent world. Agave are commonly grown in landscapes, as houseplants, and farmed commercially for tequila production.

6. Air Plant

Scientific Name: Tillandsia spp.

Type: Epiphyte

Hardiness Zone: 9 to 13

Air plants are fascinating little beings that do not require soil to grow. In the wild, they attach themselves to tree branches or trunks and absorb moisture directly from the air!

7. Allium

Scientific Name: Allium schubertii

Type: Perennial bulb

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 10

While Allium is the name of the entire onion family, it’s also used colloquially when referring to ornamental onions. Ornamental onions are grown for their pollinator-attracting flowers rather than for the bulbs below the soil’s surface.

8. Alocasia

Scientific Name: Alocasia spp.

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 10 to 11

Some of the most popular houseplants in existence belong to the Alocasia genus! The stunning foliage of Alocasia often goes by names like elephant ear or African mask plant.

9. Aloe Vera

Scientific Name: Aloe barbadensis miller

Type: Succulent

Hardiness Zone: 10 to 12

Aloe vera is simultaneously coveted as an easy-to-grow houseplant and for its burn-relieving gel. In warmer climates, this plant also makes a wonderful addition to any water-conscious landscape.

10. Alpine Aster

Scientific Name: Aster alpinus

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 7

Alpine aster is an attractive purple flower that grows native in the mountains of Asia and Europe. While a handful of varieties have naturalized in North America, this cold-loving plant is more often spotted in home gardens than in the wild.

11. Aluminum Plant

Scientific Name: Pilea cadierei

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11

The aluminum plant is a very popular houseplant among beginners and experienced gardeners alike. It boasts unique foliage with silvery patches and will thrive in most household environments.

12. Alyssum

Scientific Name: Lobularia maritima

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9

Alyssum, sometimes called sweet alyssum, is a dainty flowering plant that can be utilized in containers or as part of a larger bed. Its carpet-like growth habit is perfect for filling gaps in your garden or potted flower arrangements.

13. Amaranth

Scientific Name: Amaranthus spp.

Type: Annual

Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11

While amaranth has only recently gained popularity in ornamental gardens, this unique flowering annual has a long history as a grain crop. It adds intriguing color and texture to any garden bed or container arrangement.

14. Amaryllis

Scientific Name: Hippeastrum spp.

Type: Perennial bulb

Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11

Amaryllis are gorgeous flowers whose bulbs are often sold as gifts around the winter holidays. They provide the perfect pop of color when forced indoors and can be grown outdoors in warmer climates.

Nearly all commercially available amaryllis bulbs belong to the Hippeastrum genus. However, there is also a “true” amaryllis — Amaryllis belladonna — that looks similar but is completely unrelated.

15. Anemone

Scientific Name: Anemone spp.

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 10

Anemones are delicate flowering plants that come in a variety of shapes and colors. These plants are also commonly known as windflowers because of the way they sway in the wind.

16. Angelica

Scientific Name: Angelica archangelica

Type: Biennial

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9

The Angelica plant, also known as wild celery, is a native European herb that is often used to flavor liquor and tea. Like its close cousins, carrot and parsley, Angelica is a biennial that only flowers in its second year (before dying).

17. Angelonia

Scientific Name: Angelonia angustifolia

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11

It’s easy to see why the flowers of Angelonia are often mistaken for snapdragons! Angelonia, also known as summer snapdragon, produces flowers all throughout summer and into fall.

18. Angel’s Trumpet

Scientific Name: Brugmansia spp.

Type: Woody perennial

Hardiness Zone: 7 to 11

The angel’s trumpet plant is a head-turning display of hanging, bell-shaped flowers on a fast-growing vine. Most species form ornamental trees or shrubs, but there are also some herbaceous varieties out there!

19. Anthurium

Scientific Name: Anthurium spp.

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 10 to 13

Anthurium is grown almost exclusively as a houseplant but can be found growing in particularly warm landscapes as well. This plant produces an interesting two-part flower — botanically known as a spathe and spadix — similar to that of a peace lily.

20. Arborvitae

Scientific Name: Arborvitae spp.

Type: Perennial evergreen

Hardiness Zone: 2 to 7

Arborvitae are a subtype of evergreen shrubs and trees containing many species and varieties. These plants can be distinguished from other evergreens by the dense, scale-like needles that often boast a fan shape.

21. Arrow Arum

Scientific Name: Peltandra spp.

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 5 to 10

Arrow arum is a group of emergent aquatic plants that may be native or invasive in North America depending on the exact region. You can identify these plants by the distinct arrow-shaped leaves that seem to pierce through the surface of the water.

22. Asparagus Fern

Scientific Name: Asparagus spp.

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11

Asparagus ferns are ornamental landscape or container plants with fluffy, feather-like foliage. Despite what many people believe, this plant is more closely related to edible asparagus than it is to any type of true fern!

23. Aster

Scientific Name: Aster spp. & Symphyotrichum spp.

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8

The aster names encompass numerous daisy-like flowers that range in size and color. Until recently, all of these plants were grouped under the Aster genus. Today, however, all asters native to North America are classified separately under Symphyotrichum.

24. Astilbe

Scientific Name: Astilbe spp.

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8

Astilbe flowers are staples of any shaded perennial garden. They feature spiked, fluffy inflorescences ranging from white to dark purple in color. Pollinators are easily drawn to the impressive flowers.

25. Azalea

Scientific Name: Rhododendron spp.

Type: Woody perennial

Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9

Azaleas are popular shrubs from the Rhododendron genus that produce dense, tubular flowers. Azaleas are surprisingly easy to care for considering how big of an impact they can have on the average landscape!

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