25 Best Plants for Clay Soil Gardens

Full sun and shaded plant species that thrive in clay

By
Marie Iannotti
Garden Writer Marie Iannotti
Marie Iannotti
Marie Iannotti is a life-long gardener and a veteran Master Gardener with nearly three decades of experience. She's also an author of three gardening books, a plant photographer, public speaker, and a former Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator. Marie's garden writing has been featured in newspapers and magazines nationwide and she has been interviewed for Martha Stewart Radio, National Public Radio, and numerous articles.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 04/19/22
Reviewed by
Barbara Gillette
Barbara Gillette
Reviewed by Barbara Gillette
Barbara Gillette is a Master Gardener, herbalist, beekeeper, and journalist. She has 30 years of experience propagating and growing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals.
Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
Autumn joy sedum grows well in clay soil

The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

Clay soil is one of the most challenging soil conditions a gardener can face. It's wet and dense, and it can bake as solid as a brick in the sun. This soil type leaves little room for air and water movement for plants.

Choosing plants to grow in clay soil takes some discretion. Some plants tolerate clay soil and help break up and improve its texture and drainage. Although you'll still need to meet other growing requirements, including sun exposure and USDA hardiness zones, here are 25 plants that grow in clay soil. (Full sun plants are listed first.)

How to Improve Clay Soil in the Garden
  • 01 of 25

    Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

    Big bluestem

    CarbonBrain / Getty Images 

    Big bluestem is a warm-season grass that loves arid growing conditions. It's used as an ornamental plant and is popular for erosion control. The plant is tolerant of most soils. In fertile, moist conditions, it experiences lots of growth; in less fertile, dry soil, it is less likely to flop.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Red-purple
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, well-draining
  • 02 of 25

    Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

    Black-eyed Susan flowers with bright yellow radiating petals on tall stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Black-eyed Susans are a staple in gardens because they are adaptable and low maintenance. They will bloom for months and live for years. The plant tolerates a range of soils as long as it has good drainage. It grows best in rich, moist soil.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7
    • Color Varieties: Yellow, orange
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-draining
  • 03 of 25

    Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

    Blazing star plants with pink bottle-brush flowers on tall stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Blazing star plants have grassy foliage and spiky bottle-brush flowers that bloom over a long period. The flowers are very popular with monarch butterflies, which will spend hours feasting on the nectar. It prefers moist, fertile soil, though it doesn't tolerate wet soil well over the winter.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Red-purple, white
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Fertile, moist, well-draining
  • 04 of 25

    Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

    Bees on butterfly weed

    The Spruce / Marie Iannotti

    This North American native perennial produces clusters of flowers in brilliant color combinations. It is very attractive to butterflies, as well as bees and hummingbirds. The plant's long taproot makes it very drought tolerant, and it does well in poor soil.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Yellow, orange, red
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, well-draining
    Continue to 5 of 25 below.
  • 05 of 25

    Canadian Wild Rye (Elymus canadensis)

    Canadian wild rye plant with green flowering stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Canadian wild rye is a clump-forming, cool-season grass with a gentle arching habit. It's easy to grow from seed and can adapt to various soils and conditions. The plant is even tolerant of drought and air pollution.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Green
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, well-draining
  • 06 of 25

    Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum)

    Compass plant with yellow radiating flowers and bids

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Silphium plants are distinctive prairie plants that like the rich quality of clay soil. The plants hold their sunny golden flowers high above the foliage. Besides the compass plant, the shorter Silphium integrifolium (Rosinweed) also makes a good choice for clay soil.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Yellow
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, well-draining
  • 07 of 25

    Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum)

    Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum)

    LianeM / Getty Images

    It's called the cup plant because water collects in cups formed where the leaves meet the stems. This type of Silphium is extremely popular with birds and butterflies. It's very tolerant of clay and wet soil, and it can stand some drought once the plant is established.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Yellow
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Rich, moist
  • 08 of 25

    Daylily (Hemerocallis)

    Daylily with large orange petals closeup

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Although each daylily flower blooms for only one day, there are plenty of them. You would be hard-pressed to find a more dependable flower tolerant of many growing conditions. This plant thrives in moist soil, preferring a fertile loam. But it does fine in clay soil, as well.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Red, pink, orange, yellow, purple
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Moist, well-draining
    Continue to 9 of 25 below.
  • 09 of 25

    Drooping Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)

    Drooping coneflower with yellow swept-back petals and brown cone-like centers on thin stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Drooping coneflower doesn't quite have the refined look of the Mexican hat flower (Ratibida columnifera). But it is much hardier and sports the same cheery, swept-back petals. The plant likes medium moisture and good drainage, but it can tolerate some drought.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Yellow
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Clay or sandy, well-draining
  • 10 of 25

    Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

    Goldenrod plant with yellow flower panicles on tall stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Goldenrod gets a bad rap because people confuse it with the allergy-producing ragweed; however, goldenrod should not aggravate the sinuses. The plant is very tolerant of poor soil types, and it can handle clay as long as it has good drainage.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Yellow
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, slightly acidic, well-draining
  • 11 of 25

    Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)

    Indian grass

    GracedByTheLight / Getty Images

    Indian grass starts the season as a low-growing clump. It begins to send up tall flower stalks by mid-summer, and it remains attractive through winter. The plant can tolerate heavy clay as well as dry and infertile soil.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Light brown
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, well-draining
  • 12 of 25

    New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)

    New York ironweed plant with tiny purple flower clusters and buds

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    New York ironweed is a vigorous wildflower that puts out clusters of small violet flowers atop the 5- to 7-foot plant. It prefers damp growing conditions, making it very happy in clay soil.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Purple
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun 
    • Soil Needs: Rich, slightly acidic, medium to wet moisture
    Continue to 13 of 25 below.
  • 13 of 25

    Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya)

    Liatris pycnostachya / Blazing star
    magicflute002 / Getty Images

    This plant can handle all kinds of tough conditions, even wet clay. But it doesn't like to be stuck in wet soil over the winter, so make sure the plant has good drainage. Prairie blazing star has the Liatris habit of starting to bloom at the top of its bottle-brush flowers and slowly working its way down.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Purple
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun 
    • Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-draining
  • 14 of 25

    Sea Holly (Eryngium yuccifolium)

    Sea holly plant with purple and silvery thistle-like flowers

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    The thistle-like flower heads make sea holly an unusual sight in the flower garden. The blooms also can last for days as cut flowers. The plant prefers somewhat dry, sandy soil, though it can grow in a well-draining clay.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Green, blue, purple, white, silver
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun 
    • Soil Needs: Average, well-draining
  • 15 of 25

    Autumn Joy Sedum (Hylotelphium 'Autumn Joy')

    Autumn joy sedum with pink flower clusters on thin stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Autumn joy sedum is reliable and easy to grow. It thrives in poor sandy or gravelly soil. But it can tolerate clay or loam as long as drainage ensures it doesn't stay constantly damp.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Pink, rust-red, lavender purple
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, well-draining
  • 16 of 25

    Perennial Sunflower (Helianthus)

    Heliopsis helianthoides

    Joshua McCullough / Getty Images

    Although perennial sunflowers are not as large and showy as annual sunflowers, they still make a brilliant display in the garden. Three nice species to grow are swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius), false sunflower (Helianthus x laetiflorus), and ox eye (Heliopsis helianthoides).

    • USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Yellow and brown
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, well-draining
    Continue to 17 of 25 below.
  • 17 of 25

    Arkansas Blue Star (Amsonia hubrichtii)

    Arkansas blue star plant with pale blue star-shaped flowers on stem

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Arkansas blue star's delicate, willow-like leaves make it a lovely foliage plant for borders. Pale blue star-shaped flowers bloom in late spring, followed by attractive seed pods. Golden fall foliage rounds out the growing season. The plant will grow in most soils, though it doesn't like prolonged drought.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Light blue
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Average, well-draining
  • 18 of 25

    Aster (Aster sp.)

    Aster plant with pink frilly flowers with yellow centers clustered together

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Asters are late flowering perennials that take your garden through to frost. The plants can thrive in clay soil, though they need good drainage. If you have heavy clay, consider planting in a raised bed or double-digging the soil.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Pink, purple, red, white, blue
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Slightly acidic, well-draining
  • 19 of 25

    Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

    Yellow coneflowers in sunlight

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Coneflowers are tough, dependable prairie plants. The purple variety is the most well-known, but newer hybrids come in several more colors. The plant can tolerate clay and rocky soil, as well as drought, heat, and humidity.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Purple, pink, red, gold, orange
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-draining
  • 20 of 25

    Eulalia Grass (Miscanthus sinensis)

    Eulalia grass with tan seed heads on long thin leaf blades

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Miscanthus varieties are some of the most popular ornamental grasses to grow. They are clump formers, and their self-seeding tendency might become a nuisance. They grow in many soils, from light and sandy to heavy clay.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Copper, silver
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-draining
    Continue to 21 of 25 below.
  • 21 of 25

    Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)

    Fountain grass with silvery and pink fluffy panicles with thin leaf blades

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Fountain grasses are beloved for their fluffy, feathery panicles. They prefer loamy soil but also can grow well in clay. You will find fountain grasses in a wide range of heights and colors, but they tend to be perennial only in warmer zones.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 6 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Silver, pink
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Average, medium to wet moisture
  • 22 of 25

    Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus)

    Sweet flag

    Jerry Pavia / Getty Images

    Sweet flag is a short ornamental grass that can grow in damp areas or even submerged in water. It will spread by underground rhizomes, but usually, it is not invasive. It's a good plant to stabilize damp areas prone to erosion.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 6 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Greenish-yellow
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Fertile, moist
  • 23 of 25

    Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum)

    Switch grasses with brown-tipped clump forming blades with feathery flowers

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Switch grasses are tall, upright, clump-forming grasses with feathery flowers that appear late in the season. Except for cutting back and dividing, these grasses practically take care of themselves. They can tolerate dry conditions but prefer moist sandy or clay soil.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Pink
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Sandy or clay, medium to wet moisture
  • 24 of 25

    Tickseed (Coreopsis)

    Tickseed plant with small yellow flowers clustered on thin stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Tickseed is an extremely hardy North American native plant. It is drought-resistant and low maintenance, and it repeatedly blooms throughout the season. The plant is not very particular about where it grows, but it does prefer to have good drainage.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Yellow, orange, pink, red
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Well-draining
    Continue to 25 of 25 below.
  • 25 of 25

    Wild Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)

    Wild bee balm with purple showy flowers

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Wild bee balm does not care what kind of soil it grows in, but it does like conditions on the dry side. It has showy flower heads that spread out like sparklers. Pinch them back early in the season for bushier plants.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Pink, purple
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, well-draining
FAQ
  • Which perennials grow best in clay soil?

    A perennial plant returns year after year. Some of the best perennials for clay soil include daylily flowers, asters, coneflowers, and bee balm.

  • Will flowers grow in clay soil?

    Except for the grasses, all the other plants have notable blooms. From black-eyed Susans to coneflowers and blazing stars to daylily, their flowers come in many hues, including yellow, orange, blue, purple, and more.

  • Do hydrangeas grow well in clay soil?

    Most hydrangeas prefer loamy, humus-rich, well-draining soil. However, your hydrangeas should not get stressed or fall victim to disease if you amend your clay soil with compost or organic materials.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Selecting hydrangeas for the home landscape. Ohio State University Extension.

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