Teal is an unexpected and stunning color for landscapes. Try growing these teal plants for a bright and trendy look.
Top 10 Trendy Teal Plants for Your Garden
Published on Feb. 26, 2025
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium, Zones 3 to 10
With narrow, bluish leaves, Schizachyrium scoparium is a great choice for a drought-tolerant native bunch grass, says Mary Phillips of the National Wildlife Federation. In full sun, it can grow up to 4 feet tall by 2 feet wide, and produces white seed tufts in winter, which are helpful for birds.
Why we love it: Little bluestem also makes habitat for beneficial insects, including acting as a larval host plant for skippers and moths.
If you love teal plants, also check out these gorgeous green flowers.
Smooth Agave
Agave desmettiana, Zones 9 to 11
If you live in a warm climate and want a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant centerpiece, consider Agave desmettiana, says Justin. “It has graceful, upward-arching leaves and its architecture makes it elegant as a focal point,” he says. “Accent it with ornamental grasses, other succulents or bromeliads.”
Why we love it: It’s more compact than most agave species, maxing out around 4 feet tall and wide, plus it lacks the typical sharp agave spines (teeth) on the leaf margins.
Brunnera ‘Permafrost’
Brunnera macrophylla, Zones 4 to 9
With large, inviting leaves, Brunnera macrophylla — also called Siberian bugloss or great forget-me-not — is prime for shady areas. “That’s where its blue-green tints remain vibrant against the silvery accents,” says Chris Fifo, perennial product representative at Darwin Perennials. These teal plants can grow up to 15 inches high and 21 inches wide.
Why we love it: “It’s a great textural accent, with flower stalks appearing in spring, which can also be removed to keep the large-leaf habit looking tidy,” Chris says.
Art & Sol ‘Catch A Wave’
Mangave hybrid, Zones 9 to 11
Proven Winners’ wild and wavy mangave hybrid is a new introduction this year. The brand’s grow team emphasizes that the teal plant’s margins curl upward, showing off those marginal teeth. Plant it in full sun to bring out bright foliage colors. While it’s more water tolerant than typical succulents, it still does best in well-draining soil.
Why we love it: The upright growth habit makes it look just as dazzling when viewed from the side as it does from the top.
Hosta ‘Hadspen Blue’
Hosta x ‘Hadspen Blue,’ Zones 3 to 9
With large, heart-shaped leaves, this plantain lily excels as a shady garden edging plant. It grows in neat clumps and pairs well with bleeding heart (Dicentra), Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema) and silvery Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum).
Why we love it: “This is THE big blue hosta, at least for me,” says Barb Pierson, nursery manager for White Flower Farm. “It gets huge and has the best blue-green color all throughout the season.
Skyscraper Senecio
Curio ficoides ‘Mount Everest’, Zones 10 to 11
Also known as Mount Everest, Skyscraper Senecio grows strong and upright, decorated with thick, fleshy blue-green leaves. It does best in full sun to part shade, with sandy, well-draining soil. In colder zones, you can grow it indoors as a houseplant.
Why we love it: “Senecio is a statement plant,” says Jim Putnam of Southern Living Plant Collection. “It’s like a sculpture in the garden with its vertical growth and creates a strong line against all the softness of surrounding plants.”
Artemisia Makana ‘Silver’
Artemisia mauiensis, Zones 9 to 11, annual elsewhere
A mounding shrub with soft, puffy foliage, Artesmia Makana ‘Silver’ (common name as Maui wormwood), is great for adding an intriguing contrast in texture, color and mass to the landscape. Plant it in full sun and well-draining soil.
Why we love it: “This variety works well in mixed containers or in the ground,” says Chuck Pavlich, director of new product development at Terra Nova Nurseries. “It can also be used as an accent, planted in mass or trained as a small specimen tree.”
Broadleaf Stonecrop
Sedum spathulifolium, Zones 4 to 10
Another native succulent pick, Sedum spathulifolium — aka broadleaf or common stonecrop — is an ornamental evergreen groundcover with tight rosettes, teal plant leaves and bright yellow summer flowers. It grows best in full sun to part shade.
Why we love it: It’s also helpful as a larval host plant for elfin butterflies.
Arizona Cypress
Cupressus arizonica, Zones 7 to 11
Native to the Southwest, Arizona cypress is a native tree that grows in a perky pyramid shape. Plant in full sun. It can reach 40 feet tall by 20 feet wide, but that will take a while. In other parts of the country, look for native teal evergreen plants and trees like blue spruce (Picea pungens), and Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana).
Why we love it: The dense foliage provides shelter and cover for birds.
Giant Coneflower
Rudbeckia maxima, Zones 4 to 9
Also known as great or cabbage-leaf coneflower, its brilliant yellow flowers usually steal the show, but the paddle-shaped leaves add teal foliage appeal. Bluestem Perennials says this plant is a “real conversation piece,” and we absolutely agree! Plant it in full sun, where it can grow to up to 7 feet tall by 4 feet wide. Giant coneflower is native to the south central U.S.
Why we love it: Giant coneflower is a great choice for wildlife as its spent flower heads provide winter nutrition for seed-eating birds like goldfinches.
About the Experts
- Chris Fifo is the perennial product representative for Darwin Perennials, the breeding company for Ball Horticultural Company.
- Barb Pierson is the nursery manager for White Flower Farm, where she has tended to plants for more than 26 years.
- Mary Phillips is head of Native Plant Habitat Strategy/Certifications at the National Wildlife Federation. Use the NWF’s Native Plant Finder to find plants appropriate for your region.
- Justin Hancock is a horticulturalist with Costa Farms.
- Chuck Pavlich is Director of New Product Development at Terra Nova Nurseries.
- Jim Putnam works for Southern Living Plant Collection and hosts the popular vlog HortTube with Jim Putnam.
Sources
- Proven Winners
- Bluestone Perennials
- Oregon State University – Plant of the Week: Broadleaf Stonecrop
- Garden Media Group
