55 Showy White Flowers to Add to Your Garden or Yard
From humble daisies to stunning tulips, to showy hydrangea, a white flower will always look great!
When planning out your flower beds, don't forget to plant some white flowers!
If you're planting a multitude of colors, The pale perfection of a white flower offers a lovely contrast against the brighter, warmer colors of, say red flowers or orange flowers, letting those other colors really pop in contrast.
If you're only planting one color, then much like all white Christmas Lights, a bed of white flowers creates an extremely elegant, classic look that, much like a white kitchen, instantly elevates the space.
And luckily, there are all kinds of white-flowering plants to choose from! Whether you have a shady spot right by the house, or a long, sunlit fence that could use a flowering vine to curl its tendrils around, there's a white flower that will work for your situation. Some, such as a stunning Hydrangea bush are so classic you're likely to see them everywhere. Others, like the underrated Candytuft or the striking foxglove (more typically grown in a pink or purple variety) are less prevalent, and will surely spark comments.
Go ahead and browse this list! We have helpful information on light needs and hardiness zones so that you can more easily find the right white flower for any spot in your garden!
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Hydrangea
These stunning shrubs range in height from a few feet tall to eight or more feet. The blooms can be tiny like softballs or gigantic like bowling balls! Many types have white to cream-white blooms that last for months.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 9
Light: Part sun to full sun, depending on the variety; afternoon shade in very hot climates
Related: Learn about 15 Types of Hydrangeas
Tulip
Tulips bloom in every color imaginable, though the white ones are particularly eye-catching. Plant the bulbs in fall for spring blooms. Most tulips do not re-bloom well, so treat them as annuals and replant every year.
Type: Perennial, though treated as annuals
Light: Full sun
Gardenia
Glossy green leaves and creamy white flowers highlight this pretty, old-fashioned garden favorite. Most varieties of this shrub bloom from late spring to early summer. Plant them near patios and walkways to enjoy their lovely perfume.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 7 to 10
Light: Part shade
Lily
Lilies come in a ton of different varieties, and many will keep multiplying year after year. Found in every color of the rainbow, they're also available in shades of creamy to pure white.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 9
Light: Full sun
Hyacinth
These spring bloomers have the most magnificent fragrance. Plant the bulbs in fall for spring blooms.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8
Light: Full sun
Foxglove
Foxgloves are classic cottage garden plants with tall, stately spikes of flowers. It's considered a short-lived perennial in most places.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8
Light: Full sun to part shade
Anemone
Anemone flowers boast ethereal blooms atop long wiry stems. This perennial blooms in late summer when much of the rest of your garden is winding down for the year.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8
Light: Full sun
Chrysanthemum
This classic autumn flower is often found in autumnal shades of pumpkin orange, rusty red, and deepest burgundy. But you'll also find them in pure or creamy white.
They're technically perennials, if you plant them early enough in the season so they can set down roots. Otherwise, treat them as annuals and replant again next year.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 9, though often treated as annuals
Light: Full sun
Rose of Sharon
One of the last flowering shrubs to show off in the garden, the profuse blooms of rose of Sharon appear in late summer. They're a beautiful shrub to add color into early fall.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 9
Light: Full sun
Chamomile
These sunny-faced daisy-like flowers come in both annual (German chamomile) and perennial (Roman chamomile) varieties. Both are low-growing, low-maintenance flowers that add plenty of charm along walkways and in rock gardens.
Type: Annual or perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 9
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Grow Chamomile In Your Garden
Hellebore
Hellebore, or Lenten rose, is one of the most exquisite flowers you can grow in your perennial garden. Their delicate blooms are tough-as-nails, popping up in late winter to early spring, often around the time of Lent, giving them their common name.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 9
Light: Part shade
Cosmos
Cosmos come in an array of shades, but the white variety, with their papery blooms, are especially appealing. Plant them in masses for best effect. They grow easily from seed so they're ideal in a cutting garden.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Fringe Tree
The fringe-like flowers on this pretty tree have a sweet fragrance. The upright branches and full form make it an eye-catching specimen tree.
Type: Tree or large shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 9
Light: Full sun
Magnolia
There are many different types of magnolias, but they all have large, lovely blooms that appear in late spring. If you look in a chilly climate, look for star magnolias, which are more cold-hardy.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 10
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Grow Magnolias
Moon Flower
A relative of morning glories, moon flower blooms at night, as you'd guess from its name. It supports nighttime pollinators such as moths. Give it a trellis to climb.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Lily of the Valley Shrub
Need some early season color? Like its namesake, these shrubs have showy clusters of bell-shaped flowers that dangle from the arching branches in late winter to early spring.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 8
Light: Full shade to part sun
Related: The 20 Best Drought Tolerant Shrubs
Shrub Rose
Your garden needs at least one rose bush! New shrub or landscape types are more cold-hardy and disease-resistant, and they bloom all summer, well into fall.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 3 to 10
Light: Full sun
Begonia
Begonias are sturdy and easy to grow, blooming from spring to first frost. You also won't have to cut off the spent blooms to keep them blooming.
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun to part shade, depending on the variety
Butterfly Bush
These shrubs attract tons of pollinators, so you'll enjoy blooms and butterflies all at once! This plant ranges in size from two to eight feet tall, so read the label. New varieties are more compact and are not invasive.
Type: Shrub, USDA Hardiness zones 5 to 9
Light: Full sun
Related: How to Make a Pollinator Garden That Actually Works
Dahlia
Dahlias have the most glorious blooms, ranging from tiny bon-bon size to dinner plate-sized flowers.
Plant the tubers in the fall in warm climates or in the spring in cold climates for blooms from mid-summer to first frost. Technically, they're perennials, but only in warmer climates. Otherwise, you'll need to dig up the tubers after the first frost to save and replant next spring.
Type: Perennial, USDA Hardiness zones 8 to 11; annual in cold climates
Light: Full sun
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