Silver foliage plants have amazing quality– they can highlight other plants and flowers in the garden. Learn more about them and find out the best you can grow.
The silvery foliage has a precious and bright appearance. This color not only brightens up the dull, dark corner but it also accentuates the plants and flowers of other colors around it.
1. Silver Sage “Salvia”
Salvia argentea is a short-living perennial, it forms an unusual rosette of furry leaves. In the second year, it produces a spike of white flowers in summer and then wilts. The plant is not suitable for tropics and requires a climate with moderate summer.
2. Dusty Miller
Ideal for borders or in compositions with other annuals. The dusty miller is suitable for pots too and probably one of the most commonly grown silver foliage plants. The reason maybe is that it is easy to grow and looks amazing with almost every other flowering plant.
3. Curry Plant
Helichrysum Italicum, which is also sometimes called the curry plant (however, it is not the actual curry plant) is a beautiful silver foliage plants. It grows best in warm temperate climate and flowers in summer.
4. Rose Campion
Beautiful plant; beyond the words when in full bloom. The dazzling display of magenta or deep pink or purplish flowers from spring to summer together with grey-green silvery foliage is exquisite. The best thing about this perennial is that it is hardy in USDA Zones 4-10, which means it can be grown in both colder and warmer climates.
5. Silvermound Artemisia
Mounds of glossy and bright silvery leaves eventually expand a little and line the floor. This exceptional silver foliage plant just grows up to 12 inches tall and requires well-drained soil and full sun. It grows best under USDA Zones 4-8
6. Japanese Painted Fern
If you think all ferns are green you are wrong. The Japanese painted fern has cool silvery-gray foliage and reddish stalks that accentuate its beauty. This prolific plant is low growing and easy to grow. Providing it light to full shade and well-drained but moist soil in cool temperates to warmer zones.
Also Read: Growing Soft Tree Fern
7. Heuchera “Sugar Frosting”
Heucheras are great foliage plants. Its cultivar called “Sugar frosting” has beautiful silvery-burgundy leaves. This beautiful perennial requires well-drained soil and partial sun (or can be grown in full sun in cooler regions) to thrive.
8. Buddleja ”Silver Anniversary”
It is a medium sized shrub and can be grown in containers too. The flowers are fragrant and attractive to bees and hummingbirds. The plant has silver-gray foliage, it has average watering needs and requires warmth and full sun in order to grow. You can grow this butterfly bush in warm temperates to subtropical regions under USDA Zones 5-9.
9. Lamb’s Ear
It forms rosettes of elongated silvery leaves, very soft when touched. It’s a beautiful groundcover and can be grown in containers easily. It requires well-drained soil and full sun to thrive.
10. Brunnera Macrophylla “Jack Frost”
Commonly known as “Siberian bugloss”, this stunning plant is probably one of the best silver foliage plants you can grow in your garden. It is suitable for shade. Also, its small blue “forget me not” like flowers appear from spring and the plant looks speechless throughout the summer.
11. Blue Spruce
Colorado blue spruce is an American conifer that bestows the garden with its attractive silvery-blue foliage. It looks magnificent and if you have a big backyard you can grow this wonderful tree.
12. Brachyglottis ‘Sunshine’
This plant comes from daisy family, it has beautiful silver-green leaves. In summer, it adorns with showy golden yellow flowers that makes it even more valuable bush. This small shrub can grow up to 3-5 feet tall, it prefers full sun and moist but well-drained soil.
Also Read: Gerbera Daisy Care & Growing Guide
13. Melianthus Major
Melianthus is a suitable plant for gardeners who live in a warm tropical or subtropical climates. However, you can grow it as an annual in cooler regions. It requires the sun, heat, and well-drained soil to grow. The plant can be grown in USDA Zones 8-11.
14. Russian Sage
Russian sage is a dramatic plant, it looks similar to lavender and also requires full sun and well-drained, dry soil to grow. The plant has beautiful silvery-gray foliage and lavender colored flowers that start to appear from late spring and bloom till fall.
15. “Silver Shimmers” Lungwort
This easy to grow, shade-loving, deer resistant plant looks pretty impressive and if you like to beautify your garden with silver aluminum color like foliage, try this plant. It requires rich and moist but well-drained soil. Providing a good circulation around this plant is essential as pulmonarias are susceptible to mildew.
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