5 Plants That Are Hard to Grow From Seed

Hummingbird Mint

Hummingbird mint (Agastache) is a fragrant perennial in the mint family that can bring color and hummingbirds to your garden. “Few diseases or pests bother with the fragrant foliage and flowers,” says Chuck Pavlich, expert horticulturist at Terra Nova Nurseries. “Hummingbird mint is an excellent pollinator plant and turns any yard into a hummingbird airport.”

According to Pavlich, hummingbird mint likes full sun, moderately rich, well-drained soil, and moderate water.

• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining, acidic soil

Siberian Bugloss

Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla), also called Alexander’s Great, is an herbaceous perennial that does best when potted from nursery plants in the early spring. “The plant gets better every year and is very long-lived,” Pavlich says. “Few pests bother them, even deer turn their snouts up at them because of their hairy, coarse leaves.”

Pavlich says they’re a simple plant to grow. Just place them in a partially sunny to shady spot, then mix some organic matter in the soil, feed with slow-release fertilizer, water, and walk away.

• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Moist, well-draining soil

Coneflower

Coneflowers (Echinacea) have daisy-like centers surrounded by bright and cheerful petals in shades of pink, purple, white, orange, and yellow. These colorful perennials need cold stratification when grown from seed, which you can skip by getting the plant at your local nursery.

“Give echinaceas full sun, well-drained soil, moderate fertilizer, and water to ensure a fantastic floral display,” Pavlich advises. “It’s also excellent for attracting butterflies and several types of bees. As the seeds ripen, finches will flock to the flowers as a last hurrah before winter.”

• Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
• Light: Full, partial sun
• Soil: Neutral or acidic, well-draining

Jacob’s Ladder

Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium) is a long-blooming wildflower with lavender blooms that does well when transplanted from a nursery. Its fern-like leaves give Jacob’s ladder its name. These bright wildflowers do well in moist conditions with well-draining soil.

“The long bloom period covers both spring and summer,” Pavlich says. “Plant in full sun to partial shade in well-drained, organic soil. Feed and water moderately for best results.”

• Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
• Light: Partial sun, shade
• Soil: Well-draining

Rosemary

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) is a fragrant culinary herb that’s easiest to grow from a nursery plant. Plant these drought-tolerant perennials in spring after the last frost.

“Rosemary is a diva,” says Valeria Nyman, chief product officer at Taim.io, a platform that teaches people how to grow food. “Its seeds take forever to sprout, and half the time, they don’t bother! A young plant from a nursery is a shortcut to those piney, aromatic sprigs.”

Keep it dry, as rosemary would rather go thirsty than sit in soggy soil.

• Hardiness Zones: 8 to 10
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining, sandy, loamy