Plants called Dragon Chinese New Year

Plants called Dragon has ideas for a themed planting design for Chinese New Year 2024 and beyond. Indeed the plants don’t have to be for Chinese New Year, it could just be that you’re fond of fiery dragons! It has the potential to be a magical theme with a bold, fiery colour scheme for your garden. But then not all dragons are red, so shades of green would also give you a dragon inspired theme. Read on to find out more…

There’s a link for a free downloadable plant list at the end as well as blog links from previous years’ Chinese themed planting ideas. Plus other themed planting schemes to inspire you.

A List of Flowers and Plants called Dragon

Well there’s actually there’s more than one list, but the ones here have (mainly) the herbaceous perennials. In the freebie pdf plant list (see link below) I’ve included houseplants, herbs and shrubs as that’s more of a shopping list format for you.

The list is alphabetical by common name, with the Latin name included to be sure that right plant is being talked about (or bought). Then for some of the plants, I give brief care tips and planting suggestions. This isn’t an overall definitive list, and if you know of some I’ve missed out, do please let me know!

Easy maintenance herbaceous perennials make good garden plants. Many of them can be grown in raised beds and containers as well as in borders. And if you start looking for them now in plant nurseries and garden centres, they’ll should look good growing outside in your garden this year. But I’ve included a couple of shrubs in here too, because why not.

Herbaceous Perennial Plants called Dragon

Arum Dragon lily, Dracunculus vulgaris Dragon
Catnip, Nepeta Blue Dragon
Coreopsis rosea Dragon, tickseed
Day lily, Hemerocallis ‘Great Red Dragon’
Geranium ‘Dragon Heart’
Hosta ‘Dragon Tails’
Iris ‘Black Dragon’, bearded iris
Lamium maculatum ‘Purple Dragon’
Ophiopogon nigrescens, Black Dragon Grass
Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’, Bistort
Polyanthus ‘Fire Dragon’
Snapdragon, Antirrhinum majus

And then a bit more about some of these dragon plants…

Arum, Dragon lily

Dracunculus vulgaris, also known as the Dragon lily or Dragon Arum is a plant to add fire to your woodland edge border where it can catch the sun. The dark red/ black flower appears from May but can be a bit of a stinker so preferably keep it away from paths. Also be aware that the foliage can cause skin irritation. But it’s a striking Gothic plant to add to your garden nonetheless!

Coreopsis rosea Dragon

Coreopsis rosea Dragon, is one of the Bloomsation series of tickseeds. A compact plant, it should be covered in red flowers from late spring to the first frosts, especially if you remember to deadhead it. It’s small size makes it suitable for containers and window boxes. In autumn cut back to short stems and apply a mulch. It should be hardy except in the hardest of winters.

Day lily ‘Great Red Dragon’

Hemerocallis ‘Great Red Dragon’ grows to about 1 metre tall and will flower profusely in a sunny spot. Whilst it will need watering in very dry conditions, this day lily is tolerant of heavy clay and poorer soils. Oh and its happy in coastal gardens too, so a good ‘doer’. NB whilst each flower lasts only for a day, there will be plenty on each stem that will bloom consecutively.

Geranium ‘Dragon Heart’

Those of you who know me or are regular readers of the Plews blog will know how much I love hardy Geraniums. And this one is a real stunner with magenta petals and a dark, almost black centre to each flower. Palmate foliage gives ground cover up to a couple eof feet in diameter when mature. I first saw it in Scotland some years ago and (obviously) had to buy a plant for myself. Having divided it and potted up a piece to take when I moved gardens, it’s coped with being in a pot for 3 years, only getting planted in to a new border last autumn. I’m pretty sure its survived hard frost without any protection other than a mulch as there are signs of new foliage at the base. I think we can consider it a beautiful and hardy Geranium!

Hosta ‘Dragon Tails’

This is a beautiful miniature Hosta, with narrow yellow-green leaves which have a wavy, or ruffled margin. As a miniature Hosta, it is well suited to growing in a pot, preferring a free draining soil. And of course, like the majority of Hostas, likes semi-shade. It will develop into mound of foliage as it matures.

Lamium maculatum ‘Purple Dragon’

Deadnettles are so-called as they don’t sting like your average nettle does. And so they make excellent ground cover semi-evergreen perennials for shady and semi-shady areas of your garden. (Truth be told, unless your garden is very exposed they tend to keep their foliage year round). Lamium maculatum ‘Purple Dragon’ has magenta-purple flowers sporadically from late spring through to autumn. But it’s the foliage that takes pride of place, and this lamium has small silver leaves, with green scalloped edges.

Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’

Some gardeners prefer foliage to be green and have flowers for variety. I’m one of those gardeners who likes a range of foliage colours, not for garish display, but give interesting planting combinations. For example, the young Persicaria ‘Red Dragon’ foliage growing up through a sea of forget-me-nots or the mature leaves arching over lime green rounded foliage of Alchemilla mollis. The bronze/ red / purple patterned leaves may need a haircut during the summer if you feel they’re encroaching on other plants, but otherwise it’s an easy maintenance addition to the border.

Polyanthus ‘Fire Dragon’

One of the showstopper series of Polyanthus, which are famed for their large and unusual coloured blooms. First purchased for a client who adored bright bold colour combinations, I’ve since become a lover of this Polyanthus too. If you feel its too bright as bedding plants in your borders, why not have ‘Fire Dragon’ in a pot by your front door? It’s guaranteed to brighten up dull late winter and early spring mornings.

Snapdragon, Antirrhinum majus

Last, but definitely not least! Snapdragons are so called because of the dragon-like face shape of their flower and the way they snap together when you press and release the bloom. (A remembered pleasure from childhood for many of us). The Botanical Latin name Antirrhinum means ‘like a snout’.

Antirrhinum can be both annuals and short lived perennials. Favourites for a cottage garden planting scheme, they’re also finding favour in domestic cutting gardens.

yellow snapdragons, blue pot, blue front door, front gardens, summer bedding plants

More plants called Dragon for your Garden

Just one plant is picked out from each of the following lists; one that I felt you would find most useful or inspiring.

Shrubs called Dragon

Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Red Dragon’, Japanese Paperbush
Rock Rose ‘Fire Dragon’

Helianthemum ‘Fire Dragon’

Often called rock rose, Helianthemum are low growing shrubs excellent for rockeries, small borders and containers. Tolerant of many soil types they are happy in most types of habitats including coastal gardens and city gardens.

Fruit and Herb Plants called Dragon

Chill pepper ‘Dragons breath’
Dragon Fruit
Tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus

Artemisia dracunculus

In France, tarragon is known as estragon, which is French for ‘little dragon’. A perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, it’s not reliably hardy in colder areas or if we have a hard winter. I always aim to take cuttings just in case. (And when I forget, I grow more from seed in spring). It needs warmth, sun and a dry, free draining soil and copes well with poor soil. With a warm peppery flavour in dishes, medicinally it was thought to cure snakebites.

Tender perennials and House Plants called Dragon

The plants in this category may well get a blog to themselves later during this Chinese Year of the Dragon.

Alocasia ‘Dragon Wing Red’, Begonia
Amaryllis ‘Double Dragon’
Dracaena marginata, Dragon Tree
Pelargonium ‘Dragon’s Breath’

Pelargonium ‘Dragon’s Breath’

I picked out this tender perennial, a member of the Geranium family, as it doubles up as a house plant and summer bedding. One of the Stellar series, it has double red flowers and dark markings on the leaves. Easily kept over winter in a frost free greenhouse or conservatory or even as a house plan.

And finally

If you’d like help with a themed planting design for your garden, or have queries regarding your existing planting, do get in touch to ask about our design and consultancy services.

For further gardening advice and ideas, check out Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below and our monthly Tipsheet You could come and find us on Instagram @plewsgd Pinterest and Facebook too.

You could have a peek and follow how I approach my own seriously overgrown new garden – Instagram @spitfiresandslowworms and Facebook – Spitfires and Slow Worms

And if you’d like some personal help, perhaps learning how to design your own garden, we offer a mix of practical sessions and theory in our bespoke Gardening Lessons and Courses. There’s a blog link below plus a pdf download with more info

Free downloadable plant lists and planting plans are at the end

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