10 Plants You Should Never Deadhead, According to Gardening Experts

Coneflower

Coneflower (Echinacea) produces stunning blooms that attract pollinators. Even when the plant is past its prime, leave the dried heads for birds to snack on during fall and winter. "Personal preference comes into play when it comes to deadheading the flowers that contain seeds for the birds," says Jacqueline Soule, award-winning garden writer. "There is going to be a trade-off between more blooms versus more seeds."

While you can deadhead early in the bloom season to encourage more blooms if you wish, Jacqueline Soule recommends applying bloom fertilizer throughout the season instead. This way, you get more seeds for birds and more blooms.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: up to 48 inches tall x up to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Borage

Who doesn't love the charming star-shaped blossoms of borage? But be careful not to deadhead plants in the Borago genus. "This family blooms with an indeterminate blooming pattern," says Soule. "This means that as long as they have nutrients and water, they will continue to bloom. New flowers will keep appearing at the end of an ever-lengthening flower stalk." She cautions that if you choose to deadhead, you'll lose this flowering stalk, meaning the plant will simply cease to bloom and not extend a new stalk.

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Size: up to 36 inches tall x 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Trailing Petunia

If you want an abundant display of blooms, trailing petunia (Calibrachoa) never disappoints. Even more exciting, those prolific blooms don't require deadheading because they are "self-cleaning" plants. That means the plant naturally sheds its spent flowers without being deadheaded.

"There is no need to deadhead them because they will just keep blooming and blooming," says Soule. "Incidentally, while calibrachoa is considered a 'self-cleaning' plant, it will benefit from a serious cutting back toward the end of the growing season." If you accompany this with a boost of fertilizer to re-energize the plant, Soule says you may get this short-lived perennial to survive for several years in warmer climates.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x up to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; acidic, well-drained soil

Supertunia Petunia

If you've ever spent time deadheading a petunia plant (Petunia spp.), you know it's a time-consuming process thanks to the prolific blooming habit of this species. Supertunia plants are a self-cleaning petunia hybrid, so they stay tidy and continue blooming without deadheading.

• Zones: 10 to 11, annual elsewhere
• Size: 12 to 14 inches tall x 24 to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun, regular watering

Black-Eyed Susan

No garden is complete without the sunny faces of black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) brightening the landscape. Similar to coneflower, black-eyed Susans shouldn't be deadheaded as their seeds are important for birds. "Those seed heads are an important source of high-energy food for birds," says horticulturist Jennifer Petritz. "You'll be glad you left them when you spot goldfinches swaying on the stems in your garden."

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: 12 to 36 inches tall x 12 to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Jerusalem Sage

Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa) is known for its vibrant yellow flowers that you won't want to deadhead. "Some members of the sage family have indeterminate flowering," says Soule. "The ones with the clusters of blooms like Jerusalem sage will just keep flowering in new clusters and growing that flowering stalk longer. If you deadhead the flowering stalk, they will cease to flower."

• Zones: 5 to 10
• Size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 4 to 5 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Lion's Tail

Lion's tail (Leonotis leonurus) is another type of indeterminate sage that shouldn't be deadheaded. If you trim the spiky orange flowers on a lion's tail plant, it will prevent the plant from making new flowers, says Soule. Instead, trim back the entire plant at the end of the season after flowering has ended.

• Zones: 8 to 11, annual elsewhere
• Size: 4 to 6 feet tall x 4 to 5 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Chia

The tiny blue flowers of chia (Salvia columbaraie) may be small, but they're hugely popular with bees. Unlike some of the other salvia species that you should deadhead, chia should not be deadheaded or it will stop flowering, says Soule.

• Zones: 7 to 10, annual elsewhere
• Size: 12 to 18 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-draining soil

Columbine

There is so much to love about the charming bell-like blossoms of columbine (Aquilegia). This plant is available in many colors and blossom orientations, with some facing upright and some leaning toward the ground. But when the blooms fade, leave them be—columbine is a self-seeder that will produce more blooms next season if left alone.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Size: usually 1 to 3 feet tall x 2 feet wide
• Care requirements: Partial sun; well-drained soil but plenty of water

Stonecrop

One of your classical late-blooming perennials, stonecrop (Sedum) quietly steals the show in the fall with its finely-formed blossoms. The plant maintains its form even into winter, so forgo the deadheading and allow stonecrop to bring much-needed winter interest to the garden.

• Zones: 3 to 10
• Size: 2 feet tall x 2 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full to partial sun; well-drained soil