Curated by real gardeners

Plants for Sandy Soil

Sand drains fast and holds few nutrients — perfect for plants that hate wet feet. These Mediterranean and prairie types call it home.

7,179 plantsRanked by real gardeners

The 24 most-saved picks

Butterfly Weed#1 most saved

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa

Zones 4–9· 604 saves· from $10
Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower#2 most saved

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Cheyenne Spirit'

Zones 4–9· 574 saves· from $13
Pink Muhly Grass#3 most saved

Pink Muhly Grass

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Zones 5–10· 403 saves· from $16
Butterfly Weed

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies Mix'

Zones 4–9· 382 saves
Butterfly Kisses Coneflower

Butterfly Kisses Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Butterfly Kisses'

Zones 4–8· 378 saves· from $32
Butterfly Weed Gay Butterflies Milkweed

Butterfly Weed Gay Butterflies Milkweed

Asclepias tuberosa 'Gay Butterflies'

Zones 4–9· 376 saves· from $50
Butterfly Weed

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa 'Deluxe Butterfly Garden'

Zones 5–8· 375 saves
Hello Yellow Butterfly Weed

Hello Yellow Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa 'Hello Yellow'

Zones 4–9· 369 saves· from $16
Purple Coneflower Rainbow

Purple Coneflower Rainbow

Echinacea purpurea 'Rainbow'

Zones 4–8· 366 saves· from $27
Butterfly Milkweed

Butterfly Milkweed

Asclepias x hybrida

Zones 4–9· 366 saves· from $16
Old Farmyard Hollyhock

Old Farmyard Hollyhock

Alcea rosea 'Old Farmyard'

Zones 4–9· 360 saves
May Night Sage

May Night Sage

Salvia nemorosa 'May Night'

Zones 4–9· 358 saves· from $6
Walker's Low Catmint

Walker's Low Catmint

Nepeta faassenii 'Walker's Low'

Zones 4–8· 358 saves· from $7
Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta 'American Gold Rush'

Zones 4–10· 353 saves· from $17
Pugster Amethyst Butterfly Bush

Pugster Amethyst Butterfly Bush

Buddleja davidii 'Pugster Amethyst'

Zones 5–9· 351 saves· from $19
Pugster Pink Butterfly Bush

Pugster Pink Butterfly Bush

Buddleia davidii 'Pugster Pinker'

Zones 5–9· 342 saves· from $19
Dwarf Wild Indigo

Dwarf Wild Indigo

Baptisia minor

Zones 5–8· 340 saves
Blanket Flower

Blanket Flower

Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Mixed Border'

Zones 4–10· 340 saves
Zinnia Raggedy Ann

Zinnia Raggedy Ann

Zinnia elegans 'Raggedy Ann'

Zones 5–10· 338 saves
Prairie Phlox

Prairie Phlox

Phlox pilosa

Zones 4–9· 335 saves
Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea 'Cheyenne Spirit Mix'

Zones 4–9· 332 saves
Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta 'Autumn Colors Mix'

Zones 4–8· 329 saves
Common Milkweed

Common Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Zones 4–9· 329 saves· from $10
Wild Lupine

Wild Lupine

Lupinus perennis

Zones 4–9· 324 saves

Sandy soil questions

How do I garden in sandy soil?

Work with the drainage instead of fighting it: choose drought-adapted plants, mulch to slow evaporation, and feed lightly but more often since nutrients leach quickly.

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Find the right sandy soil plants for YOUR yard

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