7 Perennials to Divide in Early Spring

Purple bee balm flowers in bloom with a blue sky — Credit:
Getty Images

Spring weather brings an array of garden chores, such as bed preparation, planting, and winter cleanup. Another task to add to that list is dividing your perennials. While many plants are divided in the fall, some perennials benefit from division in the spring. The great part about division is that it gives you free plants—as your perennials grow and thrive, their garden footprint can be controlled by dividing the plants and replanting them elsewhere in your landscape. Or you can transplant divisions into containers to give away to friends. Ahead, gardening experts share the perennials that benefit from spring division.

Teri Speight, landscape gardener, gardening coach, podcast host, and co-author of The Urban Garden
Kathy Jentz, host of the GardenDC Podcast and co-author of The Urban Garden

01 of 07

Coral Bells

Often grown and appreciated for their colorful foliage, coral bells (Heuchera americana) don't spread quickly but slowly mature over three to five years. At that time, the plant can benefit from division. "Observing the new growth emerge from heuchera is a beautiful experience," says gardening coach and author Teri Speight. "If this plant has a bare center where the mother plant used to be, it is a sure sign that it is time to divide. Looking under the leaves, the juvenile plants are easy to pull apart and easy to transplant as well."

02 of 07

Daylilies

orange daylily — Oksana Akhtanina / Getty Images

A warm summer day is made even better when your landscape is decorated with an array of daylilies (Hemerocallis). A small planting of daylilies will slowly grow into a huge display, perfect for digging up and dividing as needed. "Daylilies are versatile and easy-care perennial plants that tolerate a wide range of soil types from clay to sand, moist to dry, and bloom in full sun to part shade," says author Kathy Jentz. "Most daylilies are clump-forming and are easy to dig and divide every few years to increase your garden or to share them with others," she says.

03 of 07

Hostas

hosta plants — Thomas Willumeit / EyeEm / GETTY IMAGES

Another perennial loved for its fantastic foliage as well as its blooms, hostas (Hosta spp.) make an ideal border for the shaded side of your home or for areas of the landscape under trees. "Hostas are known for their beautiful foliage that ranges from bright chartreuse greens to deep blue-green tones," says Jentz. "Many hosta plants also have variegated foliage with cream or white edging or patterns." Hostas are easy to dig up and divide, Jentz adds, noting that they form a dense groundcover in a matter of years.

04 of 07

Black-Eyed Susans

black-eyed susan flowers — jokuephotography / GETTY IMAGES

Large, mature patches of black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) can be divided successfully in the spring. A staple of late summer garden color, the bright yellow petals and striking dark centers of these flowers make them a favorite of many gardeners. Dig up the entire root system and carefully divide plants into clumps, ensuring you keep multiple stems for each division. Dividing black-eyed Susans in the spring protects them from transplant shock.

Sedum

Sedum (Sedum spp.) may be a fall favorite, but spring is the time to divide these lovely perennials. "Depending on the variety, sedum can be a clumper or a spawler," says Speight. "Varieties classified as clumpers are easily broken apart by hand after digging or cut into manageable sections. These can be transplanted in other areas of the garden or even in pots for late-season color and interest." She explains that the sprawling cultivars are easily broken off and gently placed into the soil.

06 of 07

Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is an Asteraceae family member, meaning it's related to daisies, and some varieties do look like intricate daisies without the long petals. Yarrow has a very strong scent that discourages deer. If you'd like to divvy up yarrow to spread around your property or give away to friends, spring is a fine time to do it. "It [is] easy to pull apart the sections that form a cluster on the sides of the basal roots," says Speight.

07 of 07

Bee Balm

Known for its brilliant color, often in shades of red and purple, bee balm (Monarda) instantly enhances a landscape. "Monarda, commonly known as bee balm or wild bergamot, is a native perennial flower that provides pollen and nectar for numerous types of pollinators and seeds for the birds," says Jentz. "It is also a dramatic and attractive flower in its own right." She suggests dividing every three to five years because without division, the center of the plant will start to die, creating a blank hole in the middle. "If that happens, replace the dead interior section with a chunk from the healthy, outside area of the plant," she says.

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7 Perennials to Divide in Early Spring for Prolific, Healthy Plants