Picking the right companion plants is vital when transforming your garden. One plant that can add a touch of elegance and beauty to any garden is the Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria).
Known for its silvery-gray foliage, Dusty Miller is an excellent backdrop for other plants, enhancing their colors and textures. So, which Dusty Miller companion plants should you opt for?
Below are plants that will complement your Dusty Miller and elevate your garden’s aesthetic appeal.
20 Dusty Miller Companion Plants
Here are 20 plants to bring the best out of your Dusty Miller.
- Petunias
- Begonias
- Marigolds
- Angelonia
- Creeping Phlox
- Basil
- Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
- Hosta
- Zinnias
- Coral Bells (Heuchera)
- Lithodora
- Penstemon
- Cleome
- Portulaca (Moss Rose)
- Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)
- Lavender
- Ornamental Grasses
- Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)
- Geraniums
- Salvia
Petunias
Petunias are popular and versatile flowering plants grown in pots or borders. They make an excellent companion plant for Dusty Miller due to their vibrant and colorful blooms.
The contrast between the Petunias’ bright flowers and the silvery leaves of Dusty Miller creates an eye-catching and visually appealing combination.
Whether planted together in containers or along garden borders, the combination of Petunias and Dusty Miller adds a pop of color and enhances the overall aesthetic of the garden.
Petunias are relatively easy to grow. They are available in a wide range of colors, allowing for endless possibilities when it comes to creating beautiful floral displays alongside Dusty Miller.
Begonias
Begonias, particularly cane-type varieties like the Angel wing begonia, make excellent companion plants for Dusty Miller. These begonias are known for their productivity and ease of growth.
Their cascading flowers in shades of pink, red, or white create a stunning contrast against the silvery foliage of Dusty Miller. The combination of Begonias and Dusty Miller adds a touch of charm and elegance to any garden or landscape.
Whether planted together in containers or as part of a border, the vibrant blooms of Begonias enhance the overall aesthetic appeal and create a visually pleasing display alongside Dusty Miller.
Marigolds
Marigolds are popular annual flowers known for their vibrant colors and ability to add warmth to a garden. When planted alongside Dusty Miller, their golden and orange hues create a beautiful visual contrast against the silvery-gray foliage.
Marigolds are a classic choice for adding vibrancy and charm to any garden or landscape, and their pairing with Dusty Miller can enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of the planting area.
Angelonia
Angelonia, commonly referred to as “summer snapdragon,” is a beautiful flowering plant that showcases tall spikes of delicate blossoms in various shades of purple, pink, or white.
The combination with Dusty Miller creates a stunning visual effect with contrasting colors and textures.
Angelonia’s graceful blooms and Dusty Miller’s silver-gray foliage complement each other, creating a beautiful display that adds charm and beauty to any garden or landscape.
Creeping Phlox
Creeping Phlox is a delightful low-growing perennial that forms a carpet of vibrant flowers. Its clusters of colorful blooms create a beautiful tapestry when paired with Dusty Miller.
Together, they enhance the visual appeal of a garden, adding a charming and picturesque element with their contrasting colors and textures.
Combining Creeping Phlox’s vibrant blossoms and Dusty Miller’s silver-gray foliage creates an enchanting display that can elevate any garden or landscape.
Basil
Basil is a herb that makes a great companion plant for Dusty Miller in a garden setting. Along with its delightful fragrance, basil adds a practical and aesthetic touch.
The aromatic leaves and petite basil flowers create a charming contrast with the silvery foliage of Dusty Miller, resulting in an appealing mix of textures.
Bugleweed
Bugleweed, scientifically known as Ajuga reptans, is a highly recommended companion plant for Dusty Miller. Its compact and low-growing nature makes it an ideal choice to pair with Dusty Miller’s silver-gray foliage.
Bugleweed adds a striking contrast with its vibrant deep purple flowers. Together, these plants create a visually appealing combination in the garden.
Hosta
Hostas are highly valued for their ability to thrive in shady areas and provide a range of foliage colors and textures. Due to their contrasting features, these shade-loving plants make excellent companions for Dusty Miller.
Hostas have broad, lush leaves that create a striking visual contrast when planted alongside the fine, silvery foliage of Dusty Miller. Combining the two plants adds depth and interest to the garden, with the Hosta’s foliage serving as a beautiful backdrop for Dusty Miller’s silver-gray leaves.
Moreover, Hostas attract pollinators to the garden, enhancing its overall biodiversity. Whether used in borders, containers, or mixed plantings, Hostas and Dusty Miller, pairing adds visual appeal and texture to any landscape.
Zinnias
You won’t miss zinnias when searching for the most stunning Dusty Miller companion plants.
Zinnias are widely cherished annual flowers known for their vibrant and diverse colors. These cheerful blooms are an excellent companion plant for Dusty Miller due to their striking contrast.
Zinnias offer a lively and energetic presence with their bold and bright hues, which beautifully compliment Dusty Miller’s foliage’s muted and silvery tones.
They are easy to grow, and their long-lasting blooms make them a favorite choice among gardeners. Their ability to attract butterflies and pollinators further enhances the garden’s biodiversity.
Coral Bells
Coral Bells, scientifically known as Heuchera, are perennial plants valued for their stunning foliage that comes in burgundy, bronze, or lime green.
These colorful leaves are an excellent companion to Dusty Miller, creating an eye-catching and visually appealing contrast in the garden. The combination of Dusty Miller’s silvery-gray foliage and Coral Bells’ rich hues adds depth and dimension to the overall landscape.
Coral Bells are relatively easy to grow and require moderate maintenance, making them a popular choice among gardeners. With their bold and colorful foliage, Coral Bells bring vibrancy and liveliness to the garden, perfectly complementing the muted tones of Dusty Miller.
Lithodora
Lithodora is an excellent companion plant for Dusty Miller due to its complementary characteristics and visual appeal. Lithodora is a low-growing perennial plant with vibrant blue flowers and glossy green leaves.
When paired with Dusty Miller’s silver-gray foliage, the combination creates a striking contrast in color and texture. Lithodora’s blue flowers provide a beautiful pop of color against the muted tones of Dusty Miller, enhancing the overall visual interest of the garden or landscape.
Penstemon
Penstemon is an ideal companion plant for Dusty Miller due to its complementary characteristics and visual impact. Penstemon, also known as beardtongue, is a flowering perennial that comes in various colors, including shades of pink, purple, and red.
When paired with Dusty Miller’s silver-gray foliage, the vibrant blooms of Penstemon create a stunning contrast and add a pop of color to the garden or landscape.
Both plants thrive in similar growing conditions, preferring well-drained soil and full sun exposure. Penstemon’s upright growth habit also provides a vertical element that complements the mounding form of Dusty Miller, adding height and dimension to the planting arrangement.
Together, Dusty Miller and Penstemon create a visually appealing and harmonious combination, enhancing the overall beauty of any outdoor space.
Cleome
Cleome is an excellent choice for Dusty Miller’s companion plant due to its striking appearance and complementary growth habits.
It features tall stems topped with clusters of vibrant flowers in shades of pink, purple, or white. Its vertical growth habit creates an appealing contrast to Dusty Miller’s low, mounding form.
Cleome’s airy and delicate foliage provides an interesting texture that complements the sturdy and silver-gray leaves of Dusty Miller. Both plants prefer full sun and well-drained soil, making them compatible with growing conditions.
Combining Cleome’s eye-catching blooms and Dusty Miller’s distinctive foliage adds visual interest and dynamic touch to any garden or landscape design.
Portulaca
Portulaca, also known as moss rose or purslane, is among the most beautiful dusty miller companion plants.
It displays beautiful, colorful flowers in shades of pink, orange, yellow, and red. Its low-growing and spreading habit complements Dusty Miller’s mounding form, creating an appealing contrast.
Both plants have similar preferences for full sun and well-drained soil, making them compatible in growing conditions.
Portulaca’s ability to thrive in dry conditions makes it an ideal choice alongside Dusty Miller, also known for its drought tolerance.
The combination of Portulaca’s vibrant blooms and Dusty Miller’s silver-gray foliage adds visual interest and a delightful burst of color to any garden or landscape setting.
Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Alyssum, also known as Lobularia maritima, features clusters of tiny, fragrant flowers in shades of white, pink, and lavender. Its low-growing and spreading nature makes it an excellent ground cover, which nicely complements the upright and mounding form of Dusty Miller.
Dusty Miller’s silvery foliage and Sweet Alyssum’s dainty blooms create a visually appealing contrast in the garden. Additionally, both plants prefer similar growing conditions, including full sun and well-drained soil.
Sweet Alyssum is also known for attracting beneficial insects, such as bees and butterflies, which can enhance pollination in the garden. Overall, the pairing of Dusty Miller and Sweet Alyssum adds charm, texture, and a touch of fragrance to any garden setting.
Lavender
Lavender, known for its beautiful purple flowers and silvery-green foliage, adds visual and sensory appeal to the garden. Its upright and bushy form complements the mounding habit of Dusty Miller, creating an attractive contrast.
Lavender is known to attract beneficial pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, which can enhance the overall health and productivity of the garden.
Dusty Miller’s silver-gray foliage and lavender’s vibrant blooms create a stunning and harmonious display. Planting lavender alongside Dusty Miller adds fragrance, texture, and a touch of natural beauty to any garden setting.
Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses make wonderful companion plants for Dusty Miller due to their contrasting textures and elegant presence in the garden.
The feathery or linear foliage of ornamental grasses, combined with Dusty Miller’s silver-gray leaves, creates a visually appealing juxtaposition. The graceful movement of the grasses in the breeze adds a dynamic element to the landscape.
Moreover, ornamental grasses come in various heights, sizes, and colors, allowing for creative combinations with Dusty Miller. They provide a natural backdrop for Dusty Miller’s low-growing and compact form, enhancing its overall visual impact.
Ornamental grasses are known for their hardiness, low maintenance requirements, and ability to provide year-round interest in the garden.
Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)
Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina) is an excellent companion plant for Dusty Miller. Both plants share similar attributes, such as soft, fuzzy foliage and a silver-gray coloration, creating a visually pleasing combination in the garden.
Lamb’s Ear’s velvety leaves provide a contrasting texture to Dusty Miller’s broader, lacy foliage. The combination of these plants adds depth and interest to flower beds or borders.
Geraniums
Geraniums are an excellent choice as companion plants for Dusty Miller. Geraniums and Dusty Miller create a beautiful contrast in the garden, with Dusty Miller’s silver-gray foliage complementing the vibrant colors of Geranium flowers.
Geraniums come in various colors, including red, pink, and white, which add a pop of brightness against Dusty Miller’s muted tones.
Both plants are relatively low-maintenance and can thrive in similar growing conditions. Geraniums also attract pollinators, benefiting the overall health of the garden.
Salvia
Salvia is an excellent choice as a companion plant for Dusty Miller. Salvia’s vibrant and colorful flowers, available in various shades of red, purple, blue, and pink, provide a striking contrast against Dusty Miller’s silver-gray foliage.
Salvia is known for attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies, which can benefit the garden’s overall health. Both plants are relatively easy to grow and can tolerate similar growing conditions.
Wrapping Up
These Dusty Miller companion plants can provide a variety of colors, textures, and heights that beautifully complement the silvery-gray foliage of Dusty Miller. Whether looking for vibrant blooms, aromatic herbs, or contrasting foliage, this diverse list will help you create a visually stunning garden.