Plants You Should Not Divide

Generally, the best time to divide perennials is early spring and early fall but there are some plants that just don't do well divided at any time. I compiled a list of plants you should not divide so you don't waste your time because chances are you will be dissapointed in the end.

This is not a complete list by any means so you can be sure, there are many more.



  • Baby's breath - Gypsophila

  • Butterfly Weed - Asclepias

  • Candytuft - Iberis sempervirens

  • Columbines - Aquilegia

  • Christmas Roses - Helleborus

  • False Indigo - Baptisia

  • Gas Plant - Dictamnus albus

  • Globe Thistle - Echinops ritro

  • Windflower - (Japanese) anemones

  • Lavender cotton Santolina chamaecyparrus

  • Lavender - Lavandula angustifolia - I've heard some folks have no problem with dividing these and others say, "No, don't do it!"

  • Lupine - Lupinus

  • Oriental poppies - Papaver orientale --If you want try, do so when they die back in the mid to late summer.

  • Peony- Paeonia--It is very difficult to have success dividing.

  • Rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis

  • Southernwood - Artemesia abrotanum

  • Spurges - Euphorbias



  • I'll keep adding to this as I continue learn, have sucesses and failures.




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