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Here's Why Your Perennials Aren't Coming Back This Year

By Jenna Clark Dengarden

Updated May 30, 2026 7:49 AM

arena photography — Katrin Ray Shumakov / Getty Images

If you've landed on this page, you may have noticed that the perennials you expected to come back this year didn't (or don't look like they will). While this may be disappointing, learning why perennials may not come back can help you provide the best care moving forward to make sure it doesn't happen again. It is important to note, however, that some perennials just have shorter lifespans, which could be contributing to why they haven't or won't return.

With this in mind, perennials not coming back can mean a few different things, and not always that they have died. "Dormancy is a survival strategy," says Angelica Elliott, assistant director of public horticulture at the Desert Botanical Garden. "If they fail to regrow, it may indicate that they have died." She recommends checking to confirm that your perennials are completely dead by providing a deep watering when the weather allows and observing if they respond.

We chatted with gardening and horticulture experts to learn more about the reasons why perennials don't come back. We also asked for their insights into best care practices for perennials. Read on for reasons why your perennials aren't coming back, and what you can do to prevent it from happening again.

1. The Soil Did Not Drain Properly

If you live in an area that experiences a lot of snow or water throughout the winter and fall, there's a good chance your perennial's soil may have become oversaturated. "Many gardeners assume cold kills plants, but in reality, wet soil is often more damaging than freezing temperatures," says Tabar Gifford, partnership Cultivator and master gardener at American Meadows and High Country Gardens. "Waterlogged roots can rot over winter long before spring arrives." Root rot is one of the last things your perennials want to deal with when growing.

Linda Langelo, Colorado State University extension and horticulture specialist, and author of Plants Are Speaking. Are You Listening? adds that it is important to be fully knowledgeable about the optimal conditions within which your perennials can survive (and thrive) to prevent this from happening.

2. Too Much Mulch

While you might think that adding mulch can benefit your perennials, adding too much can sometimes have the opposite effect. Langelo advises aiming for between two and three inches when applying mulch (especially around the crown). "Place the appropriate amount of mulch around the root system," she says. "Too much suffocates the root system. Too little mulch will expose the root system to temperature fluctuations."

3. Winter Damage

Even though it might seem obvious, Katherine Speicher, botanical gardens manager at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Gifford, and John Faerber, director of horticulture, landscaping and floral at The Lake House on Canandaigua, note that winter damage can contribute to your perennials not coming back. "Extreme cold, ice or repeated freeze-thaw cycles can damage or kill the roots and crown," says Faerber.

While this might seem counterintuitive to the "too much mulch" point above, Gifford notes that mulch (when applied correctly) can provide insulation throughout the winter.

If you know that the area of your garden regularly endures harsh winter weather, Elliott and Speicher recommend opting for perennials well-suited and adapted for colder conditions.

4. Overcaring

Despite your best intentions, it is possible to overcare for perennials, causing them to go dormant or even die. "Oddly enough, too much attention can sometimes shorten a perennial's lifespan," says Gifford. "Overwatering, overfertilizing and excessive fall cleanup can weaken plants or interfere with their natural seasonal cycles." Overcaring for your perennials can provide unnecessary (and avoidable) stress.

Gifford recommends taking actions such as avoiding fertilizers with a high concentration of nitrogen and making unnecessary cuts to your plants and stems throughout the fall and winter seasons.

5. Wrong Planting Zones

Ensuring your perennials are planted in the correct USDA Hardiness Zone can significantly improve their chances of coming back year after year. Gifford and Langelo note that USDA Hardiness Zones exist for a reason and that you should do your best to plant perennials that fall within your area for the best results. "Gardeners often fall in love with beautiful plants at garden centers without realizing they may only be marginally hardy in their USDA zone," says Gifford.

6. Wrong Timing

Elliott notes that the timing of when you plant your perennials may be the reason why they won't come back this year. "If planted too close to the expected frost date in your region, they may not have had time to develop strong roots and could fail to return after extreme temperatures," she explains. If the perennials you're working with go dormant in the winter, she adds that planting them directly after the last frost is key.

You can mark these important dates on your calendar so you don't forget when you should begin planting.

This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 7:15 AM.