Want to grow a flower garden but not sure where to start? These popular annual flowers are beloved by gardeners for a reason! Looking for flowers that are low-commitment, colorful and easy to grow? Try these popular annual flowers that are known to be landscape superstars, whether grown in the ground or in a pot.
petunia flower
Petunia
Petunia
Petunias pump out blooms in nearly every hue all summer long with little care. Give them plenty of sun and keep them well watered. Today’s petunias are bred to be self-cleaning and to bloom without deadheading.
Why we love it: You can brighten your landscape with these fanciful types of flowers that offer vibrant color in spring, summer and fall.
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Cleome
Cleome hassleriana
Because of its spiderlike flowers, cleome—which is also commonly called spiderflower—is a nearly unmistakable annual in a sunny garden. It grows quickly from seed, towering up to 4 or 5 feet, and offers fragrant pink, lavender, purple or white bicolor flowers.
Why we love it: A pollinator favorite, it handles drought, and animals leave the hairy, sticky stems alone.
Lantana Andyraupp, popular annual flowers
Lantana
Lantana spp.
A summer blooming tropical, lantana is a northern annual and a southern perennial with clusters of bright flowers that pollinators love. They are excellent in containers, in full sun and well-draining soil. Lantana is invasive in some areas, so be sure to research before planting.
Why we love it: This summer staple offers many options to choose from: compact sizes, trailing shapes and unusual color combos.
Impatiens
Impatiens
Breeders created new impatiens varieties such as the Beacon series that resist downy mildew, a disease that almost wiped out many impatiens several years ago. Now these popular annual flowers are back in garden beds again!
Why we love it: When planted in the shade and watered regularly, impatiens keep blooming all the way until frost. Colors include white, red, orange, pink and coral. Double-flowering varieties, such as Glimmer, with blooms resembling tiny roses, are perfect for pots.
Pansy Corrinnesmith
Pansy
Viola x wittrockiana
This colorful bloomer is best known for the whiskered “faces” that mark many of the flowers. The majority of pansy varieties are annuals, though some live longer. Most perform best in cooler weather, so in warm climates, some cultivars are grown as winter annuals.
Why we love it: Pansies are perfect for containers where they thrive with little care.
Depending on the species, celosia flowers take different shapes, such as the plumes above. Colors include maroon, red, purple, orange, chartreuse and white. The mature height is between 8 and 36 inches. Grow these popular annual flowers in the front or back of borders, based on the height of the plant.
Why we love it: Celosia is easy to grow and lasts two to three weeks as cut flowers. The flowers also look great dried. Just hang in a cool, dry place for a few weeks.
Mexicansunflower Davidmeyer
Mexican Sunflower
Tithonia rotundifolia
Although the species can reach 6 feet tall and may require support, shorter cultivars bred from this Mexican native flower are much more manageable at 2 to 3 feet in height. The zinnia-like blooms, which draw butterflies, are usually bright orange with a golden center, but some cultivars sport other warm hues.
Why we love it: Enjoy bright bursts of orange in a vase with some added wire support.
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Zinnia
Zinnia
Popular annual zinnias come in all sizes, from ground covers to giant plants that top out at 5 feet or taller. For a shorter plant that does well in pots, try Profusion zinnias that reach 18 inches and bloom nonstop throughout the summer with no need to remove faded blooms. Colors range from white to orange, yellow and red.
Why we love it: It’s easy to start from seeds, or buy plants at a local garden center.
Sunstar Lavender pentas
Pentas
Pentas lancelota
Pretty pentas is a butterfly and hummingbird favorite. The tropical plant grows up to 2 feet tall and produces flowers in shades of pink, red, white and lavender. The popular annual flowers, with five petals in a starlike configuration, grow in clusters.
Why we love it: Deadheading pentas isn’t necessary, but removing spent blooms will ensure more flowers all summer.
Pw Snapdragon
Snapdragon
Antirrhinum majus
For a flower that can be planted in early spring and still bloom into late fall, try snapdragons. Varieties range in height from 8 inches to almost 2 feet. Snapdragons like well-draining soil and full sun. Although they may grow more slowly in the hottest part of summer, they’ll take off and start blooming again once it gets cooler.
Why we love it: Despite the intimidating name, snapdragons are a favorite of butterflies.
Lemon-scented geranium
Scented Geranium
Pelargonium spp.
Scented geraniums are enchanting plants to have around, even when they’re not blooming, because the ornamental leaves have a wonderful fragrance. Scents include peppermint, rose, pine, apple-nutmeg and lemon. They’re grown like most geraniums, with plenty of sun and well-draining soil.
Why we love it: The leaves release their lovely scents when brushed or touched, so grow scented geraniums on a patio or window box for a quick whiff.
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