Annual Flower Seeds

Annuals are a great way to spruce up your garden on a yearly basis. On the one hand, they can be a lot of work since you can't just plant once and enjoy them for years. On the other hand, however, annuals allow you to change your garden's "look" more easily, since you can add new things every year! Annuals are also great for planters  and windowboxes,  since you don't usually put perennials in small containers. Some annuals can act as perennials by reseeding themselves prolifically; they can even spread to new areas, so you might want to be careful with flowers that can reseed. Some annuals are actually "tender perennials"; in temperate areas, they are usually planted as annnuals, but when the climate is warm year-round they can live for more than one season. 

Most annuals prefer full to partial sun unless otherwise noted. Plants are listed alphabetically by common name.

African Daisy  Osteospermum spp. Colorful daisy flowers in a wide variety of colors. African daisies  can grow up to four feet tall. Blooms spring to fall. Likes full sun.	Ageratum  Ageratum houstonianum Ageratum  is a popular border plant. Pink, blue, purple and white. Summer and fall blooms.	Alyssum  Lobularia maritima Alyssum  is popular for borders. White, pink or purple flowers with sweet fragrance. Actually a tender perennial, but often grown as an annual.	Angelonia  Angelonia spp. Angelonia  is a small heat-tolerant shrub with orchid-shaped flowers in various shades of blue and purple. Good for container gardens. Full sun.

Aster  Aster spp. Colorful daisy-like flowers that bloom in late summer through early fall. Asters  come in a wide variety of colors. Full sun.	Baby's Breath  Gypsophila spp. Although frequently thought of as "just filler" in a bouquet, baby's breath  can make a statement on its own in your garden. Large and airy with masses of tiny white or light pink flowers. Blooms in summer.	Bachelor Buttons  Centaurea cyanus Also known as cornflower.  Popular for beds and, of course, as boutonnieres. Red, blue, pink, and white. Full sun.	Bacopa  Sutera hybrids Low-grower with pale blue, pale purple or white flowers. Bacopa  is attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. Can be perennial in warm climates.

Bellflower  Campanula spp. Blue flowers in a variety of shades and sizes. Also known as cup and saucer flower  for their distinctive shape. Too much sun can fade their colors; best results in partly shaded areas.	Bells of Ireland  Moluccella laevis Unusual plant with vivid green flowers. Tall, fragrant, and popular for flower arrangements. Will self-sow; deadhead if you don't want this or let it grow wild and enjoy beautiful bells  year after year.	Calendula  Calendula officinalis Also known as pot marigold  or English marigold.  Different genus from other marigolds. Large blooms in orange, yellow, cream and white. Bloom for a long time; great in flower arrangements. Full sun.	Calibrachoa  Calibrachoa spp. Versatile plant in a variety of colors that can be happy in many situations. Blooms all summer; calibrachoa  is also known to attract hummingbirds.

Celosia  and Cockscomb  Celosia spp. Similar plants with clusters of flowers; celosia  grows in a cone shape while cockscomb  looks a bit like coral. Very bright colors in a wide range of warm tones.	Cyclamen  Cyclamen spp. Although frequently used indoors as a houseplant, the exotic-looking cyclamen  can be used as an annual in shady areas. White, pink, or red flowers.	Dahlia  Dahlia spp. Dahlias  can grow up to four feet tall. Large, colorful, showy flowers in a wide variety of colors and color combinations. Also come in a variety of shapes -- some have spikey petals.	Dianthus (Pinks)  Dianthus chinensis Similar to sweet william, but more pink.  Also not as tall. Excellent as a cut flower. Blooms from summer to fall.

English Daisy  Bellis perennis The English daisy  has buttonlike flowers in red, pink, purple and white. Perennial treated as an annual; in mild climates, can be planted in the fall for spring blooms.	Feverfew  Chrysanthemum parthenium (also Tanacetum parthenium) Bright, cheery daisylike flower with profuse blooms throughout the summer. Great as cut flowers. Feverfew  has medicinal properties; a tincture may repel insects and help with headaches.	Four o'Clock  Mirabilis jalapa Named for their habit of opening mid-afternoon (around four o'clock! ). Attractive flowers in a variety of colors.	Geranium  Pelargonium hortorum Popular choice for window boxes and container gardens. Wide variety of colors, from pastels and whites to vivid reds. Geranium  leaves have a distinctive, pleasant smell.

Globe Amaranth  Gomphrena globosa Easy to grow and good for dried arrangements. Globe amaranth  is available in purple, pink or white. Full to partial sun.	Hollyhocks  Alcea rosea Old-fashioned biennial flower. Hollyhocks  are a staple of the classic English cottage garden. Tall (up to six feet) spikes of flowers in white, pink, red, purple, yellow and even black.	Iceland Poppy  Papaver nudicaule Plant in the fall for spring blooms. Iceland poppies  can be perennial in some areas; may live two to three years in areas with cooler summers.	Impatiens  and New Guinea Impatiens  Impatiens wallerana and Impatiens hawkeri One of the most popular flowers for garden beds. The New Guinea  species is larger and has more colorful leaves.

Johnny Jump-Ups  Viola tricolor Share a genus with pansies and violas. Johnny Jump-Ups  resemble pansies but are smaller. Small size and abundance of flowers make these a good choice for borders, window boxes or hanging pots.	Larkspur  Delphinium elatum Tall (up to five feet), showy spikes of flowers in white, pink, lilac and blue. Larkspur  can reseed and return, but usually used as an annual. Likes full sun. Good as a cut flower.	Lobelia  Lobelia erinus Another popular border plant. Doesn't grow more than six inches tall. Trailing lobelia  varieties are an excellent ground cover. Light blue to deep purple flowers.	Love-in-a-Mist  Nigella damascena Spring bloomer great for cut flower arrangements. Also known as devil-in-a-bush  or nigella.  Blue, white, or pink. Looks a bit wild -- great in mixed beds.

Lupin  (Texas Bluebonnet  and Garden Lupin ) Lupinus texensis and L. polyphyllus Lupins  are popular for their tall spikes of flowers in blues, pinks, and white. One species, the Texas bluebonnet,  is especially popular for its vibrant blue blooms. Reseed easily. Bloom in the spring.	Marigold  Tagetes spp. Another popular, easy flower for both pots and beds, this is the "true" marigold.  Vibrant oranges and yellows contrast nicely with taller blue and purple flowers. Larger African varieties  can be as large as three feet tall. Full sun.	Mexican Heather  Cuphea hyssopifolia Perennial in warm climates. Looks delicate, but surprisingly hardy -- neglect it and it will be fine. Delicate purplish flowers and small leaves. Mexican heather  prefers full sun.	Morning Glory  Ipomoea tricolor Morning glory  is a popular vine flower that will grow vigorously along anything you provide for support. Blooms continuously from summer to fall. Lots of available colors, but blue is the most popular. Likes full sun.

Moss Rose  Portulaca grandiflora Moss roses  will love the hot, sunny spot of your garden. Brightly colored blooms no matter how hot it gets. Also good in containers.	Nasturtium  Tropaeolum majus Vivid shades of red, orange, and yellow, as well as some paler colors. Nasturtiums  are fantastic in hanging baskets; blooms all through the growing season. Attractive foliage as well. Flowers are edible and taste peppery (like arugula).	Nemesia  Nemesia fruticans Fragrant, snapdragon-like flowers in a variety of showy colors. Nemesia  likes full sun; can also tolerate heat and cold. Semi-trailing, does well in containers and hanging planters.	Nicotiana  Nicotiana alata Nicotiana  is tolerant of heat and humidity. Lovely, trumpet-shaped flowers in a variety of bright and pastel hues (some even border on green). Lightly fragranced.

Pansy  Viola wittrockiana One the most widely used border plants, pansies  add tons of color in a small space. Wide range of colors -- white, black, and nearly every shade in between. Very cold tolerant.	Petunia  Petunia hybrida Easy to grow, petunias  require little maintenance. Will spill over the edge in hanging pots and boxes, or plant them wherever you want a colorful border.	Phlox  Phlox drummondi Phlox  is well known for its fragrant clusters of flowers in several pastel shades. Prefer cooler weather and will even grow through mild winters.	Primrose  Primula spp. Vivid, cheery low-growers bloom in spring through early summer. Can grow in any lighting condition, including light shade. Primroses  can be perennial in cooler areas.

Salvia  Salvia splendens Scarlet flowers on attractive green foliage -- quite a show for late spring and early summer. Salvia  is popular with hummingbirds (and anyone else who loves red!)	Snapdragon  Antirrhinum majus Spikey clusters of flowers up to three feet tall in red, yellow, pink, orange, white, and multi-color varieties. Tempting two-part flowers that "talk" when you squeeze the "dragon" .	Statice (Sea-lavender)  Limonium spp. This unusual plant is a favorite for dried flower arrangements, as it looks almost as good dry as it does fresh. Statice  comes in  a wide variety of vibrant colors, not just purple as its other name suggests.	Stock  Matthiola incana Another English garden favorite, this tall and fragrant biennial is usually grown as an annual. Great as a cut flower, stock  will perfume any space. Blooms in spring and fall.

Strawflower  Helichrysum spp. Short-lived perennial usually grown as an annual. Red, pink, yellow, white flowers. Popular for dried arrangements; strawflower  will retain its color for long periods of time, hence the alternative name "everlasting". Full sun.	Sunflower  Helianthus annus Growing from six inches  to six feet  tall, there is a variety of sunflower  for just about any spot in the garden. Attract birds when the seeds ripen -- unless you take them first. Some are fragrant as well, and make wonderful cut flowers. If sunshine and smiles grew on a stalk, they'd look like this.	Sweet Pea  Lathyrus odoratus The species name, odoratus, isn't kidding -- these are sweet-smelling beauties that will climb anywhere. Sweet pea  is great as a cut flower; wide variety of blues, pinks, reds and purples. Also available in "bush types" that don't climb.	Sweet William  Dianthus barbatus Large clusters of small flowers in red, white, and pink. Sweet william  blooms in early spring; may repeat in summer. Tender perennial usually treated as an annual.

Twinspur  Diascia hybrids Twinspur  is an orchid-like flowers in various shades of pink and purple. Does well in pots and as a hanging plant.	Verbena  Verbena hybrida Colorful, drought-resistant sun-lovers. Verbena  attracts butterflies. Also does well in containers, where it will spill over the edges for an attractive display.	Vinca (Periwinkle)  Catharanthus roseus Vinca  have showy blooms and foliage even in hot weather. Red, white and pink, with contrasting eye. Don't mix these up with the other periwinkle/vincas, Vinca major and Vinca minor.	Viola  Viola cornuta Smaller relative of the pansy. Wide range of colors in the red-purple family. Violas  are more heat-resistant than pansy and are also cold-resistant.

Wallflower  Erysiumum linifolium (and other spp.) Wallflower  looks great as a ground cover in a group. Wide variety of colors, including pinks, white, and orange.	Wax Begonia  Begonia semperflorens Begonias  are popular and easy to grow plants that do well in many areas. Whites and reds, with various interesting types of foliage. Full sun to full shade.	Zinnia  Zinnia elegans Easy-to-grow puffs of bright colors that bloom for a long period. Attract butterflies. Look for two-toned  and patterned  zinnia  cultivars for added variety.