14 Annual Flowers That Bloom All Summer Long (2024)

20 Full-Sun Annuals That Will Add Color to Your Garden

Lantana

Perfect for beginner gardeners or those battling tough growing conditions, annual lantana (Lantana camara) is virtually indestructible."Lantana thrives in hot, dry sun, won't be eaten by rabbits or deer, invites hummingbirds and pollinators, doesn't need deadheading, and actually blooms all summer," says PeggyAnne Montgomery, horticulturist and bulb expert forFlowerbulbs.com. "In mid-summer or so, cut them back by a third to a half to promote compact growth and a fresh round of blooms."

• Zones:9 to 11
• Size:6 to 12 inches tall x 6 to 30 inches wide
• Growing conditions:Full sun; average, well-drained soil

Border Dahlia

Depending on where you live, dahlias are either perennial or annual; typically, gardeners in zones 7 and below need to grow them as annuals. "Dahlias are grown from tubers, but smaller varieties are often sold already in bloom as annuals—they are often called border dahlias," says Montgomery. "They will bloom all summer until and into fall." Since they're typically purchased after they've flowered, you can expect a much longer bloom time from border dahlias. Deadhead spent flower heads to encourage more growth.

• Zones:7 and below (annuals); 8 to 11 (perennials)
• Size:12 to 18 inches tall x 24 inches wide
• Growing conditions:Full sun; evenly moist, well-drained soil

Narrowleaf Angelon

Narrowleaf angelon (Angelonia angustifolia) is an upright annual that loves the heat of summer and will put on a beautiful show all season long. "Floral spikes filled with snapdragon-like flowers bloom in shades of white, pink, or purple on stems with narrow green leaves," says Brian Phiel, associate director of outdoor gardens at Longwood Gardens. You should plant the fragrant bloomer in spring after the threat of frost has passed.

• Zones:9 to 11
• Size: 18 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Growing conditions:Full sun; moist, fertile, well-drained soil

Tuberous Begonias

Grown as annuals in most of the country, these tropical plants bloom all summer."They have attractive, waxy foliage and bloom in bright, saturated colors," says Montgomery. "They do not like scorching sun—give them a location with plenty of morning light and filtered light in the afternoon." Remove spent flowers and wilted leaves to keep the plants healthy and to encourage continuous blooms.

• Zones:9 to 11
• Size:12 to 18 inches tall x 16 to 18 inches wide
• Growing conditions:Filtered sun; humus-rich, well-drained soil

Garden Cosmos

Annuals are known for having showy, bright blooms, and cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) are no exception. "An airy, fine-textured annual with large daisy-like flowers, cosmos make great additions to cut bouquets," says Phiel. "Available in colors ranging from magenta to white, yellow, and orange, these flowers are also known for attracting bees and butterflies." They're easy to grow from seed and should be sown just before your area's last frost date.

• Zones:10 to 11
• Size:Up to 4 feet tall x 2.5 feet wide
• Growing conditions:Full sun; average, well-drained soil

Firecracker Plant

Firecracker plant (Cuphea ignea), loves heat and sun, so it's a great summer annual variety. "The bright orange flowers are small but produced in abundance and truly flower all summer," says Montgomery. "In frost-free climates you can grow it as an evergreen perennial, but it's generally grown as an annual in most of the country." The pollinator-friendly plant will welcome hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees to your yard.

• Zones:9 to 11
• Size:18 to 28 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
• Growing conditions:Full sun; well-drained soil

Zinnia

A popular flower for gardeners, zinnias are heralded for being a tough, easy-to-grow annual that blooms non-stop all summer. "They make outstanding cut flowers and are much loved by butterflies," says Montgomery. "They come in a wide variety of colors in single, semi-double, and double forms." Note that zinnias are susceptible to powdery mildew in the fall, but good air circulation can help with this.

• Zones:2 to 11
• Size:Depends on the variety
• Growing conditions:Full sun; well-drained soil

Hibiscus

Hibiscus has exotic blooms that open wide in shades ofred, orange, yellow, and pink and often have a contrasting eye color. "It can be grown in large containers or in the ground," says Montgomery. "Prune away dead leaves and spent flowers. An organic fertilizer is appreciated." You can plant the tropical flower once nighttime temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Zones:5 to 11
• Size:Depends on the variety
• Growing conditions:Full sun; well-drained soil

Globe Amaranth

A compact annual that makes an excellent dried flower, globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) will put on a show all summer. After its growing season, you can use it as décor in your home thanks to its bright bracts, which retain their color. "Cultivars have expanded the range of available colors to include red, pink, purple, lilac, violet, and white," says Phiel.

• Zones:10 to 11
• Size:18 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Growing conditions:Full sun; average, well-drained soil

Celosia

A versatile annual, celosia can be planted in flower beds, border gardens, and containers. "This long-blooming annual has showy feather-like flowers on erect stems," says Phiel. "Flowers bloom throughout summer and into fall and are stunning in arrangements or when dried." The plant thrives in hot, humid weather, making it ideal as a summer annual flower.

• Zones:10 to 11
• Size:18 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Growing conditions:Full sun; average, moderately fertile, well-drained soil

Paris Daisy

A cheery way to fill in blank spaces in a perennial garden, Paris daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens) has flowers in pink, yellow, or white, which surround yellow centers. "It blooms throughout the summer, but slows down in the heat," says Phiel. "Some cultivars have features such as double flowers or blue-green foliage. Newer cultivars do not need deadheading."

• Zones:10 to 11
• Size:2.5 feet tall x 2.5 feet wide
• Growing conditions:Full sun; average, well-drained soil

Mandevilla

This tropical flower will make you feel like you're on vacation when standing in your own backyard. It's a fast grower and has large, fragrant flowers that bloom in shades of pink, red, white, or yellow. "Give this a special place in the garden where you'll be able to enjoy it every day," says Montgomery. Mandevilla flowers are self-cleaning, so they don’t need deadheading, but they will require vertical support. "Its waxy, deep green foliage is highly pest and disease-resistant," she says.

• Zones:10 to 11
• Size:Depends on the variety
• Growing conditions:Full sun; average, moist, well-drained soil with some organic matter

Marigold

Marigolds (Calendula officinalis) are a wonderful companion plant that keeps harmful bugs like aphids away from your garden. These pollinator-friendly plants produce bright, showy blooms that show off from early summer throughout fall.

• Zones:2 to 11
• Size:1 to 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
• Growing conditions:Full sun; moist, well-drained soil

Petunia

Petunias are one of the most popular flowering annuals thanks to their bright, cheerful blooms that fill gardens with color from spring until the first frost. There are multiple varieties of petunias, from grandiflora (which have the largest blooms) to milliflora (which have the smallest blooms). Make sure you plant this beloved bloomer in an area with a lot of sunlight.

• Zones:10 to 11
• Size:6 inches to 18 inches tall x 12 to 36 inches wide
• Growing conditions:Full sun; moist, well-drained soil