Spring Bedding Plants for East Texas

Petunias

• Petunias (Petunias spp.) are a reliable bedding plant in East Texas for early spring planting. Dozens of varieties are available, from the fragrant old-fashioned varieties with pastel-colored flowers to the spreading wave varieties with vibrant-colored blooms of red and purple. Petunias continue to look good until midsummer when the heat begins to take its toll. Young petunia plants are tolerant of a light frost.

Marigolds

• Marigolds (Tagetes erecta) grow from 8 inches to 4 feet tall depending on the variety. They grow quickly after they are placed in a flower bed, but must be planted after all danger of frost has passed. The flowers are yellow, white, orange or red and the foliage is aromatic and fernlike. Marigold plants bloom all season if old flowers are removed from the plants before they go to seed. If they are allowed to reseed, you may have several generations in one year.

Gazanias

• Gazanias (Gazania Rigens) are a low-growing annual or tender perennial in East Texas that grows to 1 foot tall. It forms a mound of greenery before producing yellow or orange daisylike flowers. Although it grows best in a sunny location and is drought tolerant, it needs some protection from the hottest afternoon sun. The flowers close at night and on cloudy days.

Periwinkle

• Perwinkle (Vinca) is a popular annual bedding plant in East Texas because it seems to grow bigger and bloom more as the season warms. The simple five-petaled flowers of blue, pink, red, purple or white are produced from spring until frost. The leaves are glossy and green and resistant to insects and diseases. Periwinkles are susceptible to fungal disease in shady damp locations with poor air circulation.

Impatiens

• Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana) produce flowers all season long and are used as a bedding plant to create a mass of color. Impatiens grow best in a protected shady location and are tolerant of heat only if they receive sufficient moisture. They are not drought tolerant. The brittle branches of impatiens break easily in high winds. However, they are highly sought after because of their ability to bloom in dense shade.

Celosia

• Celosia or cockscomb (Celosia argentea) have an unusual flower that some people say looks like a red velvet-covered brain. It is an insect and disease resistant plant that tolerates the intense heat of a full sun location. The foliage is also attractive. Celosia produce hundreds of tiny black seeds that sprout as soon as the soil warms the following spring.

Pentas

• Pentas (Pentas lanceolata) are considered an evergreen in Southeast Texas but are usually planted as a blooming annual in most of East Texas. The clusters of tubular flowers are white, pink or red depending on the variety. Pentas grow to 3 feet tall and thrive in full sun or part shade. The flowers of pentas are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.