Flowering Annual Plants

Cool-season Annuals

• Cool-season annuals are planted in the fall and will bloom in most parts of the country from fall through spring. Pansies, violas, snapdragons and stock will all offer color in containers and the garden during months when it is hard to find color. Pansies come in a wide array of colors, some having dark faces. Violas look similar to pansies but have smaller flowers and bloom profusely.

  Snapdragons are tall slender annuals that bloom in pastel colors. Stock is also tall and slender and is mainly found in pastels. These plants have a wonderful fragrance. Snapdragons and stock can be planted in the fall or early spring and will bloom in spring.

Warm-season Annuals

• Warm-season annuals are planted in late spring after the chance of frost passes and will bloom through summer until the first frost hits. Some common warm-season annuals are petunias, vinca, marigolds and impatiens. Petunias, vinca and marigolds will take hot full sun and come in many different colors varying from pastels to extremely bright colors. Removing spent blooms on petunias and marigolds will keep them blooming throughout the growing season. Impatiens grow in shade and are available in every shade of pink, red and white imaginable.

Buying Annual Plants

• Annuals are relatively inexpensive because they are offered as very small plants. Most annuals are grown in four packs or small 4-inch pots. It is usually less expensive to buy four packs rather than individual pots, and the four-pack plants will grow equally well.

Growing Annuals by Seed

• Annuals look best when planted in mass. For mass planting many plants are needed which can become expensive, especially every year. Starting annuals by seed usually costs a fraction of what it costs to buy the plants. Cleomes, marigolds, nasturtiums, morning glories, sweet peas and zinnias are all easily started by seed. It is best to start these seeds indoors in a warm sunny spot and transplant the plants into the garden after the threat of frost passes. Another advantage of starting annuals by seed is the selection of varieties you can grow. Nurseries and garden centers can only grow a fraction of the annuals that are available through seed companies.