Common Annual Flowers

Marigolds

• Marigolds (Tagetes erecta) bloom during the summer and continue into the fall. They grow well in the hot sun, and as long as the soil is well-draining, marigolds are not fussy. The double, solitary flowers come in a variety of different colors from orange, yellow, mahogany, creamy white, bronze and bi-color. These blooming beauties can grow between 1 and 4 feet tall, so you may have to stake the taller marigold plants when the flowers set on. To keep the blooms coming, pick off the spent flowers. Marigolds grow well in beds, borders or containers. If grown as a common annual, marigolds are hardy in all UDSA zones.

Petunias

• Petunias flower in single or double blossoms from the spring through late summer. Grow petunias in gardens where there is full sun to partial shade, and they flourish with little care. They will grow in almost any type of soil and can tolerate a moderate drought. Petunias reach between 8 and 10 inches high, making them the perfect annual flower to grow in beds, borders, planters, window boxes and hanging baskets. Butterflies are drawn to the blossoms, and the flowers come in a variety of different colors and single to double blooms. To keep petunias blooming longer, remove spent flowers. Petunias are susceptible to aphids, caterpillars and leaf miners. To control the pests, spray with insecticide or insecticidal soap. When grown as a common annual, petunias are hardy in all UDSA zones.

Vinca

• Vinca (Catharanthus roseus) are common annuals that flower from spring until the fall. A trouble-free delight to any garden and an early summer bloomer, they will continue to give a dazzling flower show in spite of the heat and drought until the frost takes them out. Vinca is a bushy plant growing 10 to 12 inches tall and 12 inches wide. Beds or borders are good growing spots, as long as they receive full sun or partial shade. Grow vinca in containers, and you can take them indoors during the winter months for a terrific houseplant. As an outdoor annual, vinca is hardy in all USDA zones.

Begonias

• Begonias (Begonia x argenteogutta) will flower through the summer season. Flowers range from single, semi-double to double blossoms, and they provide a colorful show. Begonias are compact plants that tolerate the heat and humidity of summer. Rapid growers, they are perfect as an accent plant in a shady garden or in containers. Depending on the variety you choose, begonia leaves differ greatly. Some leaves form spirals that resemble shells, while others feel like velvet. The plants grow thick with many layers of dense leaves topped with 2- to 4-inch blooms. Whether the soil is moist or dry, begonias are a trouble-free plant to grow. As a common annual, begonias are hardy in all USDA zones.

Sweet Alyssum

• Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritime) is a low-growing common annual flower. They grow between 3 and 10 inches high. Plant these delightful, sweet-smelling flowers along borders, and they will quickly fill in the area with a blanket of color. Bloom time is from spring until the early fall, and they grow well in sunny gardens or ones with partial shade. The flowers range from white, purple or red. As an annual, sweet alyssum is hardy in all USDA zones.