10 Gorgeous Yellow Annual Flowers

Annuals, such as these pansies, are plants that germinate, flower, set seed and die all in one growing season.

Gardeners who compete at county fairs and flower shows often grow 'Russian Mammoth', a hard-to-beat beauty that towers 9 to 12 feet high. The huge heads can be dried for their thin-shelled, striped seeds, which are meaty and beloved by birds and other wildlife. This easy-to-grow favorite also attracts butterflies.

This eye-catching cultivar of the native black-eyed susan sports two-tone petals. Cut flowers for bouquets or let them set seed for birds to nibble. Plants are hardy in Zones 3 to 9, but sometimes perform more as a short-lived perennial or biennial.

The California poppy (eschscholzia californica) is a vigorous, bushy, spreading annual that opens fully only in sun and varies in color from yellow, orange, and gold to red, pink and white. Almost indestructible. H to 12 in (30 cm); S to 6 in (15 cm).

Marigolds have a bold color and strong scent—so it stands to reason that they symbolize strong emotions: courage, passion, jealousy, exuberance. Tradition says that girls who place marigolds under their pillows will dream about the man they’ll marry one day.

Annual plants, such as nasturtiums (Tropaeolum), reproduce by setting seed before they die at the end of their life cycle. Each year, collect seed from your annuals to sow for new plants the next year.

The canary creeper is a vigorous annual climber bearing bright yellow flowers with fringed petals from summer to autumn.

Xerochrysum bracteatum, or everlasting flower, are erect annuals with large, papery flower heads suitable for dried flower arrangements that will last for years. It produces blooms in white or shades of yellow, pink and red all summer and into fall.

The pansy is a cool season annual. Plant pansies en masse in the fall and they will explode with color immediately. They can be planted in containers or directly in the ground.

The daisylike flowers of the pot marigold range in color from bright yellow and orange to cream and apricot. It will continue flowering until the first fall frost. Scientific name, Calendula officinalis. H 12–30 in (30–75 cm); S 12–18 in (30–45 cm).