15 Favorite Summer-Blooming Annuals

Fill your yard with stunning warm weather color from annual flowers.

By: Julie Martens Forney

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Pretty Much Picasso Supertunia (Petunia hybrid)

Paint a living masterpiece with the eye-catching blooms of Pretty Much Picasso. Deep violet throats contrast with paler petals edged in lime green to create a stunning look in containers and beds. The name “Supertunia” is code for “needs plenty of fertilizer and water”—along with a midsummer trim. July 4 cut back one in five stems to the bottom of the pot to stimulate new growth.

‘Zahara Double Fire’ Zinnia (Zinnia marylandica ‘Zahara Double Fire’)

Ignite your landscape with the award-winning blooms of ‘Zahara Double Fire’. Flowers blaze in orange, gold and red shades as they open and mature. Plants shrug off typical zinnia diseases without missing a blooming beat. You’ll never need to deadhead, and flowers are a butterfly magnet. Use this beauty to edge beds or grace containers.

‘Sonata Mix’ Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Sonata Mix’)

Cosmos grows like a living bouquet in the garden. ‘Sonata Mix’ tops out at 24 inches, making it a versatile addition to a planting bed, where it fits neatly in a front or middle position. Flowers open in pink shades and white and beckon butterflies and other pollinators.

Diamond Frost Euphorbia (Euphorbia ‘Inneuphdia’)

Versatile, hearty and breathtaking—that sums up Diamond Frost euphorbia’s performance in the summer garden. This plant flowers non-stop once it starts and makes a nice addition to pots or planting beds. Try Diamond Frost and you won’t be disappointed. It’s one of the most award-winning plants ever developed.

Sunbini Creeping Zinnia (Sanvitalia ‘Starbini Superbini’)

Draft Sunbini sanvitalia to edge beds or play the role of filler in containers. This is a low-maintenance, non-stop bloomer that doesn’t need deadheading. Butterflies flock to sanvitalia, and the stems make nice additions to garden bouquets. The original sanvitalia hails from Mexico, which means it thrives in hot, sunny spots.

‘Summer Jewel Red’ (Salvia coccinea ‘Summer Jewel Red’)

You’ll be dodging hummingbirds when you plant ‘Summer Jewel Red’ salvia. The bright red blooms on this beauty are a hummer magnet. Plants grow to 20 inches tall and hold their own in containers or planting beds. This annual self-sows to create drifts of color in years to come.

Angelface Angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia hybrid)

Give your outdoor spaces a splash of purple by tucking angelonia into containers and beds. Also known as summer snapdragon, the flowers form on spikes that keep coming all summer long. Blooms last a long time in garden bouquets and beckon butterflies and other pollinators.

‘Prado Red Shades’ Sunflower (Helianthus ‘Prado Red Shades’)

‘Prado Red Shades’ isn’t your typical sunflower. Unusual chocolate-tinted centers sport a collar of red petals. Plants top out at 4 feet. Pinch stems when five sets of leaves have formed, and you’ll be rewarded with seven to 10 full size flowers for bouquets.

Rudbeckia ‘Tiger Eye Gold’ (Rudbeckia hirta)

Semi-double flowers unfurl to 4 inches across on sturdy stems. This black-eyed susan has traditionally colored blossoms—gold petals surround deep brown centers. Blooms make great additions to bouquets and butterfly gardens. Plants self-sow in the garden and also fit well in containers.

Happy Trails ‘Pink Passion Mix’ (Portulaca grandiflora ‘Pink Passion Mix’)

Also known as moss rose, portulaca is a go-to annual for sunny spots where heat and dry soil reign. Stems on this moss rose trail from 14 to 18 inches long, making it a great choice for a flowering ground cover. Blossoms open in shades of rose, pink and fuchsia.

New Wonder Fan Flower (Scaevola aemula ‘Newon’)

Bring on the blue with the pretty blooms of fan flower. This tough annual thrives in containers or planting beds, standing up to heat or drought. Stems trail to 24 inches, forming a flowering ground cover or cascading artfully over pot edges.

‘Quartz Scarlet XP’ Verbena (Verbena hybrida ‘Quartz Scarlet XP’)

A versatile performer, this verbena thrives in the heat of summer—and keeps the color coming well into autumn. Bright red blossoms beckon butterflies and other pollinators. Use plants as a flowering ground cover or tuck along container edges for a cascade of color.

Ruffles Peach New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri ‘KIRORUF113’)

Ruffled petals make this geranium a stand-out in the flower garden. Or tuck it into pots to add a splash of color to patios and porches. New Guinea impatiens grow best in part shade to shade. They aren’t susceptible to downy mildew, a disease that destroys bedding impatiens.

‘Durango Mix Improved’ Marigold (Tagetes patula ‘Durango Mix Improved’)

Fill your garden with the cheery blooms of marigold in shades of gold, orange, red and blends. This sturdy little annual stands up to harsh weather, gives rabbits and deer the brush-off and attracts butterflies like crazy. Flowers measure 2 to 2.5 inches across.

‘Kosmo Mix’ Celosia (Celosia spicata ‘Kosmo Mix’)

A dwarf celosia, ‘Kosmo Mix’ forms unusual branched flower heads on plants that stay a tidy 8 to 10 inches tall. Celosia is a butterfly favorite, and flowers also make great additions to dried bouquets. Use this bloomer in pots or planting beds. Flowers come in yellow, salmon and cherry.