Stick to your plant budget by harvesting seeds from these flowers with seedpods. These blooms keep on giving with easy-to-save seeds.
Maybe you want to share a favorite flowering plant with friends and family. Or perhaps you just want more bang for your gardening buck. Whatever the reason, harvesting flower seeds takes little effort—and as these beauties burst into bloom, you’ll appreciate them more than ever. With a little knowledge of flowers with seedpods, you’ll enjoy blooms for the future!
Breadseed poppy blooms in early summer with paperlike flowers in blush, red, pink or purple. As petals fade away, large seedpods emerge that may split open to release tiny black seeds, or you can harvest them when you can hear the seeds rattle in the pods.
Why we love it: The highly ornamental seedpods are great choices for dried flower arrangements, and the nutty-flavored seeds can be used in baking.
Blooming in late summer to fall, these pollinator magnets are 4 to 6 feet tall with orange, daisylike flowers. Easy to start from seed, Mexican sunflowers thrive in hot, dry climates, and prefer full sun and well-draining soil. Deadheading spent flowers can extend the bloom season.
Why we love it: They make great cut flowers, and their height is ideal to tuck them into the back of any garden.
Eastern Red Columbine
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Aquilegia canadensis, Zones 3 to 8
In the spring, pendulant red and yellow flowers bloom high above the green, parsleylike foliage. In the summer, each flower develops into an upright vessel of small black seeds. Columbine prefers morning sun and afternoon shade.
Why we love it: This native plant is a critical food source for returning ruby-throated hummingbirds, as well as bees, hawk moths and skipper butterflies.
Empress of India Nasturtium
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Tropaeolum minus, Zones 9 to 11, Annual elsewhere
This old-fashioned heirloom grows a foot high with red flowers and blue-green leaves. It blooms from summer to fall in full sun, attracting hummingbirds.
Why we love it: Nasturtiums are good companion plants, attracting beneficial insects and repelling harmful ones. If cut for vases, they may root in water.
Anise Hyssop
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Agastache foeniculum, Zones 3 to 8
A native in the mint family, anise hyssop grows 2 to 4 feet tall and blooms 3-inch spikes of purple flowers in the summer. Hummingbirds, bees and butterflies love the flowers, while goldfinches eat the seeds.
Why we love it: This plant doubles as a culinary herb, providing an anise or licorice flavor. The fragrant leaves are used for teas and baking and individual florets are used in fruit salads.
Moonflower
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Ipomoea alba, Zones 10 to 12, Annual elsewhere
Shaped like a morning glory but a bit larger, moonflower opens in the evening and is all white. The vines need support such as a porch column or trellis. The intoxicating scent makes it great for a moon garden and attracts nocturnal pollinators.
Why we love it: At the end of the day, you can watch the buds unfurl. It takes a few minutes, but it can be great entertainment.
Hyacinth Bean
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Lablab purpureus (formerly Dolichos lablab), Zones 10 to 11, Annual elsewhere
This vine is a fast grower that blooms purple pealike flowers from summer to frost, resulting in large purple pea pods that are just as colorful as the flowers. It should also be noted that the raw beans are poisonous.
Why we love it: This lightweight vine pairs well with other blooming vines such as native honeysuckle.
Four-o’clocks
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Mirabilis jalapa, Zones 7 to 10
The shrubby, 2-foot tall plant produces many trumpet-shaped flowers that unwind to open at dusk. Flowers range in color from white, yellow, pink and red, and sometimes have streaks.
Why we love it: These flowers can be enjoyed during summer evenings when temperatures have cooled down, and nocturnal pollinators appreciate them too.
Blackberry Lily
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Iris domestica, Zones 5 to 10
This iris produces small, orange and red flowers, and in the fall, seedpods open to reveal dark seeds that resemble blackberry fruit. Blackberry lily reseeds readily and can be invasive, so be sure to research before planting.
Why we love it: After summer, decorative seed heads can be used for dried floral arrangements.
Honesty
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Lunaria annua, Zones 5 to 9
A late-spring to early-summer bloomer, honesty is a 3-foot-tall plant with small, four-petaled purple blossoms. Seedpods develop into green discs that dry to tan. Do some research before planting it or sharing seeds because it is considered invasive in some areas.
Why we love it: The dried flowers, seedpods and stems are lovely in floral arrangements.
Radio Calendula
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Calendula officinalis, Annual
Perfect for northern gardeners, this long bloomer, also known as pot marigold, shines in shades of yellow and orange all summer. Its edible petals have a sweet-tart tang.
Why we love it: Calendula is one of the easiest plants to grow for seed harvesting. But you’ll need to keep a close eye on the blooms: As soon as they begin to fade, it’s time to pick the seeds. If you don’t get them soon enough, they’ll fall off and the plant will reseed itself.
Cockscomb seeds can be found inside the heads, between the velvety flowers. Once the blooms dry out, cut them off and hang upside down in bunches. When the seed heads are completely dry and crisp, gently crush them with your hands and the seeds will fall out.
Why we love it: A native of the tropics, this cockscomb has fuzzy red flower heads that bring welcome texture to the garden. It’s also a pretty addition to your homemade bouquets.
When the blossoms fade, a striking seedpod forms. Once it turns brown, simply cut it off and allow it to dry completely. Then crack the pod open and remove the seeds.
Why we love it: If you’re new to seed collecting, this flowering plant is one of the easiest to try. Love-in-a-mist is fairly easy to grow, too, if you’ve got a spot with full sun and average soil.
This is an easy one for seed savers. When petunia flowers fade, seedpods form, turning from green to brown. Once they’re brown, cut them off and allow them to dry completely. Then crack the pods open and remove the seeds. Be ready: There will be hundreds of them!
Why we love it: With multiple flower colors on each plant, this is an irresistible petunia. A garden classic, it’s wonderful in both hanging baskets and borders.
When the blooms fade, you’ll see ruby-orange flower seedpods. Once they starts to dry, cut them off and place them in a protected area to dry. Then crack the pods open and collect the small seeds from inside.
Why we love it: The whole plant is easy on the eyes, with beautiful foliage and small pink blooms. Even the seedpods are attractive—some might even say they’re showier than the flowers. This one’s a natural as a filler for containers or borders.
Hollyhock
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Alcea rosea, Zones 3 to 8
When the flower seedpods turn brown, they’re ready for harvest. But beware: Hollyhocks irritate the skin, so wear gloves, goggles and sleeves when handling any part of the plant. Once you’re protected, gently rub seed heads between your hands to free the seeds.
Why we love it: The plant produces stunning single blooms in white, pink, red, magenta and burgundy.
If you want to harvest these seeds, you’ve got to beat the birds to it! When the blooms are dry, cut them off and hang them upside down in bunches. The seeds live in the heads between the spikes. Once the heads are nice and crisp, carefully hand-crush them to extract the seeds.
Why we love it: A favorite of hummingbirds, butterflies and gardeners alike, this is an old-fashioned garden staple. Purple coneflowers are beautiful and easy to grow. What more could you possibly ask for?
Gift Zinnia
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Zinnia elegans, Annual
Zinnias will cross-pollinate, so if you want to save pure seed, limit your garden to one variety at a time. Seeds are ready to harvest when the blooms turn brown and dry. Look for the seeds in the center of each flower head. To prolong the bloom time, remove the spent blossoms frequently.
Why we love it: You might see an occasional orange bloom in the midst of the usual bright-red flowers of this cheerful zinnia.
Kiss-Me-Over-the-Garden-Gate
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Polygonum orientale, annual
Before the first frost, clip off the most mature pink clusters and allow them to dry in a protected area. When they’re completely dry, rub the flower clusters between your hands to separate the seeds. A fast grower, it’s considered invasive in some areas, so do your homework before planting it in your yard.
Why we love it: Thomas Jefferson, a famously prolific gardener, is credited with growing the first rosy-pink blooms of this flower in America.
Cleome
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Cleome hassleriana, annual
This is one of the most reliable annual flowers for seed production. As soon as the spidery blooms begin to dry out, cut the seedpods off and hang upside down in bunches, or dry them on a screen. Once they’re completely dry, the seeds will be easy to extract.
Why we love it: Commonly known as spider flower because cleome’s wispy blooms look like an arachnid’s legs, this gorgeous tropical native is a real conversation piece. Just be careful of its thorny stems.
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