Embrace the summer season with eye-catching, pollinator-friendly annuals that thrive in full sun and heat.
If your backyard gets the full strength of the sun (full sun here means six hours or more of direct sunlight), it’s important to select plants that won’t wilt. Because annuals only typically last for a single growing season and aren’t intended to last through cold, snowy winters, you can still introduce them to and enjoy them in your backyard garden, no matter what hardiness zone you live in.
www.provenwinners.com
Suncredible Saturn Sunflower
Helianthus hybrid, Zones 9 to 11 or Annual
There’s a reason ‘sun’ is in the name: sunflowers soak up the sun, and this award-winning sunflower is no exception, enjoying six hours or more of full sun. Plus, the large, flat blossoms are great landing pads for pollinators. These full sun annuals grow up to 3 feet tall.
Why we love it: No need to deadhead! ‘Suncredible Saturn’ is everblooming, so it will keep creating fresh blossoms even into the fall.
www.provenwinners.com
Superbells Lemon Slice
Calibrachoa hybrid, Zones 9 to 11 or Annual
Pop these striking calibrachoa into a container and enjoy their pinwheel patterns from late spring to late fall. Although they’re low-maintenance, keep in mind that they don’t like constantly damp soil. Either plant in garden beds with well-draining soil or, if in a container, wait for the top of the potting mix to dry before watering.
Why we love it: Calibrachoa’s short height and trailing growth make them a great choice as the “spiller” in a mixed container.
www.provenwinners.com
Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Jet Black Sweet Potato Vine
Ipomoea batatas, Zone 11 or Annual
Although this sweet potato vine does just fine in shade, its dark purple foliage really mature and deepen when in full sun. ‘Sweet Caroline’ is easy to care for, requiring average water and soil conditions. Just don’t be fooled by its name — sweet potato vine is an ornamental plant, meaning that its tubers were not bred to be particularly tasty or used in cooking.
Why we love it: Its adaptability, particularly when it comes to heat and humidity, make it a great annual for regions with intense summer months.
Award-winning Vermillionaire is a true classic, beloved by gardeners and hummingbirds alike. Gardeners like it, because it’s low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and works well in landscapes and borders. Hummingbirds like it, because of its tube-shaped blooms and eye-catching red color.
Why we love it: You can truly embrace the sunshine with Vermillionaire and plant it in the brightest spot in your backyard. In fact, growing it in part-shade conditions causes it to spread and become leggy.
Doreen Wynja / Monrovia
Miss Huff Hardy Lantana
Lantana camara ‘Miss Huff’, Zones 7 to 11 or Annual
Reminiscent of Starburst candy, Miss Huff hardy lantana features all the colors of summer, making it irresistible to butterflies and other pollinators. Plant in well-draining soil, watering deeply and regularly until established.
Why we love it: This lantana grows fast and tall, reaching heights of anywhere between 4- and 6-feet tall. It’s also both incredibly hardy to cold and can handle high summer heat.
NancyAyumi/Getty Images
Lemon Coral Sedum
Sedum mexicanum, Zones 7 to 11 or Annual
Although it looks sharp and spiky, Lemon Coral sedum is all softness. In spring, small, star-shaped flowers may appear in its yellow-green foliage and attract pollinators like bees and moths. It will do fine in dry soils and is drought-tolerant, but it really shines with average moisture.
Why we love it: Sedum is the understated MVP of hanging baskets and combination containers, because it adds great texture and lovely shape as it spills over container edges.
www.provenwinners.com
Blue My Mind XL Dwarf Morning Glory
Evolvulus hybrid, Zones 9 to 11 or Annual
Maximize the blue hue in your garden with Blue My Mind XL, a bigger version of regular Blue My Mind, in both bloom size and spread. It’s just as well-behaved in containers as it is in landscapes. Get the most out of these full sun annuals when you add slow-release fertilizer or compost.
Why we love it: Blue flowers growing in the garden stand out, and this dwarf morning glory variety is no exception, but it also has the added bonus of being incredibly heat-tolerant as well.
Ball Horticultural Company
Flower Power Petite Purple African Daisy
Osteospermum ecklonis, Zones 9 to 11 or Annual
Daisies are a garden classic for a reason. Pollinators like bees and butterflies love to land on their flat, wide blossoms. This cultivar is heat-tolerant and stays compact (only 6 to 10 inches high), so it will thrive in containers. Plant African daisies in well-draining potting mix, because they don’t like wet feet.
Why we love it: These plants keep pumping out flowers into fall, so you can enjoy them through the first frost.
www.provenwinners.com
Safari Lava Flow South African Phlox
Jamesbrittenia hybrid, Zones 10 to 11 or Annual
Get ready to be wowed when you plant Safari Lava Flow phlox in a container or hanging basket thanks to its eye-popping red color and mounded trailing growth habit. They don’t need much ongoing maintenance, especially if incorporated into the landscape, but do their best in containers when given regular fertilizer doses every two months.
Go bold with this sun-loving, low-maintenance cleome variety. Standing tall at 24- to 48-inches, it’s the perfect ‘thriller’ element in a mixed container. It continuously blooms, even in summer heat, and acts as a butterfly magnet.
Why we love it: Because Señorita Blanca doesn’t self-seed, it doesn’t have seedlings to make a mess in the backyard or garden. It also doesn’t usually grow thorns and doesn’t require deadheading.
We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices.
