Annual plants are referred to as those plants that complete their life cycle in one growing season.
In the life cycle, they germinate, produce seeds, and die. The length or period of a plant’s life cycle depends upon the geographical location. The annual plant is traditionally categorized into two categories: summer annual and winter annual.
Season annuals germinate during the early summer or spring season and get mature in the autumn season of the same year. Winter annual geminates during autumn and grows till spring or summer season.
Most of the annual plants are flowers and vegetables. You can grow beautiful annual plants indoors and outdoors by yourself.
Here is the list of the best flowering plants for pots:
Best flowering plants for pots
Begonia
Begonias are annual plants that can grow easily in any condition. These plants have more than 1000 species and are found in many shades, shapes, and sizes.
You can also grow them indoors as they don’t take much space. Their bright bloom can easily grab anyone’s attention which makes them one of the most used decorative plants. Growing wax begonias is easy if you know the right steps to grow them.
Learn how to grow wax begonia indoors.
Torenia plant
Torenia plants are also called wishbone flowers as their stems grow in the opposite direction and meet in the center.
These are tube-shaded flowers that bloom annually in the spring. They are found in different colors like yellow, pink, purple, and white. Flowers are easy to grow and can attract birds and butterflies to your garden. Torenia plants are also named such as Bluewings and Clown flowers.
Learn how to grow Torenia plants in your garden.
Foxglove
Foxgloves (Digitalis) are native to Europe, Central Asia, and northwestern Africa. Most of their varieties are biennial, not a few are also perennial but these varieties are not reliable.
They are popular cottage garden flowers that look great when grown along the border or in the garden bed with small flowers in front. Foxglove’s flowers grow on a tall spike, with a cluster of tubular-shaped flowers in different shades like purple, pink, white, and yellow.
Their leaves are green in color and grow about 10 inches long. They grow in the hardiness zone of 4 to 10. Discover more about this amazing plant and learn how to grow foxglove.
Marigold
This annual flowering plant is native to Mexico. They display radiant spays of multi-colored brass, copper, and gold flowers head throughout the summer season.
This plant comes in a wide variety of different shapes, sizes, and colors. The flowers look like tightly packed ball-like clusters. If you are wondering how big the flowers grow then it depends upon the variety and condition of the plant.
Zinnias
They are old-fashioned garden staples that are very popular in flower gardens. You can find them in many shapes, sizes, and colors.
This flower species belong to the daisy family of flowers and are native to Mexico.
They are fast-growing plants that bloom from midsummer and continue till the last hard frost. The height of the flower grows in the range of 6 to 36 inches. The bloom not only looks gorgeous but also attracts beautiful butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
Geranium
Zonal geranium (Pelargonium) are annual plants in hardy zones 3-8.
In the gardening zones 9-10, they grow perennial also known as tropical geranium (cranesbill). Zonal geraniums are different from tropical geraniums, don’t get confused the name “zonal” comes from the stripes on the leaves.
Evening primrose plant
The evening primrose plant is known for its beauty and has large, goblet-like flowers that grow with four petals and have yellow, white, or pink colors.
Its leaves form a circle in the base of the stem at ground level and spiral up to the flowering stems. Many species of flowers are open in the evening (may take a minute), hence named as “evening primrose“.
Most species have yellow flowers, but few species have white, purple, pink, or red. Most native desert species are white
Cornflower (Echinacea)
Echinacea is the scientific name of purple Cornflower and they are a native plant of North America. Cornflowers are perennial plants and have multiple species around the world.
Despite beginning a beautiful garden plant they are widely used for medicinal purposes. These plant species are easy to grow in the garden and don’t need much care.
They thrive easily in an area that gets plenty of sunshine throughout the day. Echinacea is a perennial plant as they are heat and drought-tolerant, and frost resistant.
Their beautiful purple flowers bloom in months of summer and attract bees, butterflies, and birds to our garden.
Japanese anemone
Japanese Anemone is a perennial plant also known as anemone x hybrida or windflower. Its cultivars are in a star or cup in the shaped flower with a green button in the center.
The flowers are single, semi-double, or double and white to mauve, and dark pink. The foliage of the plant is dark green and has hairy or glossy undersides. The plant forms a robust clump that grows nearly 5 feet in height.
It is a good idea to plant them in early spring so that they can produce beautiful colors and shape bloom in fall.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea has been one of the most popular garden plants for decades. They are considered shrub and bloom from mid-summer to fall.
Plant them in fall or early spring to develop a well-established root system before blooming. You’ll find hydrangeas growing by themself once you plant them in the garden.
The plant grows rapidly with nearly 24 or more inches per year. They will become the primary reason for your garden’s beauty in no time. Reaching up to 15 inches in height hydrangea cover the garden in just one summer season. They are perennial in hardiness zone 3 to 7.
Sweet peas
Sweet pea flowers are bi-colored. They have a light white shade on one side and a colored shade on the other wing of the flower. The flowers are available in different colors like blue, pink, red, yellow, white, and purple.
The leaves grow on the same axis in an upward direction with a terminal tendril twine around the plant and helping it to climb.
The wild sweet pea flowers have a purple shade, 2-3.5 cm broad. This flowering plant has a very large range of cultivars available. The flowers are usually strongly scented which smell like orange blossom and hyacinth.
Daffodil flower
Daffodil is a popular flowering plant. You might have seen their beauty in parks and gardens. They fall perennial plants that bloom for a longer time. Daffodils have hundreds of varieties. You can dedicate a whole garden to their beauty.
Mum plants
Chrysanthemum is a popular flowering plant. It belongs to the daisy family. The plant has attractive and colorful flowers that are used as ornamental.
Mums are generally sold in pots that bloom all season along then fade. These plants are usually annual and discarded once they fade.
If you try to transplant these potted mums there is very little chance for their growth. The reason behind this is that potted mums are designed to produce maximum bloom and not strong roots.
Celosia
Celosia is a unique shade flower plant that looks like candle frames or coral or something like the brain. They are available in large varieties that can be differentiated according to their shapes, sizes, and colors.
The modern world has also developed many appealing cultivars that add a contrasting combination to any garden. These are some of the best annual flowers.
Lavender
Lavender is a bushy perennial plant that belongs to the Mediterranean. In the warm region, its green foliage remains evergreen throughout the year and can thrive in some of the toughest growing conditions. If you’re planning to grow lavender, this article will give you the right direction. This plant is known for its attractive fragrance, medical properties, and beautiful bluish-purple color.
Passionflower vine
Passionflower also known as passiflora, is a native flower of South American and North America that has more than 500 known species.
source: DM
Their different species are considered to be annual, perennial, shrub, vine, and even trees that bear edible fruits.
They have a special type of bloom known as exotic flowers that remain open for only about a day. The flower has a wide structure, a flat petal base with five to ten petals around a flat or reflex circle.
Iris Flower
The tall, beautiful iris plant is named after the Greek goddess Iris, the goddess of rainbows. Despite being of divine origin, growing iris flowers is easy, rugged, and reliable.
source: Katie Heupel
They have six petals and three outer hanging petals and three inner upright petals on the flower. There are around 300 species that belong in the iris genus, most of the species are tall at least 26 inches in height
Hyacinth
Hyacinth has one of the loveliest scents among spring-blooming plants. Even from a distance, you’ll be able to smell their intense bloom scent. Its bloom has spikes of bright colors.
source: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar
The hyacinth was first introduced in Europe during the 16th century, and soon it gained so much popularity that Dutch growers had bred more than 2000 cultivars by the 18th century.
In the modern world, there are about 60 cultivars for commercial cultivation Modern hyacinths are easy to grow, they can be planted in pots, gardens, or water in a bulb vase, with no soil.
Did I Miss Anything?
Now I’d like to hear from you: which flower from today’s post are you going to try first?
Or maybe, I didn’t mention your favorite flower plant. Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.
Before going if you want to grow beautiful flowers in your garden? Then click on these articles also.
Hey! I’m Madhuresh, a passionate content creator, and a Plant lover. I created Shiny Plant to explore and learn about new plants. The purpose is to provide simple and effective Gardening Tips. Hope you’ll find this informative.