Beautiful sun loving annuals that can withstand summer sun
A sunny garden filled with flowers is what most gardeners dream of, but not all flowers can tolerate harsh sunlight.
Many flowers will wither and die when they’re exposed to all day sunshine, especially during the heat of summer, but there are some annuals that thrive in full sun.
Here are 12 beautiful sun loving annuals to plant in your flower garden.
Most of these flowers can also be planted in pots, containers or hanging baskets for a spectacular display.
1. Sunflower (Helianthus)
When I think of sun loving annuals, the first flower that comes to mind is sunflowers.
They’re fast growing flowers and they’ll begin to flower in about 10 weeks.
Sunflowers thrive in a position with full sun and bloom during the summer months.
Why not try planting red sunflowers or these cute little dwarf sunflowers that are perfect for containers.
2. Marigold (Tagetes)
Marigolds are popular annuals that love full sun.
They have beautiful bright yellow and orange flowers and bloom during spring and summer.
Marigold seeds can be planted directly in the garden when the risk of frost has passed, or you can start them indoors to get a headstart.
African marigolds have big round flower heads, while sparky mix is great for providing color.
3. Portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora)
Portulaca is a type of succulent that is ideal for hot sunny gardens.
The fleshy foliage is able to store moisture so you don’t have to water them too often.
Portulaca spreads out easily, so it’s ideal as a ground cover.
The flowers can be pink, yellow, red, orange, white or cream and the plants reseed easily so they’ll come back each year.
4. Petunia (Petunia × atkinsiana)
Petunias are easy to grow annual flowers that love full sun and bloom throughout summer.
They look great in garden beds, and you can plant trailing petunias in containers and hanging baskets.
Early spring is the best time to plant petunia seeds and you’ll have beautiful blooms throughout the summer months.
5. Celosia (Celosia Cristata)
Celosia, also called Cockscomb, are beautiful showy annuals that grow best in rich soil.
They have beautiful colorful flowers that come in a range of colors including yellow, orange, red, pink and purple.
Celosias are great for flower arrangements and the flowers can also be dried.
6. Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)
Zinnias are stunning annual flowers that need full sun to produce their beautiful flowers.
The best time to plant zinnia seeds is in spring when the weather has warmed up.
Zinnias don’t do well when they’re transplanted, so it’s best to sow the seeds directly in the garden.
7. Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
Cosmos are fast growing, drought tolerant annual flowers.
They grow best in full sun but they can be easily damaged by strong winds.
Cosmos flowers can be pink, red, yellow, orange, white or purple.
8. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum Majus)
Snapdragons are spectacular annual flowers that can grow 1 to 3 feet (30 to 90 cm) tall.
They grow best in cool climates and have a long blooming period.
Snapdragons love plenty of sun but they will also tolerate partial shade.
9. California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
California poppies are classified as perennials but they re-seed easily and grow fast, so they’re commonly grown as annuals.
They prefer well-draining soil that is slightly sandy and they love full sun. [2]
California poppies bloom from early summer until fall and the flowers can be orange, cream, yellow, pink or red.
10. Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lantana is another flower that can be grown as an annual or perennial.
It has clusters of small flowers that can be yellow, pink, orange, white or red.
They look great in containers and you can grow trailing varieties of lantana in hanging baskets.
11. Vervain (Verbena officinalis)
Vervain is a frost tolerant plant with spiky purple flowers.
It blooms from summer until early fall and can grow 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 metres) tall.
Vervain is easy to grow from seed and flowers best in a sunny position.
12. Million Bells (Calibrachoa)
Million Bells are low maintenance annual flowers that will grow in full sun or partial shade.
They’re similar in appearance to petunias, but the flowers are a bit smaller.
Million bells are ideal for containers and hanging baskets and they bloom from spring until the frost arrives.