10 Annuals That Bloom Spring Until Frost Unaided

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For your easy-care garden, you may want a collection of annuals that you can plant in the spring and forget about until frost arrives in the late fall. 

Vibrant pink and red impatiens flowers.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @ezplantskenya

Luckily there are many lovely, gorgeous flowering annuals (or perennials that can be grown as annuals) that will keep your garden looking bright and cheery throughout the spring and summer months and well into the autumn. 

Choose from this collection.

Impatiens

Impatiens (Impatiens Wallerana) is also known as Buzzy Lizzie. This herbaceous perennial is a member of the Balsaminaceae family. 

Pink impatiens flowers in bloom.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @gardenstory.jp

Wallerana originates in Tanzania and Mozambique and is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 11. The plant can attain a height of 2’ feet and a spread of 2’ feet. It blooms prolifically from June until first frost bearing lovely blooms in shades of:

  • Bicolor
  • Orange
  • Purple
  • White
  • Lilac
  • Rose
  • Pink
  • Red

Plant in full to part shade for an attractive summer long show.

More on Growing Impatiens

Wax Begonia

Wax begonia (Begonia X semperflorens-cultorum) is an herbaceous perennial member of the Begoniaceae family and is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 11.

Vibrant begonia flowers with dew-dropped leaves.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @goodolddays70

The plant can attain a height and width of 1′ foot. It blooms from June until first frost in shades of:

  • Bicolor
  • White
  • Pink
  • Red

This plant does well in partial shade to full sun and has medium watering requirements.

Vibrant pink flowers with raindrops, close-up.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @hazuki.t23

It is tolerant of Black walnut trees, dry soil and rabbits and provides an attractive show throughout the summer and into the autumn.

Details on Growing Wax Begonia From Seed

Morning Glory

Morning-glory (Ipomea tricolor) is an enthusiastically climbing plant which is a member of the Ipomea family.

Three white flowers with heart-shaped leaf.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @bjbernstein

Plant this cheery, easy to grow plant in full sun and well draining soil for a bright show of blooms in shades of:



  • Purple
  • White
  • Blue
  • Pink

This plant can tolerate poor soil but cannot tolerate overwatering. The large, bright blossoms are extremely attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. It is an excellent choice for covering trellises, pergolas, arbors, and the like.

Learn more about Growing Morning Glory

Lantana

Lantanas (Lantana spp.) Is an attractive broadleaf evergreen member of the Verbenaceae family hailing from the tropical Americas.

Lantana plants full of orange heads of flowersPin

This plant is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 11. It attains a height of 4′ feet tall and a spread of 3′ feet wide. Lantana presents abundant clusters of small flowers in shades of:

  • Mixed
  • Orange
  • Yellow
  • Purple
  • White
  • Red
Vibrant red and white flowers, lush foliage backdrop.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @photodlights

Plant in full sun to enjoy a bright and fragrance show from July until first frost. The flowers are extremely attractive to butterflies and other pollinators. Lantana is an excellent choice for adding color and life to a hot, dry setting.

More Tips on Growing Lantana Bushes and Trees

Gomphrena

Gomphrena (Gomphrena spp.) is also known as Fireworks. This fast growing plant produces large, gorgeous, hot pink, clover-like blossoms with yellow tips.

Vibrant pink flowers with green leaves.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @goodolddays70

The plant can attain a height of 4′ feet tall and is an excellent choice for mass planting or as a summertime hedgerow.

Details on Caring for and Growing Gomphrena Plants

New Guinea Impatiens

New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) can attain a height of up to 18″ inches tall and a spread of up to 9″ inches wide. The plant does well in partial shade to full sun and requires rich, loose, well-draining soil.

Vibrant purple morning glories in bloom.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @natur_eally

This hardy cultivar flowers continuously from spring through autumn in shades of:

  • Orange
  • Purple
  • White
  • Pink
  • Red
Vibrant lantana flowers with lush green leaves.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @smithsoniangardens

Be sure to provide these tropical plants with plenty of water. They require consistent moisture, but cannot tolerate sitting in soggy soil. Fertilize monthly for best bloom performance.

Tips on Growing and Care of New Guinea Impatiens

Blue Ageratum

Blue agetartum (Ageratum Houstonianum) is also known as Floss Flower.

Floss Flower AgeratumPin

This annual member of the Asteraceae family hails from Mexico and is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 11 and does well in full sun to partial shade.

The plant attains a height of 30″ inches tall and a width of 18″ inches wide. It presents fluffy, purple/blue blooms continuously from the month of June until the first frost.

Details on Growing Blue Ageratum

Narrowleaf Zinnia

Narrowleaf zinnia (Zinnia angustifolia) is also known as:

  • Creeping Zinnia
  • Mexican Zinnia
Vibrant orange flower with prominent petals.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @bloomzinthehood

This drought tolerant, bushy, compact annual grows to be as tall as 16″ inches tall. It blooms profusely from early in the spring until autumn in shades of:

  • Bicolored
  • Orange
  • Yellow
  • White
  • Pink
  • Red
Pink pentas flowers, vivid and fresh.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @hirutan25

The plant is available in numerous cultivars to help you create an easy-care, varied garden.

More on Caring for Narrowleaf Zinnia

Moonflower

Moonflower (Ipomea alba) is a tender perennial hailing from Central and South America and also native to Florida. This vining plant is winter hardy from USDA hardiness zones 10 through 12. 

Moonflower - Ipomoea albaPin

Planted in full sun, this rambling plant can attain a height as great as 15′ feet tall with a spread as great as 6′ feet wide. Large, fragrant white blooms appear at night and are attractive to moths and other nighttime pollinators.

More on Moonflower Care

Pentas

Pentas (Pentas lanceolata) is also known as Egyptian Starflower. This herbaceous perennial is a member of the Rubiaceae family and hails from eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 11.

Bright yellow flowers fill the frame.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @merbaverde

This low maintenance bedding plant has moderate water requirements and attains a height and width of 2 feet. It produces attractive clusters of tiny, star-shaped blossoms in shades of:

  • Magenta
  • White
  • Lilac
  • Pink

The fragrant blooms are extremely attractive to butterflies and other pollinators.

Details on Growing and Caring For Pentas Plants