Selected Annual Flowering Plants for Mississippi Gardens

Ageratum
Ageratum houstonianum

Full sun

6-20"

9-12"

Edging; tall cultivars make good cut flowers

Alyssum
Lobularia maritima

Sun to part shade

3-4"

6-8"

Edging; nice ground cover; heat sensitive

Babies' Breath
Gyposphila elegans

Full sun

1-2'

8-12"

Suited for cut flowers; lime lover; excessive growth in rich soil

Bachelor Button
(globe amaranth)
Gomphrena globosa

Full sun

1-3'

6-12"

Drought tolerant; popular dry flower; reseeds

Balsam (Touch-me-not)
Impatiens balsamnia

Sun to part shade

15-24"

8-12"

Reseeds prolifically

Basil
Ocimum basilicum

Full sun

15-24"

15-18"

Fragrant culinary herb; cut for regrowth

Begonia
Begonia semperflorens

Sun to part shade

8-10"

8-12"

Group for mass effect; green leaf cultivars more shade tolerant

Black-eyed Susan Vine
Thunbergia alata

Sun to part shade

Vine

6-18"

Window boxes and hanging baskets

Caladium
Caladium hortulanum

Sun to part shade

1-2'

12-14"

Tubers planted when day temperatures reach 70 °F; dig in fall after foliage drops; store dry out of sun

Calendula
(pot marigold)
Calendula officinalis

Full sun

1-2'

12-15"

Cut flower; bright flowerbed plantings

Candlestick Plant
Senecio articulatus

Full sun

4-6'

3-5'

Accent or screen; unusual form

Castor Bean
Ricinus communus

Full sun

5-7'

2-4'

Coarse-textured bronze leaves; seeds poisonous; screen

Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum morifolium

Full sun

1-3'

12-14"

Many different colors; plants are perennial, but are often planted as annuals

Cleome
Cleome lutea

Full sun

4-5'

18-24"

Screen; cut flower; reseeds prolifically

Cockscomb (celosia)
Celosia argentea or cristata

Full sun

1-2'

8-12"

Crested or plumed cut flower; heat tolerant; some reseed

Coleus
Coleus blumei

Sun to part shade

2-3'

10-12"

Colorful foliage; mass in shade; nice container plant

Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata

Full sun

1-2'

12-18"

Native wildflower; reseeds; use as filler or in container

Cornflower
(bachelor's button)
Centaurea cyanus

Full sun

2-3'

6-12"

Filler plant; cut flower; sow in fall

Cosmos
Cosmos bipinnatus

Sun to part shade

2-4'

6-12"

Heat and drought tolerant; reseeds prolifically

Cypress Vine
Quamoclit pennata

Sun to part shade

Vine

6-18"

Attracts hummingbirds; reseeds

Dill
Anethum graveolens

Full sun

3-4'

12-18"

Culinary herb; fine-textured foliage

Dusty Miller
Senecio cineraria

Full sun

1-2'

8-12"

Silver gray foliage; yellow flowers

Feverfew
Chrysanthemum parthenium

Full sun

2-3'

8-12"

Filler; cut flower; reseeds

Flowering Cabbage
Brassica oleracea

Full sun

6-12"

12-18"

Winter annual, but not hardy in north Miss.; colorful foliage

Flowering Tobacco
Nicotiana alata grandiflora

Sun to part shade

1-2'

9-12"

Fragrant cut flowers; borders and beds

Four-o'clocks
Mirabilis jalapa

Full sun

1-3'

8-12"

Flowers open in late afternoon; require well-drained soil

Gaillardia
(Indian blanket)
Gaillardia pulchella

Full sun

2-3'

12-18"

Cut flower or dried; reseeding wildflower

Geranium
(zonal geranium)
Pelargonium x hortorum

Sun to part shade

12-15"

9-12"

Tolerates cool temperatures; good container plant

Gloriosa Daisy
(Black-eyed Susan)
Rudbeckia hirta gloriosa

Sun to part shade

18-30"

12-18"

Bold texture; cut flower; reseeds

Hollyhock
Althaea rosea

Full sun

4-6'

12-18"

Annual cultivars are available; biennial cultivars, plant in fall; use as screen or background plant

Hyacinth Bean
Dolichos lablab

Full sun

Vine

6-12"

Fast screen; colorful flowers and pods

Impatiens
Imapatiens wallerana

Part shade

12-24"

8-12"

Best annual for shade; some cultivars may reseed

Johnny Jump-up
Viola tricolor

Sun to part shade

6-12"

6-8"

Winter annual, plant in fall; long flowering

Joseph's Coat
Amaranthus tricolor

Full sun

6-12"

8-12"

Colorful foliage; heat and drought tolerant

Lantana
Lantana camara

Full sun

1-2'

18-24"

Fragrant attractive flowers; container plant; great for butterflies

Larkspur
Consolida ambigua

Part shade

2-3'

8-15"

Spiked flower form; accent or mass plantings; reseeds; sow in fall

Marigold
Tagetes erecta or patula

Full sun

6-30"

6-12"

Mass plantings; good container plants; spider mites a problem

Morningglory
Ipomoea purpurea

Full sun

Vine

6-12"

Colorful vine; cultivar selections rarely reseed

Moss Rose
Portulaca grandiflora

Full sun

6-9"

6-12"

Heat and drought tolerant; summer long color; reseeds well

New Guinea Impatiens
Impatiens hawkeri, I. linearifolia or hybrids

Sun to part shade

8-12"

12-14"

Striking foliage; showy blooms; tolerates sun; hanging baskets

Pansy
Viola x wittrockiana

Sun to part shade

6-12"

6-10"

Winter annual for fall planting and early spring color; container plant

Pepper (ornamental)
Capsicum annuum

Full sun

9-30"

6-15"

Many cultivars; heat tolerant; may reseed

Periwinkle (vinca)
Catharanthus roseus

Full sun

1-2'

8-12"

Drought and heat tolerant; container plant; reseeds

Petunia
Petunia x hybrida

Sun to part shade

6-24"

12-15"

Many cultivars; mass color; heat tolerant; reseeds

Phlox (annual)
Phlox drummondii

Sun to part shade

8-15"

6-12"

Mass color; native wildflower; reseeds

Poppy
Papaver nudicaule or orientale

Full sun

1-2'

6-12"

Cutflower; sow in fall; perennial, but mostly annual in Miss.; easy to grow

Purslane (hybrid)
Portulaca x hybrida

Full sun

6-9"

6-12"

Heat and drought tolerant; summer long color; hanging baskets; does not reseed

Queen Anne's Lace
Daucus carota

Sun to part shade

3-4'

2-3'

Naturalized wildflower; mass color; winter foliage; reseeds

Scarlet Sage
Salvia splendens

Shade to part sun

15-30"

8-12"

Attracts hummingbirds; spikes of color; shade during summer

Snapdragon
Antirrhinum majus

Sun

12-36"

10-12"

Spikes of color; cut flower; blooms best in cool weather.

Statice
Limonium sinuatim

Full sun

1-2'

9-12"

Cutflower; salt tolerant for coastal plantings; readily dried

Strawflower
Helichrysum bracteatum

Full sun

12-36"

12-15"

Mass of color; cut or dried flower

Sunflower
Helianthus annuus

Full sun

4-10'

20-24"

Thrives in poor soil; temporary screen; attracts goldfinches

Sweetpea
Lathyrus odoratus

Full sun

1-3'

6-8"

Sow in fall; soak seed in tepid water one hour before planting

Tithonia
Tithonia rotundifolia

Full sun

4-6'

3-4'

Tall, bright, full plants; drought tolerant

Verbena
Verbena hortensis

Full sun

6-12"

10-12"

Notably fragrant; planter boxes and baskets

Wishbone Flower
Torenia fournieri

Part shade

6-12"

6-8"

Garden borders; pots and hanging baskets

Zinnia
Zinnia sp.

Full sun

1-3'

8-15"

Mass color; many cultivars; variable colors; some reseed