Annual Wildflowers
These are the species that grow and bloom quickly from seed, and this group includes some of the most popular wildflowers with gardeners. Annuals have long blooming seasons, usually about two months. First frost cuts down the annuals, ending their one-season life-cycle. If they “come back” the following year, it is due to seeds
produced from fading flowers and dropped during the season before. Some gardeners replant the wild annuals in their meadows each year to refresh full bloom.
|
| Common Name |
Botanical Name |
Notes |
| African Daisy |
Dimorphotheca sinuata* |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Annual 'Arroyo' Lupine |
Lupinus succulentus |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Annual Baby's Breath |
Gypsophila elegans |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Baby Blue Eyes |
Nemophilia menziesii |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Baby Snapdragon/Toadflax |
Linaria maroccana |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Bird's Eyes |
Gilia tricolor |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Black-Eyed Susan |
Rudbeckia hirta |
Biennial. Has two-year life cycle. Grows only leaves first season from seed. Then in second season, blooms, seeds and dies with first frost. This speices sometimes performs as a Perennial in some area, as an Annual in others. |
| Blazing Star (yellow) |
Mentzelia lindleyi |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Blue Sage |
Salvia farinacea |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Calendula |
Calendula officianalis |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| California Bluebell |
Phacelia campanularia |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| California Poppy |
Eschscholzia californica |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Candytuft |
Iberis umbellata |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Chinese Forget-me-Not |
Cynoglossum amabile |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Chinese Houses |
Collinsia heterophylla |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Clasping Coneflower |
Rudbeckia amplexicaulis* |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Cornflower/Bachelor's Button (blue) |
Centaurea cyanus (blue) |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Cornflower/Bachelor's Button (multi) |
Centaurea cyanus (multicolored) |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Cosmos |
Cosmos bipinnatus |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Crimson Clover |
Trifolium incarnatum |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Desert Marigold |
Baileya multiradiata |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Drummond Phlox |
Phlox drummondii |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Evening Primrose |
Oenothera lamarckiana |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Farewell-to-Spring |
Clarkia unguiculata* |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Five Spot |
Nemophila maculata |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Globe Gilia |
Gilia capitata |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Godetia |
Clarkia amoena |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Golden Lupine |
Lupinus densiflorus |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Indian Blanket |
Gaillardia pulchella |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Lacy Phacelia |
Phacelia tanacetifolia |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Lemon Mint |
Monarda citriodora |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Morning Glory |
Ipomoea purpurea |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Moss Verbena |
Verbena tenuisecta |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Mountain Phlox |
Linanthus grandiflorus |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Nasturtium |
Tropaeolum nanum |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| None-so-Pretty or Catchfly |
Silene armeria |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Orange Cosmos |
Cosmos sulphureus |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Plains Coreopsis |
Coreopsis tinctoria |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Prairie Aster |
Aster tanacetifolius* |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Queen Anne's Lace |
Ammi majus* seeds |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Red Poppy (all red single) |
Papaver rhoeas (red) |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Red Poppy (red, pink, doubles) |
Papaver rhoeas (mix) |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Rocket Larkspur |
Delphinium ajacis* |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Rocky Mountain Bee Plant |
Cleome serrulata |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Rose Mallow |
Lavatera trimestris |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Scarlet Flax |
Linum grandiflorum rubrum |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Scarlet Sage |
Salvia coccinea |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Standing Cypress |
Ipomopsis rubra |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Sweet Alyssum |
Lobularia maritima |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Texas Bluebonnet |
Lupinus texensis |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Tidy Tips |
Layia platyglossa |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Wild Annual Sunflower |
Helianthus annuus |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Zinnia |
Zinnia elegans |
Annual. Lives just one year. Grows quickly, blooms heavily, dies with first frost. Can regrow following spring if seed falls on bare ground. |
| Back to top |
Perennial Wildflowers
These are the highly-valued species that return each year from expanding clumps, and contribute to building a permanent wildflower garden or meadow. From seed, most perennials do not bloom until they have lived through at least one growing season and a winter. During their first year, they make small top growth while developing deep root systems. This allows the plant to survive its first winter, and then develop into a full size blooming plant its second season. Most perennials bloom for approximately two weeks each year. If they are winter hardy in their growing region, most are quite permanent, and can live and expand for decades. A few are “short-lived” in some areas, and may return only 3 to 5 years.
|
| Common Name |
Botanical Name |
Notes |
| Bird's Foot Trefoil |
Lotus corniculatus |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Black-Eyed Susan |
Rudbeckia hirta |
Biennial. Has two-year life cycle. Grows only leaves first season from seed. Then in second season, blooms, seeds and dies with first frost. This speices sometimes performs as a Perennial in some area, as an Annual in others. |
| Blanket Flower |
Gaillardia aristata |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Blazing Star |
Liatris spicata |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Blue Flax |
Linum perenne lewisii |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Blue Sage |
Salvia farinacea |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Butterfly Weed |
Asclepias tuberosa |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| California Poppy |
Eschscholzia californica |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Candytuft |
Iberis umbellata |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Dame's Rocket |
Hesperis matronalis |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Eastern Red Columbine |
Aquilegia canadensis |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Forget-me-Not |
Myosotis sylvatica |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Gloriosa Daisy |
Rudbeckia gloriosa |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Grey-Headed Coneflower |
Ratibida pinnata |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Iceland Poppy |
Papaver nudicaule |
Perennial (short-lived) in colder areas. Grown as an annual in southeast. |
| Johnny Jump-up |
Viola cornuta* |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Lance-leaf Coreopsis |
Coreopsis lanceolata |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Maximilian's Sunflower |
Helianthus maximiliani |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Mexican Hat |
Ratibida columnaris (red) |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Missouri Primrose |
Oenothera missouriensis |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Moss Verbena |
Verbena tenuisecta |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| New England Aster |
Aster novae-angliae |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Oriental Poppy |
Papaver orientale |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| OxEye Daisy |
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Pale Coneflower |
Echinacea pallida |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Purple Coneflower |
Echinacea purpurea |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Purple Prairie Clover |
Petalostemon purpureum* NEW |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Rocky Mountain Pensternon |
Penstemon strictus |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Scarlet Sage |
Salvia coccinea |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Shasta Daisy |
Chrysanthemum maximum |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Showy Evening Primrose |
Oenothera speciosa |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Standing Cypress |
Ipomopsis rubra |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Sweet Alyssum |
Lobularia maritima |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| Texas Bluebonnet |
Lupinus texensis |
Perennial in warm areas. Grown as annual in colder regions. |
| White Yarrow |
Achillea millefolium seeds |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Wild Perennial Lupine |
Lupinus perennis |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Yellow Prairie Coneflower |
Ratibida columnaris (yellow) |
Perennial. Returns each spring from same roots, forming expanding clump. Blooms second spring from seed. |
| Back to top |
Biennial Wildflowers
These wildflowers live out two-year life-cycles from seed, blooming only during their second season. The also reseed heavily, and are usually quite permanent in meadows.
|
| Common Name |
Botanical Name |
Notes |
| Black-Eyed Susan |
Rudbeckia hirta |
Biennial. Has two-year life cycle. Grows only leaves first season from seed. Then in second season, blooms, seeds and dies with first frost. This speices sometimes performs as a Perennial in some area, as an Annual in others. |
| Chicory |
Cichorium intybus |
Biennial. Has two-year life cycle. Grows only leaves first season from seed. Then in second season, blooms, seeds and dies with first frost. |
| Foxglove |
Digitalis purpurea |
Biennial. Has two-year life cycle. Grows only leaves first season from seed. Then in second season, blooms, seeds and dies with first frost. |
| Hollyhock |
Alcea rosea |
Biennial. Has two-year life cycle. Grows only leaves first season from seed. Then in second season, blooms, seeds and dies with first frost. |
| Siberian Wallflower |
Cheiranthus allionii |
Biennial. Has two-year life cycle. Grows only leaves first season from seed. Then in second season, blooms, seeds and dies with first frost. |
| Sweet William |
Dianthus barbatus |
Biennial. Has two-year life cycle. Grows only leaves first season from seed. Then in second season, blooms, seeds and dies with first frost. |
