One of the wonderful things about native annual flowering plants is many of them self-seed, and others are not difficult to harvest seeds from. Once you have them in your garden, it is easy to keep them there with just about the same amount of effort that goes into starting seeds for the vegetable garden each spring.
I must admit, when selecting new plants for my garden, I tend to gravitate toward perennials. That is the most sensible way to garden, isn’t it?
While my practical side nudges me toward the plants that will reliably return year after year, not too far beneath the surface is my whimsical, instant gratification side that revels in the idea of adding flowering annuals to my garden. They bring such an explosion of color, if even for just one season!
Let’s look at some of my favorite native annual plants that will bring a big and beautiful show of color to your garden this season.
American Basket Flower
This native is a low-maintenance, showy annual with fern-like green foliage and bright purple blooms.
Botanical Name: Centaurea americana
- Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
- Height: up to 6’
- Native Range: Great Plains, Central United States
- Zones: 2-11
To kick off our list, the American Basket Flower is a great, low-maintenance, showy annual with a wildflower vibe. Fern-like foliage in bright green is a great textural element that highlights large, bright purple flowers with a basket weave pattern of petals. This is where these flowers get their name.
Basket Flowers can tolerate a variety of climates. They are native to the Great Plains and gracefully handle hot, dry summers. They also don’t mind a bit of humidity and thrive in subtropical climates. A bit of extra water in the spring will make these plants take off and bring tons of blooms in mid-summer.
American Marigold
These native marigolds repel pests and thrive in sunny gardens, making them a vibrant addition.
Botanical Name: Tagetes erecta
- Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
- Height: 6”- 4’
- Native Range: Subtropical America
- Zones: 2-11
Formerly believed to be native to Africa, Tagetes erecta, or American Marigold, is native to subtropical areas of the Americas. They are commonly referred to as African Marigolds but are native to the Americas. In contrast to French Marigolds, American Marigolds are tall, with much larger flowers. They can grow up to 4’ tall and make a great choice for sunny flower beds.
Marigolds may repel garden pests, so can help to protect vegetable gardens and other pest-prone plants. They are low maintenance and relatively drought tolerant, although they will wilt if left for too long in hot weather without sufficient water. These colorful flowers are a great annual to add to the garden. Deadheading will prolong the already lengthy blooming season.
Annual Phlox
This charming, low-maintenance flowering plant captivates with delicate, plentiful blooms in various shades.
Botanical Name: Phlox drummondii
- Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
- Height: 12”
- Native Range: Texas, introduced to the Southeastern United States
- Zones: 2-11
Annual Phlox is a wonderful staple in the garden. This sweet-smelling, compact, and low-maintenance flowering annual will surely capture the gardener’s heart. The flowers are delicate but plentiful, in shades of pink, white, blue, and red. They have a gentle fragrance that makes them excellent cut flowers.
Phlox is a perfect container plant to keep close to outdoor living spaces. They are reliable bloomers and have a habit of reseeding, so you may see them pop back up in the spring if you let them. Another wonderful thing about this plant is its heat tolerance. For such a dainty and lovely little flower, phlox plants really stand up to the summer heat.
Blood Sage
Salvia is a fast-growing plant, popular as an annual in cooler climates but a perennial in its native range.
Botanical Name: Salvia coccinea
- Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
- Height: 2’-3’
- Native Range: Southeastern United States
- Zones: 8-11
Salvia is technically a perennial when grown in its native range, but its fast growth rate makes it popular as an annual in cooler climates, where it dies off in the winter. Blood sage is the only red-flowering sage native to the United States, making it all the more desirable.
Also known as tropical sage, S. coccinea is a gorgeous wildflower or pollinator garden addition. Its delightful red blooms will draw a variety of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden. The prolific blooming habit of this Salvia will keep them coming back. South of zone 7, this plant is a perennial.
Blue Gilia
The easy-to-grow blue gilia is an herbaceous annual with a long blooming season, unique blue pollen, and attracts bees.
Botanical Name: Gilia capitata
- Sun Requirements: Full sun
- Height: 6”-2’
- Native Range: Western North America, from AK to Mexico
- Zones: 7-10
This herbaceous annual is related to phlox and is native to the west coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. It is very easy to grow from seed and has no problem taking root in rocky and sandy soil conditions. Its long blooming season makes this a great addition to the garden, bringing flowers from May through September.
Blue Gilia has unique blue pollen. Since bees favor blue and violet, you will see many species of bees frequenting this plant.
While bees regularly fly about wearing cute little pollen pants, it is rare to see one with blue pollen clinging to their legs. If you plant blue gilia, you will have the pleasure of adding this fun feature to the wardrobe of local bees.
California Poppy
With its vibrant orange blooms, the California poppy is a stunning native flower that freely reseeds itself.
Botanical Name: Eschscholzia californica
- Sun Requirements: Full sun
- Height: 6”-12”
- Native Range: United States West Coast
- Zones: 8-10
The state flower of California is a spectacular sight to see in its native habitat. Entire hillsides bursting into bright orange bloom have made for more than one Pinterest-worthy photoshoot. The feathery grey-green foliage perfectly complements the bright orange flowers that this plant is known for.
In cultivation, the orange flowers are joined by white and pink hybrids. The native wildflower is nearly always a shade of creamsicle orange.
California Poppy is perennial in warm climates and annual in colder climates. Still, it freely reseeds itself, so replanting these pretty flowers in successive years is rarely needed.
Common Sunflower
The common sunflower attracts pollinators, feeds birds, and benefits humans through its oil and seeds.
Botanical Name: Helianthus annuus
- Sun Requirements: Full sun
- Height: Up to 12’
- Native Range: North America
- Zones: 2-11
This next plant needs no introduction. The common sunflower certainly ranks among the top 5 most recognizable flowers ever. It is easy to grow from seed. This towering, flowering pollinator favorite is native to nearly the entire North American continent. It’s no wonder that this sunflower is such a super plant.
Pollinators are highly attracted to these yellow blossoms for their abundance of pollen and nectar. Leave the seed heads on the stalk for overwintering birds as a food source. Even humans benefit from this awesome annual. We use its oil for many purposes, and sunflower seeds can be a delicious snack.
‘Elegant Clarkia’
This low-maintenance woodland flower is from California and produces pink, white, or purple flowers.
Botanical Name: Clarkia unguiculata
- Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
- Height: 3’
- Native Range: California
- Zones: 1-12
This pretty woodland flower is endemic to California but regularly appears in wildflower seed mixes as it is low-maintenance and performs well in most climates. This upright, herbaceous annual blooms for a long period between early spring and late summer.
Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are all partial to the pretty flowers of the elegant clarkia. The flowers are typically pink, white or purple, sporting 4 petals and bourne along a tall stem with lanceolate leaves.
The flowers are wonderfully long-lasting as cut flowers and have a light and pleasant fragrance. They also have a habit of reseeding, so this plant will likely return year after year.
‘Farewell to Spring’
A fast-growing annual variety of Clarkia, Farewell to Spring produces lovely pink flowers with red interiors.
Botanical Name: Clarkia amoena
- Sun Requirements: Full sun
- Height: Up to 6’
- Native Range: North American West Coast
- Zones: 1-12
Another variety of Clarkia, ‘Farewell to Spring,’ is simply lovely. These fast-growing annuals jump up and bloom by the end of spring, continuing through the summer months.
The native range encompasses most of the North American West Coast, with the most common environment being dry, open spaces, meadows, and prairies, but also growing closer to the coast on bluffs and roadsides.
Their pretty pink flowers are splashed with red interiors. These blooms mingle with attractive grey-green foliage with an herbal quality. The flowers give way to seed capsules, and they, like most Clarkia, reseed freely, returning the following year with no need for human intervention.
Golden Tickseed
Coreopsis is an enchanting and low-maintenance flowering annual that attracts pollinators and thrives in sunny spaces.
Botanical Name: Coreopsis tinctoria
- Sun Requirements: Full sun
- Height: up to 5’, an average of 2’
- Native Range: North America
- Zones: 2-12
This pretty flowering annual can turn any space into an enchanting meadow with very little time and effort. If you’re looking for a native plant that blooms big and draws a lot of pollinators, coreopsis is perfect for the job. Native to nearly all of the United States, it likes full sun and is great for spaces that don’t have the greatest drainage.
Golden tickseed is very easy to grow and can be planted in spring or fall. It flowers quickly and is excellent at reseeding itself. The stems and foliage are delicate in appearance but stand up well to wind and heat. The flowers are bright yellow with a deep mahogany center. This is the official State Wildflower of Florida.
Indian Blanket
Indian blanket is a native annual known for reseeding and vibrant colors.
Botanical Name: Gaillardia pulchella
- Sun Requirements: Full sun
- Height: 2’
- Native Range: Upper Great Plains, Western United States
- Zones: 2-11
Named for their habit of reseeding and forming a spreading blanket of flowers, the Indian blanket is another great, native annual that will self-seed and add tons of color to the garden.
Native mostly to the Western United States and Northern Great Plains regions, some varieties can also be found naturalized on the East Coast.
Indian blanket seeds can be sown in spring or fall and will produce many attractive red flowers with toothy yellow edges. The center of the flower is a deep mahogany color and attracts many local pollinators with the promise of pollen and nectar. Gaillardia reseeds freely if the seed heads are left intact to dry.
Jewelweed
A native summer-blooming annual, jewelweed has dense foliage and unique orange flowers that attract pollinators.
Botanical Name: Impatiens capensis
- Sun Requirements: Partial to full shade
- Height: up to 5’
- Native Range: United States
- Zones: 2-10
Jewelweed is a summer-blooming annual native to most of the United States. It has attractive, dense foliage and unique orange flowers commonly dusted with deeper orange freckles.
When these flowers are fertilized by pollinators, which are highly attracted to them, they produce a seed pod. If allowed to dry on the plant, the seed pods will burst open and freely reseed, bringing the plant back next season.
Large groupings of jewelweed are a great addition to shade gardens and rain gardens. While many native flowering annuals will not bloom without full sun, jewelweed actually prefers to be in the shade.
Lacy Phacelia
Lacy phacelia is a native annual that attracts pollinators with abundant nectar.
Botanical Name: Phacelia tanacetifolia
- Sun Requirements: Full sun
- Height: up to 3’
- Native Range: Western United States
- Zones: 2-10
Also known as purple tansy, lacy phacelia is a great little native annual that produces tons of nectar, attracting pollinators from far and wide. Bearing a slight resemblance to thistle, the green stems support purple flower heads with a fuzzy appearance.
This is a great plant if you are looking for an annual to add to a butterfly garden. Bees and butterflies can’t get enough of lacy phacelia.
Lacy phacelia is native to the Western United States, where it commonly grows in dry and rocky soil, along roadsides, and in open meadows. Although considered an annual, phacelia spreads by self-seeding and rhizomes, so if you give it some space, you will see it come back in successive years. It makes a great container plant that can be moved around the garden as pollinators follow it.
Lemon Bee Balm
Lemon bee balm is a fragrant and showy plant that attracts pollinators and thrives in sunny or partially shaded conditions.
Botanical Name: Monarda citrodora
- Sun Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
- Height: 2’
- Native Range: Central and Eastern United States
- Zones: 2-11
Monarda, or bee balm, is a regular addition to most pollinator gardens. These typically short-lived perennials are highly attractive to pollinating insects and hummingbirds with their fragrant and showy clusters of tubular flowers. Lemon bee balm is typically grown as an annual and often used as an herb.
Lemon bee balm has narrow, edible, toothy leaves that have a citrusy scent and are commonly used in teas and salads. It’s easy to grow, preferring full sun, but part shade is also fine. This plant is drought tolerant and native to Central and Southern United States.
Rocky Mountain Bee Plant
The Rocky Mountain bee plant is a vigorous native annual that serves as a valuable pollinator food source.
Botanical Name: Cleome serrulata
- Sun Requirements: Full sun
- Height: 1’-4’
- Native Range: Northern and Western North America
- Zones: 1-10
This vigorous annual is native to most of the North American continent except the Southeastern states. Historically, it has been used both as a medicine and a food source by Native Americans, and it is a significant food source for pollinators in its native range. Its blue-violet flowers are used for making dyes and paints as well.
The Rocky Mountain bee plant is a shrubby, herbaceous plant that is sometimes called stinkweed, as its scent is known to be rather unpleasant. It may be best to plant this one where it can be seen and not necessarily smelled. Its odor does make it resistant to deer and rodents, and its large purple flowers are showy and attractive.
Texas Indian Paintbrush
Texas Indian Paintbrush is a stunning native annual or biennial that produces white flowers surrounded by eye-catching red bracts.
Botanical Name: Castilleja indivisa
- Sun Requirements: Full sun
- Height: 18”
- Native Range: OK, TX, LA, AK
- Zones: 6-11
Native to South Central United States, Texas Indian Paintbrush is a stunning annual or biennial plant, depending on how you look at it. The seeds need to overwinter in the ground, so they must be planted in the fall to flower in the spring.
Texas Indian Paintbrush reaches about 18” tall and produces small white flowers in the spring. The flowers are not particularly showy, but they are surrounded by bright red bracts, which stand out in any flower garden. This plant can be hemiparasitic, stealing water and nutrients from surrounding plants, so it is best planted in containers or spaces of its own.
Zinnias
These flowers are low maintenance, drought tolerant, and come in various sizes and colors that attract pollinators.
Botanical Name: Zinnia
- Sun Requirements: Full sun
- Height: Up to 4’
- Native Range: Southwestern United States
- Zones: 2-11
Zinnias are one of the most well know, loved, and easy-to-grow annuals on the list. They are very low-maintenance and drought-tolerant. Also, although they will reseed, they do not have any tendency to become invasive.
Zinnias come in many sizes and even more colors. They are beloved by pollinating insects, and deadheading them will keep them blooming all summer and into fall.
If you are looking for a low-maintenance, versatile annual for the garden, zinnia checks all the boxes. In addition to its ease of care, and value to pollinators, it makes an excellent cut flower with a long vase life and long individual stems. I highly recommend purchasing zinnia seeds if you only plant one annual this year.
Final Thoughts
Annual plants bring a lot of color and interest to your garden. Although they won’t always return the following year, many of these plants are self-seeding, and most others can be propagated from cuttings or by saving the seeds from dried seed heads. If you want to add some quick color to the garden this year, these native annuals are just the plants for the job!
