Cooperative Extension Service

Landscaping: Flowering Annuals for Wyoming

Karen L. PanterExtension Horticulture SpecialistDepartment of Plant SciencesUniversity of Wyoming

B-1170 February 2006

Issued in furtherance of cooperative extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Glen Whipple, director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071.

Persons seeking admission, employment, or access to programs of the University of Wyoming shall be con-sidered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, political belief, veteran status, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status. Persons with disabilities who require alterna-tive means for communication or program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact their local UW CES Office. To file a complaint, write the UW Employment Practices/Affirmative Action Office, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3434, Laramie, WY 82071.

AuthorKaren L. Panter, University of Wyoming Extension Horticulture Specialist, Department of Plant Sciences, P.O. Box 3354, Laramie, WY 82071-3354

Layout and Design: Jenna Norfolk, Agricultural Communications and Technology Intern

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For bright splashes of color all summer, nothing beats annuals. Though many

are technically perennials that simply won’t survive cold Wyoming winters, many are truly “annual.”

The botanical definition of an annual plant is one that germinates from seed; grows and develops; forms flowers, fruits, and seeds; and then dies all in one growing season. True annuals include sunflowers while others, like impatiens, are perennial in their native Central America but are treated as annuals here.

Annuals are highly important in Wyo-ming gardens and landscapes because of their diversity in foliage color and texture, flower color and size, and adaptability. An-nual blossoms are quite colorful and plants will bloom all growing season. There are hundreds of species and cultivars available, most of which will thrive in Wyoming.

Annual flower gardens require planning and care. An annual garden, by its very na-ture, is very different from a perennial gar-den. Annuals bloom all summer long and must be replanted each spring and cleaned out each fall.

Wyoming’s climate can be stressful for many plants. Low rainfall, low humidity, high wind, and high solar radiation, not to mention late frosts in spring and early frosts in fall, can make gardening with an-nuals a challenge. A short growing season often limits plant growth. Plus, local soils almost always need improvement to sup-port gardens used each year for annuals.

Soil and bed preparation Even though annuals are only in the ground for one growing season, pre-plant soil preparation is still important. Most annual flowers grow best in moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Wyoming soils are often low in organic matter, nitrogen and, sometimes, available phosphorus. Some have poor drainage and high soluble salts. These problems need to be corrected be-fore planting. The work involved in proper soil preparation will pay dividends every year.

Have a soil test done. Contact the local county office of the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service (UW CES) for assistance. A test will report the soil texture, organic matter percentage, avail-able phosphorus and nitrogen, pH, soluble salt level, and lime content. Recommen-dations will be included for fertilizer ap-plications, if needed, along with other soil modifications.

Most Wyoming soils are heavy clay, but occasionally sandy types occur. The best method for improving either clay or sandy soils is to add good quality organic matter. This can be well-aged compost, peat moss, or any clean, well-composted organic ma-terial. The usual recommendation is to add

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a layer 2 to 3 inches thick on the top of the garden bed and then spade or till it in to a depth of about 6 inches. With annual gar-dens, this should be done each year. Never add sand as a soil amendment. Fertilization may or may not be necessary, depending upon the results of the soil test.

Planting Even with annual flowers, it is helpful to have a plan drawn up before plants are purchased. A bit of planning on paper may be beneficial. Always consider the mature height, spread, flower color, water needs, and light requirements of plants. Mass planting groups of plants of one species and color will produce an eye-catching dis-play.

When purchasing plant material, buy from reputable retailers. Make sure the plants have been properly cared for by the retailer. Foliage should be healthy and green; check for signs of insect or disease damage. Also look to see if the roots are healthy and white and that the plant is rooted to the bottom of the container or cell pack. Look for signs of stress including leaf tip burning or wilting, which may indi-cate inadequate watering.

Always purchase plants with proper labels on them. Labeling should include a plant’s Latin name, one or more com-mon names, picture, height and width at maturity, planting spacing, exposure needs, fertilizer needs, water requirements, and any other important information specific to that plant. If a label is not present, choose something else.

The vast majority of flowering annuals are not cold tolerant, so wait to plant them until after the last local frost date (see side-bar). Carefully remove each plant from its container or cell pack and plant it no deep-er than it was in the original pot or pack. Circling roots can be gently unwound and root-bound roots can be loosened. Lightly firm the soil around the plant. After plant-ing is complete, water each plant carefully and thoroughly. This does two things: it provides water for the plant in its new home, and it settles the soil in around the root system, minimizing air pockets.

Watering Regular irrigation is recommended for the best performance of many flowering annuals. This is especially important for the first week or two as the plant is becoming established in the garden. There are no hard and fast rules of thumb for irrigating annuals simply because of their great diver-sity. If in doubt, follow instructions on the label or carefully dig down 4 to 6 inches in the flower bed to determine how dry the soil is. If it is moist on top, wait another day. If it is dry all the way down, it is time to water thoroughly. Infrequent, thorough, deep watering is always preferred over fre-quent, shallow irrigations. Try to water in the morning; watering at night leaves foli-age wet which can foster disease develop-ment.

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It is helpful to plant annuals with similar water requirements together in “zones.” Those requiring little additional water should be planted together, those requir-ing moderate moisture should be in the same zone, and those with high water re-quirements should be in their own zone. This makes it much easier to water plants according to their needs, especially if an automated system is used.

Watering can be accomplished in sev-eral ways. Hand watering is probably the most inefficient, but many municipalities require this method during periods of drought. The reason is gardeners won’t ac-cidentally forget to turn the sprinkler off if they are the sprinkler.

Setting a hose and sprinkler out for a specified amount of time is also acceptable but can lead to over- or under-irrigation. Automatic sprinkler systems set up for turf areas may also work, but care must be taken to make sure the garden area is cov-ered. Unfortunately, this type of watering is usually on a schedule rather than based on plant needs. Learn how to set or reset the timer as needed throughout the grow-ing season.

An excellent option is drip irrigation. Many types are available today that will afford thorough coverage with little evaporation, however, a drip system requires mainte-nance as emitters will sometimes clog. Re-placement is usually necessary after a few years because the tubing will break down over time with Wyoming’s high solar radia-tion and rapid temperature fluctuations. Soaker hoses are another good option. These can be hidden under mulch and may last somewhat longer than drip hoses.

Mulching

Using mulches during the growing season will slow the loss of water, prevent soil drying and cracking, reduce weak plant growth, prevent soil splashing, and provide a neat and well-kept appearance. Many kinds of mulch are available includ-ing organic types such as bark chunks, pine needles, ground corn cobs, wood chips, or compost. Organic mulches are beneficial in that they return nutrients to the soil as they break down. Be aware that some, like pine needles or any small organic matter, may blow away in high winds. Mulch must allow water and oxygen to penetrate into the soil below, and it should decompose slowly. A layer 2 inches thick is ideal.

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There are disadvantages to organic mulch-es. In some locations in Wyoming, the soil may stay too cool under mulch. With cool soil, root growth may be inhibited which in turn limits shoot growth. This may be a problem particularly with annual vegetable crops that may then mature too late in the growing season. If cool soils are a problem, wait until the sun has warmed the soil in late spring to apply mulch. Also, certain pests like slugs may hide in some mulches.

Inorganic mulches are also available but are not as highly recommended. These are permanent unless moved, will not decompose, and may impede water and oxygen penetration into the root zone underneath. Inorganic mulches include crushed rock, marble chips, and various sizes of gravel. Plastics are not recom-mended because they do not allow water or oxygen to penetrate to plant roots. Even landscape fabrics are not recommended by some landscapers. Although they do allow water and oxygen to penetrate into the soil and also minimize weed problems early on, fabrics make it difficult to plant or replant. Their purpose is often defeated as soil and other organic matter builds up on top, leading to weed problems later.

Fertilizing Annuals differ widely in their fertiliza-tion needs. The label on a plant should state the fertilizer needs of the plant in the container. A soil test will provide the information necessary to determine if the flower bed needs any nutrients. If fertil-izer is needed, there are many acceptable types on the market. Always read and fol-low label directions and be careful not to over fertilize. Too much fertilizer leads to spindly, weak, tender plant growth that will not hold up in Wyoming’s climate. Also, too much fertilizer is known to contribute to downstream pollution and algal blooms. If in doubt, don’t fertilize or at least use minimal amounts.

Some of the types available in retail stores include liquid or dry concentrates, liquid ready-to-use, granular, and slow release. Dry or liquid mix-your-own kinds tend to be the least expensive and are the easiest to over apply. More is definitely not better. Slow release types are more expen-sive but generally one application in the spring is sufficient to last the growing sea-son.

Many organic fertilizers are available but tend to be lower in nutrient content. Manures and composts can be used. Ma-nure, if not aged properly, can be very high in soluble salts, leading to burned plant roots. Composts decompose, and an ad-ditional nitrogen source may be required for annual plants to thrive. This is because microbes decomposing the organic matter can easily use up any available soil nitrogen leaving little to none for the plants.

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Staking Few annuals will require staking. If needed for taller plants, use stakes 6 to 12 inches shorter than the full-grown stems. Use several stakes around the plants. Al-ways use soft cotton cord, jute, or wide plastic, and never wire. Tie one end of the cord to a stake and then surround the plant until it is encircled by the cord, thus hold-ing up the plant.

Pests Weeds can be managed by starting with clean soil and weed-free plant mate-rial and organic matter. Regular cultivation and hand weeding will usually be needed through the growing season. Using a good layer of mulch often minimizes weed problems, as does placing plants close to-gether. Both of these strategies minimize sunlight penetration to weed seeds, which, in turn, keeps them from germinating and growing. Sometimes using mulches such as straw, manure, and hay can aggravate weed problems because weed seeds are of-ten found in them. If possible, avoid using these materials if weeds are a problem.

Insect pests can sometimes gather in large enough numbers to injure flowering annuals. In a well-watered and well-tended garden, some insects may thrive. The best defense is actually a good offense – keep-ing annuals healthy in the first place. Plants are like people in this respect. If they are stressed by too much or too little water, fertilizer, sun, or shade, they are much more susceptible to injury from insects and diseases. For this reason, proper fertilizing, watering, and spacing are very important.

Simply by scouting and monitoring the plants in a garden frequently, one can find many insect pests and begin proper treatments. Be aware many insects in the garden are actually beneficial. Few of them create problems for annuals. For this rea-son, proper identification of an insect is crucial and remedies may or may not be warranted. Contact a local UW CES office for insect diagnostic assistance.

Diseases in the annual flower garden can be minimized by proper watering, fer-tilizing, spacing, plant selection, and sanita-tion. Occasional outbreaks of diseases can frequently be managed through changes in watering or other cultural practices. There are many types of diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Viruses can-not be managed other than by removing and destroying an affected plant. Any sus-pected plant disease should be checked by a knowledgeable diagnostician. Contact a local UW CES office for further diagnostic help. Never compost diseased plant materi-als because the causal organisms may not be killed by the process. Fall clean-up

Removing annual plants after fall dieback

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helps to minimize disease and insect prob-lems for the following season. Sometimes, insects and diseases over-winter on plant parts left in the garden. By removing these in the fall, the chances of re-infection the next growing season will be less. If the an-nuals were healthy, they can be composted after removal from the garden.

Winter care Winter care for annual beds? Definitely. Clean out the plants after dieback in the fall. Then add another layer of mulch. It will help keep the soil underneath moist during the winter and will also minimize temperature fluctuations. Plus, it will be there in the spring when new annuals are ready to be planted.

Annuals in containers Annuals work beautifully in many types of containers, from large Grecian urns to hanging baskets. Many retail garden cen-ters sell ready-to-go container gardens full of assorted flowering annuals. Hanging baskets are also available in many different sizes, many with several varieties of plants in them. Changing container collections during the season can lend new and excit-ing visual appeal.

The trick to container gardening is to use good, clean, soilless growing media (also avoid sand). These potting mixes are lightweight, already clean, and many pro-vide starter fertilizers to jump start plant growth. Always use containers with drain-age holes in the bottom, and never put anything over the drainage hole (clay pot shard, layer of gravel, etc.) as these actu-ally decrease drainage and may lead to root rotting problems.

Plants in a container of any sort will dry out quicker than plants in the ground, so attention to watering is crucial. A hang-ing basket in a sunny location will need water every day. Fertilizing may or may not need to be done, depending on the plant material. An easy way to fertilize container-ized plants is to use a slow-release, granular fertilizer. If applied at planting time in the spring, these are usually sufficient to carry the plants through the growing season.

Hydrophilic gels are frequently sold as products that will increase a container’s ability to hold water. Studies have shown mixed results, often showing no difference in days between waterings between media containing gels and media with no gels in-corporated. They can be expensive and are hard to work with, especially when they are wet. They also have a tendency to break down over time, especially with high levels of fertility or salts in irrigation water.

Suggested flowering annuals The following table includes annual flowering plants that survive and thrive in Wyoming. It is divided into two sections – one for warmer, lower elevations and one for cooler and higher elevations.

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Tab

le 1

. Ann

uals

for

war

mer

are

as, i

nclu

ding

low

er e

leva

tions

in W

yom

ing.

Lat

in n

ame

Com

mon

nam

eFa

mily

Hei

ght

Spre

adFl

ower

col

orE

xpos

ure

Wat

er

Age

ratu

m h

oust

onia

num

Flos

sflow

er,

ager

atum

Ast

erac

eae

6”-2

’1’

Blu

e, p

ink,

whi

teSu

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Alc

ea r

osea

(bi

enni

al)

Hol

lyho

ckM

alva

ceae

6’1’

Whi

te, p

ink,

ros

e,

purp

le, y

ello

w, a

pric

otSu

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Alt

erna

nthe

ra te

nella

Gar

den

alte

rnan

ther

a,

joyw

eed

Am

aran

thac

eae

6”-1

’8”

Red

, bro

nze

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Am

aran

thus

tric

olor

Jose

ph’s

coa

t,

amar

anth

Am

aran

thac

eae

1’-4

’18

”R

ed a

nd g

reen

bl

otch

edSu

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Arc

toti

s sto

echa

difo

lia

(A. v

enus

ta, V

enid

ium

fa

stuo

sum

)

Afr

ican

dai

sy, b

lue

eyed

dai

sy, a

rcto

tisA

ster

acea

e2’

18”

Whi

te w

ith y

ello

w/

blue

or

yello

w/

purp

le

cent

er

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Beg

onia

sem

perfl

oren

s-cu

ltor

umFi

brou

s-ro

oted

be

goni

a, w

ax

bego

nia,

wax

pla

nt

Beg

onia

ceae

6”-1

’10

”R

ange

from

whi

te

thro

ugh

red

Part

sha

deR

egul

ar

Bra

chys

com

e (B

rach

ycom

e) ib

erid

ifol

iaSw

an R

iver

dai

syA

ster

acea

e1’

18”

Blu

e, w

hite

, pin

kSu

nR

egul

ar

Bro

wal

lia sp

ecio

saB

row

allia

, am

ethy

st

flow

er, s

apph

ire

flow

er

Sola

nace

ae1’

-2’

1’Pu

rple

, blu

e, in

digo

, w

hite

Part

sha

deR

egul

ar

Cal

ibra

choa

offi

cina

lisM

illio

n be

lls,

calib

rach

oaSo

lana

ceae

Som

e tr

ailin

g, s

ome

mou

ndin

g

2’

Var

ious

dep

endi

ng o

n pl

ant

habi

t Su

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Cal

liste

phus

chi

nens

isC

hina

ast

er, a

nnua

l as

ter

Ast

erac

eae

8”-3

’10

”-18

”R

ange

from

whi

te,

blue

, pur

ple,

sca

rlet

Sun

Reg

ular

Cat

hara

nthu

s ros

eus

(Vin

ca r

osea

)M

adag

asca

r pe

riw

inkl

e, r

ose

peri

win

kle

Apo

cyna

ceae

1’-2

’1’

-2’

Whi

te, p

ink,

ros

eSu

n, p

art

shad

eM

oder

ate

�

Lat

in n

ame

Com

mon

nam

eFa

mily

Hei

ght

Spre

adFl

ower

col

orE

xpos

ure

Wat

er

Cel

osia

C

ocks

com

bA

mar

anth

acea

e6”

-3’

6”-1

8”Pi

nk, o

rang

e, r

ed,

gold

, yel

low

, pur

ple

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Cle

ome

hassl

eran

a (C

. sp

inos

a)C

leom

e, s

pide

r flo

wer

Cap

pari

dace

ae4’

-6’

4’-5

’W

hite

, ros

e, r

ed,

cher

ry, p

urpl

eSu

nR

egul

ar

Col

eus x

hyb

ridu

s (S

olen

oste

mon

sc

utel

lari

odes

)

Col

eus

Lam

iace

ae1’

-2’

1’-2

’G

row

n fo

r co

lore

d fo

liage

Part

sha

deR

egul

ar

Cor

dylin

e in

divi

saSp

ike,

dra

caen

aA

gava

ceae

18”-

24”

12”-

18”

Folia

ge p

lant

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Cor

eops

is ti

ncto

ria

Ann

ual t

icks

eed,

ca

lliop

sis

Ast

erac

eae

18”-

3’12

”-18

”Ye

llow

, ora

nge,

m

aroo

n, b

ronz

e, r

edSu

nL

ittle

Cos

mos

sulp

hure

usC

osm

osA

ster

acea

e18

”-7’

18”-

30”

Yello

w, o

rang

e-ye

llow

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Cup

hea

igne

aC

igar

pla

nt, c

igar

flo

wer

Lyt

hrac

eae

1’1’

Ora

nge-

red

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Dah

lia h

ybri

dsG

arde

n da

hlia

Ast

erac

eae

1’-7

’1’

-3’

Var

ious

col

ors

and

flow

er fo

rms

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Dia

scia

bar

bera

eT

win

spur

Scro

phul

aria

ceae

10”

20”

Ros

e pi

nkSu

n, p

art

shad

eM

oder

ate

Dys

sodi

a te

nuilo

ba

(Thy

mop

hylla

tenu

iloba

)D

ahlb

erg

dais

y,

gold

en fl

eece

Ast

erac

eae

1’18

”Ye

llow

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Eus

tom

a gr

andi

floru

m

(Lisi

anth

us r

usse

llian

us)

Lis

iant

hus

Gen

tiana

ceae

1’-3

’1’

Blu

e, p

ink,

whi

te, r

ose

red

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Gai

llard

ia p

ulch

ella

(G

. dr

umm

ondi

)A

nnua

l gai

llard

ia,

blan

ket

flow

erA

ster

acea

e18

”-2’

1’R

ed, y

ello

w, g

old

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Ger

bera

jam

eson

iiT

rans

vaal

dai

sy,

gerb

era

dais

yA

ster

acea

e18

”12

”C

ream

, yel

low

, cor

al,

oran

ge, r

edSu

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Gla

diol

us h

ybri

dsG

ladi

ola

Irid

acea

e3’

-6’

12”

Whi

te, c

ream

, yel

low

, or

ange

, apr

icot

, sa

lmon

, red

, ros

e,

lave

nder

, pur

ple,

gre

en

Sun

Reg

ular

�

Lat

in n

ame

Com

mon

nam

eFa

mily

Hei

ght

Spre

adFl

ower

col

orE

xpos

ure

Wat

er

Gom

phre

na g

lobo

saG

omph

rena

, glo

be

amar

anth

Am

aran

thac

eae

1’-2

’12

”W

hite

, pin

k, r

ed,

purp

leSu

n, p

art

shad

eM

oder

ate

Hel

iant

hus a

nnuu

sSu

nflow

erA

ster

acea

e2’

-10’

1’-2

’W

hite

, yel

low

, red

, bi

colo

rsSu

nR

egul

ar

Hel

ichr

ysum

bra

ctea

tum

Stra

wflo

wer

Ast

erac

eae

2’-3

’1’

Yello

w, o

rang

e, r

ed,

pink

, whi

teSu

nM

oder

ate

Hel

iotr

opum

arb

ores

cens

Com

mon

he

liotr

ope

Bor

agin

acea

e18

”-2’

12”-

18”

Vio

let,

pur

ple,

blu

e,

whi

teSu

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Impa

tien

s bal

sam

ina

Gar

den

bals

am,

rose

bal

sam

Bal

sam

inac

eae

8”-3

0”6”

-8”

Whi

te, p

ink,

ros

e, li

lac,

re

dSu

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Impa

tien

s New

Gui

nea

hybr

ids

New

Gui

nea

impa

tiens

Bal

sam

inac

eae

1’-2

’1’

-2’

Var

iega

ted

folia

ge;

flow

ers

whi

te, o

rang

e,

red,

pin

k, p

urpl

e,

lave

nder

Part

sha

deR

egul

ar

Impa

tien

s wal

lera

na (

I.

wal

leri

ana)

Bus

y L

izzi

e,

impa

tiens

Bal

sam

inac

eae

1’-2

’1’

-2’

All

colo

rs b

ut y

ello

w

and

blue

Part

sha

de,

shad

eR

egul

ar

Ipom

oea

bata

tas

Swee

t po

tato

vin

eC

onvo

lvul

acea

eV

ine

3’G

row

n fo

r ch

artr

euse

to

pur

ple

folia

geSu

nR

egul

ar

Ipom

oea

purp

urea

(C

onvo

lvul

us p

urpu

reus

)M

orni

ng g

lory

Con

volv

ulac

eae

6’-1

5’ v

ine

1’B

lue,

lave

nder

, pin

k,

red,

whi

teSu

nR

egul

ar

Lava

tera

trim

estr

isA

nnua

l mal

low

Mal

vace

ae3’

-6’

3’-6

’W

hite

, pin

k, r

ose

pink

Sun

Reg

ular

Lim

oniu

m si

nuat

umA

nnua

l sta

tice

Plum

bagi

nace

ae18

”1’

Blu

e, la

vend

er, r

ose,

ye

llow

, pea

ch, p

urpl

e,

whi

te

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Lobe

lia e

rinu

sL

obel

ia, e

dgin

g lo

belia

Lob

elia

ceae

6”9”

-18”

Blu

e, v

iole

t, w

hite

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Lobu

lari

a m

arit

ima

(Aly

ssum

mar

itim

um)

Swee

t al

yssu

mB

rass

icac

eae

1’1’

Whi

te, p

ink,

vio

let

Sun

Reg

ular

Luna

ria

annu

a (L

. bi

enni

s)M

oney

pla

nt, s

ilver

do

llar

plan

tB

rass

icac

eae

18”-

3’1’

Purp

le, w

hite

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Litt

le

�0

Lat

in n

ame

Com

mon

nam

eFa

mily

Hei

ght

Spre

adFl

ower

col

orE

xpos

ure

Wat

er

Mim

ulus

x h

ybri

dus

Mon

key

flow

erSc

roph

ular

iace

ae1’

1’C

ream

, ros

e, o

rang

e,

yello

w, s

carl

et, b

row

nPa

rt s

hade

, sh

ade

Reg

ular

Mir

abili

s jal

apa

Four

o’c

lock

Nyc

tagi

nace

ae3’

3’W

hite

, red

, pin

k,

yello

wSu

nL

ittle

Nic

otia

na a

lata

Flow

erin

g to

bacc

o,

orna

men

tal t

obac

coSo

lana

ceae

1’-4

’1’

Whi

te, p

ink,

red

, gr

een

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Nie

rem

berg

ia

hipp

oman

ica

(N.

caer

ulea

)

Nie

rem

berg

ia,

cupfl

ower

Sola

nace

ae6”

-12”

6”-1

2”B

lue

to v

iole

tSu

nR

egul

ar

Pela

rgon

ium

x

dom

esti

cum

Mar

tha

Was

hing

ton

or R

egal

ger

aniu

mG

eran

iace

ae2’

2’W

hite

, pin

k, r

ed,

lave

nder

, pur

ple

Sun

Reg

ular

Pela

rgon

ium

x h

orto

rum

Zon

al g

eran

ium

, se

ed g

eran

ium

Ger

ania

ceae

2’2’

Whi

te, p

ink,

ros

e, r

ed,

oran

ge, v

iole

tSu

nR

egul

ar

Pela

rgon

ium

pel

tatu

mIv

y ge

rani

umG

eran

iace

ae18

”2’

-4’

Whi

te, p

ink,

ros

e, r

ed,

lave

nder

Sun

Reg

ular

Pela

rgon

ium

sce

nted

ty

pes

Scen

ted

gera

nium

Ger

ania

ceae

1’-3

’1’

-3’

Whi

te, r

ose

Sun

Reg

ular

Penn

isetu

m se

tace

um

rubr

um (

P. r

uppe

lii)

Purp

le fo

unta

in

gras

sPo

acea

e3’

3’C

oppe

ry p

ink,

pur

ple

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Mod

erat

e

Pent

as la

nceo

lata

Star

clu

ster

s, p

enta

sR

ubia

ceae

2’-3

’2’

-3’

Whi

te, p

ink,

lila

c, r

edSu

nR

egul

ar

Petu

nia

x hy

brid

aPe

tuni

aSo

lana

ceae

Var

ious

, so

me

trai

ling

Var

ious

, so

me

trai

ling

Whi

te, c

ream

, yel

low

, re

ds, b

lues

, pur

ples

, bi

colo

rs

Sun

Reg

ular

Phlo

x dr

umm

ondi

iA

nnua

l phl

ox,

Dru

mm

ond

phlo

xPo

lem

onia

ceae

6”-1

8”10

”-12

”Pa

stel

s ex

cept

blu

e an

d or

ange

Sun

Reg

ular

Port

ulac

a gr

andi

flora

Ros

e m

oss,

mos

s ro

se, p

ortu

laca

, sun

pl

ant

Port

ulac

acea

e6”

18”

Whi

te, r

ed, p

ink,

or

ange

, yel

low

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Salp

iglo

ssis s

inua

taPa

inte

d to

ngue

Sola

nace

ae2’

-3’

1’R

ed, r

eddi

sh o

rang

e,

yello

w, p

urpl

e, p

ink

Sun

Reg

ular

��

Lat

in n

ame

Com

mon

nam

eFa

mily

Hei

ght

Spre

adFl

ower

col

orE

xpos

ure

Wat

er

Salv

ia sp

lend

ens

Scar

let

sage

, red

sa

lvia

Lam

iace

ae1’

-3’

1’-2

’W

hite

, red

, sal

mon

, pi

nk, p

urpl

eSu

nR

egul

ar

Sant

olin

a ch

amae

cypa

rissu

sL

aven

der

cott

onA

ster

acea

e1’

-2’

2’-3

’Ye

llow

Sun

Litt

le

Sanv

ital

ia p

rocu

mbe

nsC

reep

ing

zinn

ia,

trai

ling

sanv

italia

Ast

erac

eae

6”18

”Ye

llow

, ora

nge

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Scab

iosa

atr

opur

pure

aA

nnua

l pin

cush

ion

flow

erD

ipsa

cace

ae2’

1’W

hite

, ros

e, s

alm

on,

purp

leSu

nM

oder

ate

Scae

vola

Scae

vola

Goo

deni

acea

e6”

3’M

auve

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Tage

tes e

rect

aA

fric

an m

arig

old,

A

ztec

mar

igol

dA

ster

acea

e2’

-3’

2’C

ream

, yel

low

, gol

d,

oran

geSu

nM

oder

ate

Tage

tes p

atul

aFr

ench

mar

igol

dA

ster

acea

e6”

-18”

6”-1

8”Ye

llow

, ora

nge,

gol

d,

mar

oon

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Thu

nber

gia

alat

aB

lack

-eye

d Su

san

vine

, clo

ck v

ine

Aca

ntha

ceae

Vin

e3’

Whi

te, y

ello

w, o

rang

eSu

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Tit

honi

a ro

tund

ifol

iaM

exic

an s

unflo

wer

, tit

honi

aA

ster

acea

e4’

3’G

old,

ora

nge,

yel

low

Sun

Reg

ular

Tore

nia

four

nier

iW

ishb

one

flow

er,

tore

nia

Scro

phul

aria

ceae

1’1’

Whi

te, l

aven

der

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Trop

aeol

um m

ajus

Nas

turt

ium

, Ind

ian

cres

sT

ropa

eola

ceae

18”,

som

e tr

ailin

g18

”, s

ome

trai

ling

Whi

te, y

ello

w, o

rang

e,

red,

mar

oon

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Verb

ena

x hy

brid

aG

arde

n ve

rben

aV

erbe

nace

ae6”

-12”

18”-

3’W

hite

, pin

k, r

ed,

purp

le, b

lue

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Zinn

ia a

ngus

tifo

liaC

ompa

ct z

inni

aA

ster

acea

e16

”16

”W

hite

, yel

low

, ora

nge

Sun

Reg

ular

Zinn

ia e

lega

nsC

omm

on z

inni

aA

ster

acea

e1’

-4’

1’-2

’W

hite

, pin

k, s

alm

on,

rose

, red

, yel

low

, or

ange

, lav

ende

r, pu

rple

Sun

Reg

ular

��

Tab

le 2

. Ann

uals

for

cool

er a

reas

, inc

ludi

ng h

ighe

r el

evat

ions

in W

yom

ing.

Lat

in n

ame

Com

mon

nam

eFa

mily

Hei

ght

Spre

adFl

ower

col

orE

xpos

ure

Wat

er

Ant

irrh

inum

maj

usSn

apdr

agon

Scro

phul

aria

ceae

6”-3

’6”

-2’

Wid

e ra

nge

avai

labl

eSu

nR

egul

ar

Bra

ssica

ole

race

aeFl

ower

ing

kale

, or

nam

enta

l kal

eB

rass

icac

eae

1’-2

’1’

-2’

Gre

en, r

ed, p

urpl

eSu

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Cal

endu

la o

ffici

nalis

Cal

endu

la, p

ot

mar

igol

dA

ster

acea

e1’

-2’

12”-

18”

Cre

am, a

pric

ot,

yello

wSu

nM

oder

ate

Cam

panu

la m

ediu

m (

C.

gran

diflo

ra)

Can

terb

ury

bells

Cam

panu

lace

ae1’

-2’

1’-2

’W

hite

, blu

eSu

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Cla

rkia

am

oena

God

etia

Ona

grac

eae

6”-2

4”6”

-12”

Pink

, lav

ende

rSu

nR

egul

ar

Cyn

oglo

ssum

am

abile

Chi

nese

forg

et-

me-

not

Bor

agin

acea

e1’

-2’

1’W

hite

, pin

k, b

lue

Sun

Reg

ular

Dia

nthu

s bar

batu

sSw

eet

Will

iam

Car

yoph

ylla

ceae

18”

1’W

hite

, pin

k, r

ed,

rose

, pur

ple,

bic

olor

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Dia

nthu

s car

yoph

yllu

sA

nnua

l car

natio

n,

clov

e pi

nkC

aryo

phyl

lace

ae1’

1’W

hite

, pin

k, r

edSu

nR

egul

ar

Dia

nthu

s chi

nens

isC

hina

pin

ks,

annu

al p

inks

Car

yoph

ylla

ceae

6”-2

4”6”

-10”

Whi

te, p

ink,

red

Sun

Reg

ular

Dim

orph

othe

ca si

nuat

aA

fric

an d

aisy

, cap

e m

arig

old

Ast

erac

eae

4”-1

2”4”

-12”

Whi

te, y

ello

w,

oran

geSu

nM

oder

ate

Esc

hsch

olzi

a ca

lifor

nica

Cal

iforn

ia p

oppy

Papa

vera

ceae

8”-2

4”12

”-18

”W

hite

, yel

low

, or

ange

Sun

Litt

le

Fuch

sia x

hyb

rida

Fuch

sia,

lady

’s

eard

rops

Ona

grac

eae

Som

e up

righ

t,

som

e tr

ailin

g

Var

ies

with

pl

ant

form

Sepa

ls w

hite

, red

, or

pink

; pet

als

whi

te,

purp

le, p

ink,

red

Part

sha

deR

egul

ar

Iber

is um

bella

taG

lobe

can

dytu

ft,

annu

al c

andy

tuft

Bra

ssic

acea

e12

”-15

”9”

Whi

te, p

ink,

ros

es,

crim

son,

sal

mon

, lil

ac

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Lant

ana

Lan

tana

Ver

bena

ceae

6”-1

2”1’

-3’

Whi

te, y

ello

w, p

ink,

la

vend

er, o

rang

e, r

edSu

nM

oder

ate

��

Lath

yrus

odo

ratu

sA

nnua

l sw

eet

pea

Faba

ceae

5’ o

r m

ore

3’W

hite

, cre

am,

salm

on, r

ose,

blu

e,

purp

le, s

carl

et

Sun

Reg

ular

Mat

thio

la in

cana

Stoc

k, g

illyfl

ower

Bra

ssic

acea

e1’

-3’

10”-

16”

Whi

te, p

ink,

red

, pu

rple

, lav

ende

r, bl

ue, y

ello

w, c

ream

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular

Mol

ucce

lla la

evis

Bel

ls-o

f-Ir

elan

d,

Iris

h be

llsL

amia

ceae

1’-2

’10

”G

reen

Sun

Reg

ular

Myo

soti

s syl

vati

caFo

rget

-me-

not

Bor

agin

acea

e6”

-12”

2’B

lue

Part

sha

deR

egul

ar

Nem

esia

stru

mos

aN

emes

iaSc

roph

ular

iace

ae18

”1’

All

but

gree

nSu

nR

egul

ar

Ost

eosp

erm

um b

arbe

rae

(Dim

orph

othe

ca b

arbe

rae)

Afr

ican

dai

syA

ster

acea

e4”

-20”

1’-2

’W

hite

, pin

k, p

urpl

eSu

nR

egul

ar

Prim

ula

Ann

ual p

rim

rose

Prim

ulac

eae

Var

ious

Var

ious

Whi

te, c

ream

, pin

k,

yello

w, r

ed, b

lue

Part

sha

de,

shad

eR

egul

ar

Schi

zant

hus p

inna

tus

Poor

man

’s

orch

id, b

utte

rfly

flow

er

Sola

nace

ae18

”1’

Whi

te, p

ink,

ros

e,

lilac

, pur

ple

Part

sha

deR

egul

ar

Sene

cio

cine

rari

a (C

enta

urea

mar

itim

a,

Cin

erar

ia m

arit

ima)

Dus

ty m

iller

Ast

erac

eae

2’-3

’2’

-3’

Gro

wn

for

gray

fo

liage

, flow

ers

yello

w

Sun

Mod

erat

e

Sene

cio

x hy

brid

usC

iner

aria

Ast

erac

eae

1’-2

’1’

-2’

Whi

te, p

ink,

red

, bl

ue, p

urpl

ePa

rt s

hade

, sh

ade

Reg

ular

Stok

esia

laev

isSt

okes

ast

erA

ster

acea

e1’

-2’

18”

Whi

te, b

lue,

pur

ple

Sun

Reg

ular

Sute

ra c

orda

taB

acop

aSc

roph

ular

iace

ae6”

2’-3

’W

hite

, yel

low

, la

vend

erSu

n, p

art

shad

eR

egul

ar

Vin

ca m

ajor

Vin

ca v

ine

Apo

cyna

ceae

Tra

iling

Tra

iling

to

4’G

row

n fo

r va

rieg

ated

folia

ge,

flow

ers

blue

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Mod

erat

e

Vio

la x

wit

troc

kian

aPa

nsy

Vio

lace

ae6”

-10”

9”-1

2”W

hite

, blu

e, r

ed,

rose

, yel

low

, apr

icot

, pu

rple

Sun,

par

t sh

ade

Reg

ular