Amaranthus (amaranth)
18 in. to 6 ft., varies with species
Red, orange, gold, green, purple
Notes: Resents transplanting. Direct-seed.
Can't Tolerate: Wet soil; shade
Arctotis hybrids (African daisy)
1 ft. to 2 ft., varies with cultivar
Red, pink, orange, yellow, white
Notes: Direct-seed after frost.
Can't Tolerate: Humidity; high night temps
Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle)
4 in. to 24 in., varies with cultivar
Red, pink, lavender, white
Notes: Difficult to start from seed. Buy plants instead.
Can't Tolerate: Temps below 60 degrees F
Celosia spicata (wheat celosia)
2 ft. to 4 ft., varies with cultivar
Red, pink, purple
Notes: Good cut flower, fresh or dried.
Can't Tolerate: Cold soil; cold water
Cleome hassleriana (spider flower)
3 ft. to 5 ft.
Rose, pink, purple, white
Notes: Easy to grow from seed; self-sows.
Can't Tolerate: No problems
Cosmos bipinnatus
2 ft. to 5 ft., varies with cultivar
Crimson, pink, white
Notes: Easy to grow from seed; self-sows.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil (yields few flowers)
Cosmos sulphureus
1 ft. to 4 ft., varies with cultivar
Scarlet, orange, yellow
Notes: Easy to grow from seed; self-sows.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil (yields few flowers)
Cuphea micropetala (cigar plant)
3 ft. to 4 ft.
Red
Notes: Buy transplants.
Can't Tolerate: No problems
Eschscholzia californica (California poppy)
6 in. to 15 in.
Red, pink, orange, yellow, cream
Notes: Resents transplanting. Sow seed; deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil; wet soil
Euphorbia bicolor (snow-on-the-prairie)
18 in. to 24 in.
White bracts
Notes: Milky sap is toxic. Easy to grow.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil (yields floppy stems)
Gazania hybrids
6 in. to 15 in., varies with cultivar
Red, pink, bronze, orange, yellow
Notes: Good for hot, windy spots.
Can't Tolerate: Rain; wet soil; humidity
Gomphrena (globe amaranth)
12 in. to 30 in., varies with cultivar
Rose, orange, purple, lavender, white
Notes: Good cut flower, fresh or dried.
Can't Tolerate: Cold soil; poor air circulation
Ipomoea quamoclit (cypress vine)
6 ft. to 25 ft.
Scarlet
Notes: Resents transplanting. Easy to grow from seed; self-sows.
Can't Tolerate: No problems
Lantana
1 ft. to 6 ft., varies with species
Red, pink, orange, cream, lilac, purple, white, and bicolors
Notes: Buy transplants. Berries are toxic; look for nonfruiting varieties.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil; night temps below 60 degrees F
Melampodium paludosum (medallion flower)
8 in. to 24 in.
Yellow
Notes: Good for hot, humid climates; very tough plant.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil; wet soil
Mirabilis jalapa (four o'clocks)
2 ft. to 3 ft.
Red, pink, salmon, yellow, white
Notes: All parts of plant are poisonous. Best direct-sown; self-sows.
Can't Tolerate: No problems
Nicotiana (flowering tobacco)
8 in. to 5 ft., varies with species
Rose, pink, green, purple, white
Notes: Easy to grow from seed. Some types fragrant; some will self-sow. Can't Tolerate: Wet stems and leaves (water from below)
Petunia
6 in. to 24 in., varies with cultivar
All colors
Notes: Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Humidity; frequent rain
Portulaca (rose moss)
4 in. to 8 in.
Red, magenta, pink, salmon, orange, yellow, white
Notes: Easy to grow from seed; rooted cuttings will overwinter.
Can't Tolerate: Humidity
Sanvitalia procumbens (creeping zinnia)
4 in. to 8 in.
Orange, yellow
Notes: Performs in partial shade, but plant close together for fullness.
Can't Tolerate: Poor drainage
Tagetes (marigold)
6 in. to 4 ft., varies with species
Maroon, orange, yellow, cream
Notes: Easy to start from seed. Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil
Thymophylla tenuiloba or Dyssodia tenuiloba (Dahlberg daisy)
4 in. to 8 in.
Yellow
Notes: Short-lived, but reseeds.
Can't Tolerate: Poor drainage
Tithonia rotundifolia (Mexican sunflower)
30 in. to 8 ft., varies with cultivar
Orange, yellow
Notes: Shrublike in growth. Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Rain; rich soil (yields floppy stems)
Verbena peruviana (Peruvian verbena)
3 in. to 6 in.
Red, pink, white
Notes: Good as groundcover and on slopes; performs in partial shade.
Can't Tolerate: Wet soil
Verbena tenuisecta (moss verbena)
8 in. to 12 in.
Pink, lavender, purple, white
Notes: Shear plants to 2 in. tall if they become leggy.
Can't Tolerate: Poor drainage
Zinnia angustifolia (narrow-leaved zinnia)
12 in. to 15 in.
Orange, yellow, white
Notes: Mildew-resistant.
Can't Tolerate: No problems
Zinnia elegans (common zinnia)
4 in. to 4 ft., varies with cultivar
All colors except blue
Notes: Easy to grow from seed. Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Wet soil; poor air circulation
