Overview of Annuals


Annuals, unlike perennials, grow from seeds and bloom, and then die. Annual plants complete their entire life cycle in one year or less.

These plants are less work to grow than perennials because you don’t need to prepare them to make it through the winter but it can be a hassle to re-plant every spring. Most of the beautiful flowers that you see in gardens during the spring and summer are annuals.

Most of the plant’s energy is channeled to the production of flower factories for the express purpose of manufacturing seed.

Annuals also have a longer blooming season than perennials so many people who have gardens of mixed perennials and annuals choose annual plants that will provide nice splashes of color since the annuals will bloom longer than the perennials.

Perennials are in the long haul while annuals are opportunists, ready to take advantage of even short spans of temperature weather to germinate, grow, flower, and seed, some of them completing the entire cycle six weeks or less. Thus the systems used for classifying annuals are based on temperatures needed for germination and healthy growth and bloom.

The first systems were formulated in England and are still in use. They divide annuals into three categories: hardy, half-hardy, and tender. First time gardeners usually start out growing annuals because they are easy to plant and easier to take care of. After a few seasons of growing annuals, most gardeners like to throw some perennials into the mix but they usually start with ornamental grasses and ground covers; things that are very hardy and survive cold weather very well.

Hardy annuals are plants that stand a reasonable degree of frost, and even in the colder parts of the country many of their seeds survive a winter outside and germinate in the spring. The alternate freezes and thaws of late February and March will not harm them, and in fact are often essential to germination.

Half-hardy annuals are usually damaged, set back, or killed by continued exposure to frost, but will stand up to an occasional light freeze, and are impervious to endless days of cool, wet weather, a common occurrence of the English climate.

Tender annuals come from the parts of the world and need warm soils for germination. They are immediately killed by frost.

There are many perennial plants, either hardy (usually fro a temperature climate) or tender (generally from the tropical parts of the world) that will bloom the first year from seed are also classified as annuals.

Some common annuals

Abutilon – Dame Vanessa The Abutilon Dame Vanessa , ‘Abutilon hybrid’, has handsome foliage and gorgeous blossoms. Abutilons are also commonly called Flowering Maples because of the shape of their leaves. This Albutilon is a Proven Selections plant. The Dame Vanessa Abutilo… Read More Abutilon – Melon Sorbet The Abutilon Melon Sorbet, ‘Abutilon hybrid’, has handsome foliage and gorgeous blossoms. Abutilons are also commonly called Flowering Maples because of the shape of their leaves. This Albutilon is a Proven Selections plant. The Melon Sorbet Abutilon… Read More
Abutilon – Voodoo The Abutilon Voodoo, ‘Abutilon hybrid’, has handsome foliage and gorgeous blossoms. Abutilons are also commonly called Flowering Maples because of the shape of their leaves. This Albutilon is a Proven Selections plant. The Voodoo Abutilon displays for… Read More Ageratum – Artist Alto Blue The Ageratum Artist Alto Blue, ‘Ageratum hybrid’, has beautiful true blue blooms. This Proven Winner plant is able to renew itself continuously throughout the season by over-growing old blooms with fresh colorful new blooms. It is also exceptionally … Read More
Ageratum – Artist Blue The Ageratum Artist Blue, ‘Ageratum hybrid’, has beautiful true blue blooms. This Proven Winner plant is able to renew itself continuously throughout the season by over-growing old blooms with fresh colorful new blooms. It is also exceptionally heat … Read More Ageratum – Artist Blue Violet The Ageratum Artist Blue Violet , ‘Ageratum hybrid’, has beautiful bicolor blue violet blooms. This Proven Winner plant is able to renew itself continuously throughout the season by over-growing old blooms with fresh colorful new blooms. It is also e… Read More
Ageratum – Artist Purple The Ageratum Artist Purple , ‘Ageratum hybrid’, has beautiful purple blooms. This Proven Winner plant is able to renew itself continuously throughout the season by over-growing old blooms with fresh colorful new blooms. It is also exceptionally heat … Read More
Ageratum – Artist Rose
The Ageratum Artist Rose , ‘Ageratum hybrid’, has beautiful rose colored blooms. This Proven Winner plant is able to renew itself continuously throughout the season by over-growing old blooms with fresh colorful new blooms. It is also exceptionally h… Read More
Anagallis – Cinnamon The Anagallis Cinnamon, ‘Anagallis hybrid’, displays beautiful medium pink flowers. The Cinnamon comes from a series of early, compact, large flowering Anagallis. The flowers of this Proven Selection plant are large, about 2/3 of an inch across. Anag… Read More Anagallis – Spice The Anagallis Spice, ‘Anagallis hybrid’, displays beautiful light pink flowers. The Spice comes from a series of early, compact, large flowering Anagallis. The flowers of this Proven Selection plant are large, about 2/3 of an inch across. Anagallis a… Read More
Anagallis – WildcatGäó Blue The Anagallis Wildcat Blue, ‘Anagallis hybrid’, displays beautiful true blue flowers. The Wildcat Blue comes from a new series of early, compact, large flowering Anagallis. The flowers of this Proven Selection plant are large, about 2/3 of an inch ac… Read More Anagallis – WildcatGäó Orange The Anagallis Wildcat Orange, ‘Anagallis hybrid’, displays beautiful bright ochre flowers. The Wildcat Orange comes from a new series of early, compact, large flowering Anagallis. The flowersof this Proven Selection plant are large, about 2/3 of an … Read More

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