Stephen Albert
Annuals are plants that grow from seed, attain their mature growth, flower, and produce seed in one year or less; they then die having completed their life-cycle.
Annuals can be divided into those that are hardy, meaning they can withstand a light frost, those that are half-hardy, meaning they can withstand cool temperatures but not a frost, and tender, which can be grown only in warm ground and only after all danger of frost is well over.
Tender annuals are best started in a greenhouse or hotbed if started in early spring, or they can their seed can be planted directly in the garden at least three weeks after the last frost in spring when the soil has begun to warm.
As a general rule, tender annuals will grow best from late spring to early autumn.
Colorful tender annuals
| A-J Common Name | Botanical Name |
| African marigold | Tagetes erecta |
| Bloodflower | Asclepias curassavica |
| Browallia | Browallia spp. |
| Coleus | Coleus spp. |
| Flossflower | Ageratum spp. |
| French marigold | Tagetes patula |
| Geranium | Pelargonium spp. |
| Heliotrope | Heliotropium spp. |
| Impatiens | Impatiens spp. |
| Joseph’s coat | Amaranthus tricolor |
| L-Z Common Name | Botanical Name |
| Love-lies-bleeding | Amaranthus caudatus |
| Monkey flower | Mimulus spp. |
| Nasturtium | Tropaeolum spp. |
| Painted tongue | Salpiglossis sinuata |
| Perilla | Perilla spp. |
| Periwinkle | Vinca major ‘Variegata’ |
| Polka-dot plant | Hypoestes phyllostachya |
| Wax begonia | Begonia semperflorens |
| Wishbone flower | Torenia spp. |
| Zinnia | Zinnia spp. |
Also of interest:
Growing Annuals for Summer Bloom
