The easiest way to brighten up the landscape is by adding annual color. Annuals are great for borders, accents, and even focal points. But not all annuals do well in our area. Below is a list of annuals that typically do well in the Sarasota area.
Winter Annuals
- Coleus – part sun (winter) to full shade (spring)
- Dianthus – full to part sun (Winter or Summer)
- Dusty Miller – full to part sun
- Geranium – part shade to full sun (more shade in warmer weather)
- Impatiens – full sun (winter) to full shade (spring or fall)
- Lobelia – full to part sun
- Marigold – full to part sun (Winter or Summer)
- Pansy – full to part sun (plant during coldest part of winter only)
- Petunia – full sun to part shade
- Snapdragon – full to part sun
- Sweet alyssum – full to part sun
- Viola – part to full sun
Summer Annuals
- Blanket Flower (Gaillardia) – full to part sun, re-seeds
- Blue salvia – part shade to part sun
- Caladium – part or full shade (actually a perennial that comes up every year, click on the link to see the full page on this plant)
- Celosia (“cockscomb”) – part shade to part sun (best in spring through early summer)
- Gazania daisy – full to part sun
- Gebera daisy (Gerber daisy) – part shade to part sun, usually best in spring through early summer
- Ornamental cabbage (flowering kale) – full to part sun (best in spring and early summer)
- Portulaca “Moss Rose” – full to part sun
- Purslane – full to part sun
- Wax begonia – full sun to full shade for bronze leaf, full shade for green leaf
- Zinnia – full to part sun