Annual flowers that can take the heat

10 years ago

This is my first year experimenting with annual flowers in my front beds. The pansies were great fall-early spring. Then in April I planted petunias and zinnias, thinking those would make it through summer.

Well, I was wrong. The petunias are slowly fading and the zinnias are looking scruffy. They're still blooming, and they even can look pretty in the evenings, but they look so so sad mid-day.

Is there anything I can replace them with now, in the middle of hot hot summer, that would be able to establish itself? Part of the problem is that my front beds are on the south side of the house and get full on sun most of the day. I'm not really looking for anything unusual or outstanding - just a run-of-the-mill annual that can take the heat. Purslane? Angelonia?

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Comments (9)

cynthianovak
10 years ago
Yes to purslane and portulaca. Which zinnias did you get? I dead head and sprinkle the seeds around. Some zinnias fade in the heat and some are happy. You might also try vinca aka periwinkle. Wish I could grow them but I have their killer fungus in my yard....
julia42
Original Author
10 years ago
I was thinking of vincas - do you think they'd establish ok at this point?

The zinnias were several varieties I grew from seed. SeÃÂ±orita, Cactus Flowered Giants, and Candy Cane. They're all pretty tall and the lower foliage is looking particularly bad. What are the varieties you grow that do well in the heat? It seems like I see a lot of the shorter varieties (Profusion, maybe?) planted around our neighborhoods by the landscapers. I had sort of assumed that the taller varieties would be ok in the heat too, but maybe I was wrong.

I like the idea of vinca, though - maybe I'll try those...
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first thing you need to do.. is start learning the latin names.. so we can actually talk about the plants you actually have ... for example ... here in MI.. i used to dig my very large dahlia.. and store the roots .. like sweat potatoes.. in compost on the basement floor ... the are NOT annuals ... they are perennials .. in the jungles/rain forests they most likely come from ... when you start with the latin.. then you can find out if you actually have an annual ... which is NOT worth messing with PERIOD ... or you are actually dealing with a perennial.. that we in the great white north.. usually use as a annual ... now.. flowering is usually triggered by the inclination or declination of the sun.. along with many other variables .... that is why some do not bloom until fall ... i took me many readings of your post.. to understand what you were asking.. and i do NOT believe that you can change the genetic predisposition of a plant.. and force it into longer life .. by not allowing it to flower ... you will not convert a true annual.. to a perennial.. by not allowing it to sexually mature ... at some point or another.. as the sun declines in fall.. the plant will start to fail ... if it is a true annual ... you will not overcome that ... so.. to fully discuss this topic.. we need to know exactly what plants we are talking about.. since there seem to be both perennial and annual versions of the plants you list ... now ... impatiens.. root in days in water .... take a piece or two.. root them.. and then pot them and put them on a window sill.. and they will look good for about 2 months.. at which point.. you root a couple more pieces.. and once potted .. throw out the old.. and do this all winter.. until frost is gone.. do NOT try to get the first ones to live.. they will look horrible ... but you are not going to throw them in the root cellar ... it simply will not work with these plants ... so your option is propagation ... [i know you can throwgeranium in the root cellar .. but i think of those as woody plants.. which allow for some drying and survival.. impatiens.. on the other hand are 99% water.. and they will rot in the dark IHMO] ... finally.. there is not going to be one hard and fast rule for them all ..... again .. back to the latin.. and looking into propagation methods and storage methods of various plants ... any clearer??? ken
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I too only prune a few of the bottom branches to help with air movement. The temps you mention are low normal's for me too and my Toms are doing beautifully. I just put on my cage extensions (that makes my CRW cages 7' tall) and I guess I have 25+ Toms per plant. My temps are 95sh in the day and 70sh at nigh and my flowers are setting fruit like it was popcorn. Tomatoes set fruit just fine in the temp range you have stated. Just make sure they are getting enough water since the temps you are experienceing are over what you normally get. Try watering one Tablespoon of epsom salt in a gallon of water around each plant. ES helps with root development and flower production. Give each cage a good rattle as you go by (I think this helps move the pollen around a bit, helping pollenation). Mulch the garden with grass clippings, leaves, or straw to help moderate the soil temp and to help consrve water loos from the soil. If you are fertilizing at this time cut back on the nitrogen, use say a 5-10-10 fertilizer, because you want to promote flower production and fruit set. Nitrogen is for nice green leaves and plant growth, something you do not necessarily need right now. I don't know of any tomato variety that should not do well in the temps you have described. Tom
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rock_oak_deer
10 years ago
Gomphrena of all types are reliable in the heat of summer. I like Gomphrena 'Fireworks' the best.
tx_ag_95
10 years ago
Pentas come to mind for me. Lantana, but it's not really an annual here even though it's sold that way. Plumbago might work, it's perennial in San Antonio but can't take a typical Dallas winter. Marigolds should be OK. Lady in Red salvia is an annual up here but might be too tall for what you want. That's about all of the flowering annuals that I have experience with, that are full sun.
julia42
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks,

I actually already have gomphrena, plumbago, and lantana in those beds. The plumbago is beautiful, but more of a background perennial type for me. I've never been a fan of marigolds, but I like the suggestion for pentas and red salvia.
jardineratx
10 years ago
I agree that gomphrenas are excellent heat-tolerant annuals. I find that the zinnia augustifolia (mexican zinnia) performs very well in the heat and remains short and full, without the ragged foliage that taller zinnias succumb to. Pentas do great in the heat, but will probably require more water than the others mentioned. My best heat lover is Diamond Frost Euphorbia, which is a tender perennial for me in southeast Texas, along with Scaevola (fan flower).
Molly
Lynn Marie
10 years ago
Portulaca, purslane, marigolds, and lantanas all work well for me all summer.

Here's an article I book-marked a while back. The author is up north, but there are still some good ideas...

http://gardening.about.com/od/annuals/tp/Best-Annual-Flowers-For-Full-Sun.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: Annual Flowers for Full Sun
scottiegee
10 years ago
Gomphrenas, Vinca, Four O' Clocks.
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
10 years ago
4 oclocks are NOT an annual. They make a man sized root that goes to china. It is very hard to get rid of and it seeds out in normal garden soil. orange Cosmos is an anual that does well in heat and will seed out for the next year.

Annual flowers that can take the heat

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cynthianovak

julia42
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Annual flowers that can take the heat

Comments (9)

cynthianovak

julia42Original Author

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julia42
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