Full Sun Annual Plants for Atlanta

Time Frame

• Atlantans must select annual flowers that grow in intense sunlight and hot, humid conditions in summer, but the mild winters allow many cool-season annuals to flourish, too. After the last spring frost date, around April 10, warm-season annuals are planted to grow from summer up until fall frost around October 25. Then, cool-season annuals are grown--these plants can tolerate frosts and light subfreezing temperatures.

Types

• In summer, popular sun-loving annuals include salvia, pentas, petunia, sunflower, angelonia, Madagascar periwinkle, gomphrena, marigold, verbena, lantana and wax/fibrous begonia. Cool-season annuals that need abundant fall and winter sun to bloom are snapdragon, pansy, Johnny-jump-up, pinks, annual phlox and calendula. These plants fair best when temperatures remain between 20 and 70 degrees.

Assistance

• Besides your local plant nursery professional, Atlantans can learn of annual flower recommendations from their local Cooperative Extension Office, a visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden or the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in nearby Athens. The State Botanical Garden conducts evaluations of annual plants each year to determine which perform the best in Georgia's climate and soils.