Annuals are a popular, wonderful, and adaptable way to bring color and texture to the garden. For many annuals that contribute bloom, they also attract and support pollinating insects such as butterflies, honeybees, and other beneficial insects. This list is designed to help you identify beautiful, sustainable, strong-growing annuals for your garden. All the suggested plants emerged as consistently high performers over a decade of trialing at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Our trialing program is generously supported by breeding companies, growers, and others throughout the green industry. Rating of the plants is completed with the help of the Cincinnati Flower Growers Association, OSU Hamilton County Extension, Master Gardeners, and Zoo sta & volunteers. To succeed with annuals, till or cultivate your soil deeply, adding enough compost or pine fines to create a rich soil. Know your site’s conditions. Is it wet, dry, sunny, or shady? Then choose the appropriate plants. Once planted, be sure to mulch, water as needed, and consider the occasional boost of a quality fertilizer. The Best of the Zoo series of brochures are products of our Plant Trials. It is our hope that they raise the level of Horticulture in the region, which improves the quality of life for the entire community. You can find our other brochures at: http://cincinnatizoo.org/plants/
Annuals Full Sun (under 15")
Angelonia Serena® Purple
Angelonia Serena®White
Bidens Goldilocks Rocks®
Chrysocephalum ‘Silver Fox’
Dahlia ‘XXL Chiapas’
Dahlia 'XXL Durango' PP
Dichondra Silver Falls™
Euphorbia Diamond Frost®
Evolvulus Blue My Mind™ PP
Helychrysum ‘Licorice’
Impatiens Bounce® White
Lantana ‘New Gold’ PP, HF
Lantana Little Lucky™ Pot of Gold PP
Lobularia Frosty Knight® PP
Marigold ‘Aurora Yellow’
Pelargonium Caliente® Orange
Pelargonium Calliope®
Lavender Rose Pentas ‘Northern Lights Lavender’ PP
Pepper ‘Black Pearl’ PP
Petunia Supertunia® Vista Bubblegum HF
Petunia Supertunia® Vista Silverberry HF
Petunia Tidal Wave® Silver
Plectranthus ‘Nicoletta’
Plectranthus 'Nicodemus'
Plectranthus 'Silver Crest'
Plectranthus ‘Silver Shield’ HF
Scaevola 'Brilliant'
Scaevola New Wonder® PP
Sedum ‘Lemon Coral’
Sweet Potato ‘FloraMia Rosso’
Sweet Potato ‘Marguerite’ HF
Sweet Potato ‘Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Red’ HF
Sweet Potato 'Black Heart'
Sweet Potato Illusion® Garnet Lace HF
Sweet Potato Solar Power™ Black
Sweet Potato 'Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Purple'
Verbena Superbena® Royale Chambray PP
Vinca ‘Mediterranean XP Strawberry’
Vinca Titan® Series HF
Vinca Valiant™ Punch PP
Zinnia ‘Star Gold’ PP, HF
Zinnia Double Zahara™ Yellow PP, HF
Zinnia Double Zahara™ Fire, PP, HF
Begonia ‘Gryphon’
Begonia ‘Nightlife Deep Rose’
Begonia Dragonwing® Series HF
Begonia Megawatt™ Pink Bronze Leaf
Begonia Megawatt™ Red Green Leaf
Coleus Kong® Rose
Coleus Kong® Scarlet
Hypoestes Splash ‘Select White’
Impatiens Celebration Series
Impatiens Celebrette Hot Pink
Torenia Catalina® Gilded Grape PP
Torenia Summer Wave® Blue PP
Begonia Big™ Series
Begonia Whopper® Series HF
Coleus ‘Alabama Sunset’
Coleus ‘Apple Brandy’
Coleus ‘Dark Star’ HF
Coleus ‘Dipt n Wine’ HF
Coleus ‘Electric Lime’
Coleus ‘Kingswood Torch’
Coleus ‘Life Lime’ HF
Coleus ‘Pineapple’
Coleus ‘Premium Sun Crimson’
Coleus ‘Redhead’ HF
Coleus ‘Sedona’ HF
Coleus ‘Sky Fire’
Coleus Signature™ Gnash Rambler
Coleus Splish Splash®
Coleus ‘Trusty Rusty’
Colocasia ‘Black Coral’
Cyperus ‘Baby Tut’ HF
Impatiens Bounce® White
Impatiens SunPatiens® Series
Impatiens SunStanding Series
Iresine ‘Blazin’ Rose’
Pennisetum ‘Jade Princess’
Salvia ‘Golden Delicious’ PP
Salvia ‘Mystic Spires’ PP
Strobilanthes dyerianus (Persian Shield)
Colocasia ‘Blue Hawaii’
Colocasia ‘Coffee Cups’
Colocasia ‘Diamond Head’
Colocasia ‘Red-Eyed Gecko’
Alternanthera ‘Purple Knight’
Angelonia Angelface® Blue
Angelonia Applique™ Pink
Angelonia Archangel™ Dark Rose
Angelonia Archangel™ Raspberry
Coleus ‘Alabama Sunset’
Coleus ‘Dark Star’
Coleus ‘Pineapple’
Coleus ‘Sedona’
Dahlia ‘Mystic Illusion’ PP, HF
Gomphrena ‘Fireworks’ PP
Dahlia Dahlightful® Sultry Scarlet PP
Lantana Landmark™ Citrus PP
Lantana Landmark™ Gold PP
Lantana Landmark™ Sunrise Rose PP
Lantana Lucky™ Yellow PP, HF
Lantana Luscious® Citrus Blend PP, HF
Lantana Luscious® Marmalade PP
Melinus ‘Pink Champagne’
Pennisetum 'Fireworks'
Pennisetum 'Sky Rocket'
Verbena bonariensis PP
Canna ‘Australia’
Canna ‘Bengal Tiger’
Canna Cannova® Mango
Canna Cannova® Orange Shades PP
Hibiscus ‘Mahogany Splendor’
Pennisetum ‘Black Stockings’
Pennisetum 'Rubrum' HF
Pennisetum Vertigo® HF
Zinnia ‘Uproar Rose