Annual Flowers
Our plants typically are offered in a few different pot/plug sizes depending on the type of plant and availability (typical pot sizes are listed with each plant). The typical pot size offered is listed with each plant. Bear in mind that although a large plant may look impressive, small plants tend to transplant better. Small plants are less root-bound and have less roots overall to disturb. They adapt more quickly and are less prone to shock.
- 4 inch pot - The most common pot size we offer for tomatoes, peppers, flowers, and herbs.
- 3 inch pot - We typically offer succulents and other miscellaneous plants in this size.
- 6 inch pot - We occasionally offer larger-size plants in these pots.
- 72-cell or 6-pack size - Veggies and some annual flowers are often offered at this size.
- 98-cell - Onion starts are offered in this size which is slightly smaller than 6-pack size.
- Peat pot - Melons and squash are offered in peat pots because of their sensitive roots. Plant the entire pot in the ground to avoid harming the roots; the roots will grow right through the peat. These pots are about the size of a 3 inch pot.
- 12 inch hanging basket - Large flowers are offered in these pots.
- Annuals - Annuals do not come back year after year and tend to produce vibrant, season-long color. We typically list both true annuals and tender perennials as annuals. True annuals naturally have a lifecycle that causes them to die after one season. For this reason, they tend to bloom very profusely during the whole growing season in last-ditch effort to reproduce. Tender perennials are flowers which are perennials in warm climates, but typically cannot survive cold Iowa winters. They typically bloom well most of the season, and sometimes can be protected (by mulching, heavy snowfall, and mild winters) so that they come back the following year.
- Availability - Flower availability can vary dramatically year-to-year and week-to-week. Please be aware that the flowers listed here may not always be available.
We offer a wide variety of petunia and petunia-like flowers in large hanging baskets; scroll through the pictures to get an idea of colors we normally offer. These flowers require full sun, regular watering (especially during the summer heat!), and occasional fertilizer to keep looking their best. They do not require deadheading. With proper care they will reward you with beautiful blooms all season, and they can get huge! Take a look at the picture below to see how big our baskets normally are by August!
Available during May in a 12" hanging pot. Protect from cold temperatures in early spring.
We typically offer a variety of ageratum known as blue mink. These flowers are quite compact, only reaching about 12" in height, with clusters of small, round, silky-soft blue flowers.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack or 4" pot.
Bonita mix asters have rich, fully doubled blossoms that may be blue, light blue, pink, rose, scarlet, or white. They reach a height of 30" and the blossoms are 2" in diameter.
Matsumoto mix asters may be one of 15 different colors, all with 2" blossoms and striking, bright yellow centers. The plants will reach a height of 30".
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 4" pot.
Bachelor's buttons are also known as cornflowers, and bloom profusely, especially in early summer. In good conditions they will reseed and come back the following year.
Florist Blue Boy Buttons produce vivid royal blue, double blossoms about 1.5" in diameter. The plants vary in height from 12"-36".
Black Buttons produce deep purple, nearly black double blossoms about 1.5" in diameter. The plants vary in height from 12"-36".
Prefers full sun but can tolerate light shade.
Available during May in a 6-pack.
Bidens sport profuse, small (1" diameter) blossoms all season long. Depending on variety, the daisy-like flowers vary from yellow to orange to maroon with many interesting patterns. The plants remain compact, only reaching 12"-18" tall, with fine, purplish-green foliage. Bidens make excellent container plants, and the nectar-rich flowers attract many pollinators.
Prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade.
Available during May in a 4" pot. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Calendula may be offered in several varieties that bloom in colors ranging from cream to yellow to orange. The plants reach 12"-24" high and the blossoms are 2"-3" in diameter. They are very attractive to pollinators. Calendula are very cold tolerant and tend to bloom best in the cool seasons.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack.
Cardinal climbers are vining flowers, similar to morning glories (in fact they are a hybrid of a morning glory and the cypress-vine). They produce small (1" diameter), vivid red, trumpet shaped flowers all season. We have found that hummingbirds particularly like cardinal climber flowers! The dark green, deeply dissected leaves add visual interest, and the vigorous vines (that may spread 10 feet in a season) will quickly green up a trellis or fence by mid-summer. Use caution to avoid harming the roots when transplanting these as it can kill the plant.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Celosia make a fun and unique addition to the garden. They produce feathery flowers that are red, yellow, orange, or pink. The stems and leaves on the plant are also brightly colored and roughly match the bloom color. Celosia is easy to grow and will reach 12"-24" tall.
Chief mix celosia produces a flower in the shape of a broad, flattened, wavy fan up to 5" across.
Castle series celosia produces a flower in the shape of a tall, brightly colored plume up to 6" tall.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 4" pot or 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Cleome makes unique, spidery balls of flowers up to 6" in diameter that may be white, pink, rose, or purple. They may reach 3'-4' tall and work excellent for adding pops of color and texture in the middle of beds of other flowers. They are frequently visited by pollinators and are strongly resistant to deer and rabbits thanks to their aromatic and thorny foliage.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack.
We offer coleus in a variety of types with different leaf patterns. Coleus has brightly colored foliage in green, pink, purple, and red that adds a nice pop of color to flower beds and containers. Coleus will reach 12"-18" tall. They are very easy to grow.
Grows well in full sun or partial shade.
Available during May in a 4" pot. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
We offer several varieties of cosmos that grow 1'-3' tall and produce prolific, vivid red, white, purple, yellow, orange, or lavender flowers all season long. Cosmos are easy to grow and provide both great color and attract many pollinators and birds.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
We offer a variety of compact dahlias that will reach 12"-18" tall with 3"-5" blossoms. The flowers are bright and crisp with a variety of colors and patterns. Keep your dahlias well watered and fertilized and they will reward you with blooms all season. They also benefit from deadheading. Dahlias develop a tuber that can be dug up and replanted the following year, but they cannot survive Iowa winters. We often like to keep our dahlias outdoors in a pot until they bloom, and then bring them indoors for a short time as a beautiful, and longer lasting alternative to cut flowers. They make excellent container plants.
Prefers full sun but can tolerate light shade.
Available during May in a 6" pot.
Cuphea, also known as the firecracker plant, cigar plant, or hummingbird flower, will reach 18" tall and is covered in small, tubular flowers. We have found that hummingbirds particularly like these. They make great container plants, are quite easy to grow, and can be brought in to overwinter if desired.
Prefers full sun but can tolerate light shade.
Available during May in a 4" pot. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Lantana produces clusters of small, bright orange/red to pink flowers all season. The plants form a small bush 1'-2' tall. Lantana are extremely tough and easy to grow, tolerating heat, drought, and poor soil well.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 4" pot. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Imperial giant larkspur sends large spikes of dense blue, violet, rose, red, lavender, salmon, pink, or white flowers up to 3'-4' high. Larkspur makes excellent cut flowers.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 4" pot.
Lobelia midnight blue is a low trailing flower that blooms profusely all season. The tiny, bright blue flowers make it stand out in edges or containers. The plants grow 5"-10" high.
Prefers full sun to partial shade.
Available during May in a 4" pot.
Marigolds are bright, showy, and easy to grow–making them popular both in containers and flower gardens. We offer several varieties.
African cracker jack has orange or yellow blossoms and gets 12"-18" high.
French petite has golden yellow, orange, and sunburst semi-double blooms with maroon centers. This is a dwarf variety that only reaches 6" tall.
French sparky has golden yellow, fiery sunburst semi-double blooms and gets 9"-12" tall.
Strawberry blonde has pink, yellow, and red blossoms and gets 8"-10" high.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
We typically offer a variety of morning glory called Grandpa Ott, which has deep purple/blue trumpet shaped flowers. The lush, vining foliage will quickly cover fences and trellises with heart shaped leaves and prolific blooms. Be aware that morning glories will reseed themselves in years with a long enough growing season for the seed to mature, and may become a weed. Occasionally we will offer other varieties with pink and red toned flowers.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 4" pot or 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
We offer several varieties of nasturtium. Both the leaves and flowers of nasturtium are edible with a peppery flavor.
Alaska mix has blooms of cherry, crimson, orange, salmon, and yellow. The variegated foliage reaches 10"-12" high.
Empress of India forms mounding plants about 12" tall. It has doubled, deep scarlet flowers.
Jewel mix has flowers that are gold, peach, red, rose, and salmon in color. The plant grows 18"-24" high.
Requires full sun for best blooms.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Snapdragons make a classic and fun addition to the flower garden with bronze/white, cherry/bronze, ivory, pink, red, rose, yellow, golden, and bronze flowers on spikes that reach 24"-36" tall. Snapdragons are technically a perennial, and in mild winters they will come back in spring. We offer two varieties: Madam Butterfly has doubled blooms and Rocket has single blooms. Snapdragons make great cut flowers.
Required full sun.
Available during May in a 4" pot or 6-pack.
Strawflowers have papery blooms that are salmon, ivory, gold, and cherry colored. They grow 2'-3' tall and make excellent dried flower arrangements.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack.
Verbena produces rounded clusters of flowers as it trails along the ground, reaching only 6" high. It is vigorous and easy to grow. We offer a red variety of verbena.
Prefers full sun but can tolerate shade.
Available during May in a 4" pot.
Zinnias produce large, prolific, rounded blossoms in hues of pink, red, white, yellow, and purple on a backdrop of lush, light green foliage. Highly attractive to pollinators and easy to grow, zinnias are one of our favorites for making an easy and beautiful flower bed.
We offer California Giant mix which reaches 3'-4' tall and Lilliput mix which reaches 2'-3' tall.
Requires full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Giant striped sunflowers grow very tall, up to 12 feet, and produce huge, yellow flowers that may be up to 24" across. They typically have only one stalk and make impressive cut flowers.
Sunflowers attract many pollinators when in bloom, and once the seed has matured, the plant will act as a natural bird feeder for woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, goldfinches, and many others. Be aware that some seeds will fall to the ground and may sprout the next spring; these plants will likely be hybrids with different traits than the parent plant. Plant these flowers in full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Lemon Cutie is a small sunflower that gets 1-2 feet tall and produces pale yellow, semi-double blossoms that are 3-4" across. The plant has a bushy, branching habit and will produce many blossoms on a single plant.
Sunflowers attract many pollinators when in bloom, and once the seed has matured, the plant will act as a natural bird feeder for woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, goldfinches, and many others. Be aware that some seeds will fall to the ground and may sprout the next spring; these plants will likely be hybrids with different traits than the parent plant. Plant these flowers in full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Lemon queen will get 6 feet tall and produces 6" diameter flowers with pale yellow petals and striking black centers. This variety tends to branch and will produce many flowers on an single plant.
Sunflowers attract many pollinators when in bloom, and once the seed has matured, the plant will act as a natural bird feeder for woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, goldfinches, and many others. Be aware that some seeds will fall to the ground and may sprout the next spring; these plants will likely be hybrids with different traits than the parent plant. Plant these flowers in full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Mexican sunflowers (also known as tithonia) make a beautiful and incredibly unique addition to the garden. The vigorous plants will form a branching bush that can get up to 6 feet tall and will be covered in bright red, daisy-like, 3" flowers. These are a particular favorite of bees, butterflies, and birds. Mexican sunflowers are very easy to grow and drought tolerant.
Sunflowers attract many pollinators when in bloom, and once the seed has matured, the plant will act as a natural bird feeder for woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, goldfinches, and many others. Be aware that some seeds will fall to the ground and may sprout the next spring; these plants will likely be hybrids with different traits than the parent plant. Plant these flowers in full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Soraya will reach a height of about 4-6 feet, and will grow many branches topped by 6" flowers with dark centers and bright yellow petals. It makes excellent cut flowers.
Sunflowers attract many pollinators when in bloom, and once the seed has matured, the plant will act as a natural bird feeder for woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, goldfinches, and many others. Be aware that some seeds will fall to the ground and may sprout the next spring; these plants will likely be hybrids with different traits than the parent plant. Plant these flowers in full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Sungold produce large 6-8" doubled flowers on 6' branching stalks. The striking yellow flowers with a feathery texture make it an interesting addition to the garden.
Sunflowers attract many pollinators when in bloom, and once the seed has matured, the plant will act as a natural bird feeder for woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, goldfinches, and many others. Be aware that some seeds will fall to the ground and may sprout the next spring; these plants will likely be hybrids with different traits than the parent plant. Plant these flowers in full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Teddy Bear is a miniature version of Sungold. It will reach about 3 feet tall and have 5", fluffy yellow blossoms. This is a branching variety that will produce multiple flowers on a single plant. It makes excellent cut flowers.
Sunflowers attract many pollinators when in bloom, and once the seed has matured, the plant will act as a natural bird feeder for woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, goldfinches, and many others. Be aware that some seeds will fall to the ground and may sprout the next spring; these plants will likely be hybrids with different traits than the parent plant. Plant these flowers in full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).
Velvet queen is a tall (7 feet) branching variety that produces deep red to purple flowers that may be up to 10" in diameter. Occasionally the flowers may be ringed by yellow or orange, making a striking contrast to the center.
Sunflowers attract many pollinators when in bloom, and once the seed has matured, the plant will act as a natural bird feeder for woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, goldfinches, and many others. Be aware that some seeds will fall to the ground and may sprout the next spring; these plants will likely be hybrids with different traits than the parent plant. Plant these flowers in full sun.
Available during May in a 6-pack. Plant outdoors after danger of frost has passed (May 15).