By Faith Peppers
University of Georgia
As the curtain falls on the summer show of garden blooms, it’s
time to gear up for the fall preview. Several hardy annual
varieties weather Georgia winters to keep landscapes colorful
until spring arrives.
While pansies (Viola X wittrockiana) are by far the most
popular hardy annual grown in Georgia, many other excellent
choices fit Georgia growing conditions.
Paul Thomas, a horticulture professor with the University of
Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,
offers these hardy plants for fall landscapes and containers:
Alyssum. Lobularia maritima
(sweet Alyssum). A low-growing (4 to 8 inches), spreading plant,
Alyssum blooms from late spring until frost. Colors range from
white to rose to purple. Sow in fall.
Baby’s breath. Gypsophila
elegans. White, rose and purple varieties are available.
Plants form round clumps 1 to 2 feet high. Plants bloom only
about six weeks. Successive plantings are necessary to ensure
season-long flowers. Don’t confuse this with G. paniculata
(perennial baby’s breath).
Candytuft. Iberis
umbellata. Several colors are available besides the familiar
white. Plants form a mat-like habit. Annual candytuft is not as
commonly used as I. sempervirens (perennial candytuft).
Calendula. Calendula
officinalis (pot marigold). Varieties range from 1 to 2 feet
tall. Yellow and gold predominate in the color range. A
half-hardy annual, Calendula performs poorly under hot conditions
but is good for early- and late-season color.
Cornflower. Centaurea
cyanus (bachelor’s button) is naturalized in much of Georgia.
Farmers consider it a weed. Because of its short bloom season,
its best in the cut-flower garden or naturalized areas. C.
montana (perennial bachelor’s button) may be more useful in
the landscape.
Cosmos. Cosmos sulphureus
and C. bipinnatus. Ranging from 1 to 4 feet tall, Cosmos
are among the easiest annuals to grow. Taller varieties tend to
fall over and may need staking. C. sulphureus varieties are
mostly yellow and gold and C. bipinnatus white to pink to crimson.
Larkspur. Delphinium and
Consolida species and hybrids. Larkspur is an old garden
favorite for providing tall, spiky effects. They’re often used as
cut flowers. The perennial Delphiniums usually do poorly in the
Southeast, but the Larkspur types do well.
Pansy. Most are planted in the
fall and produce some flowers in fall and winter, followed by
peak flowering in spring. Established plants can be transplanted
in early spring. Nearly all colors are available. The
smaller-flowered multiflora types are generally best for
landscapes.
Poppy. Eschsholzia
californica (California poppy), Papaver nudicale
(Iceland poppy) and P. rhoeas (Shirley poppy). These
poppies are excellent annuals for naturalizing. Seeds are usually
sown in late fall or early spring for early blooms. Many colors
are available.
Snapdragon. Anthirrhinum
majus. Many varieties and colors are available, ranging from
6 to 36 inches tall. The taller ones require staking. They’re
grown mostly as cut flowers.
Sweet pea. Lathyrus
odoratus. Sweet pea is grown mainly for its fragrant,
colorful flowers, which make good cut flowers. Bush and climbing
types are available. The climbers can be used on fences and
trellises. Sweet pea grows best under cool conditions.
For complete information on growing fall annuals, contact your
county Extension Service agent. Request the publication,
“Flowering Annuals for Georgia Gardens.” Or get it on-line (
(Faith Peppers is a news editor with the University of Georgia
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
