Last updated on October 22nd, 2023 at 02:47 am
Annual flowers are the workhorses in the cutting garden. Although they only last a season, during their blooming period they are often very prolific, and many produce stems all season long. Let’s look at some of the best annuals for cutting, and look more closely at which ones are a good choice for the cutting garden.
As a cut flower grower, planting and growing annual flowers is a yearly activity at the farm. As flower farmers, we often start the annual flowers from seeds indoors in late winter, and since space is limited we are careful to select the ones we feel are the best options for the cut flower garden.
Where To Find Annual Flowers For The Cutting Garden
Most of these flowers you will not find at your local garden center.
They are best grown from seed for the cut-flower garden and are easy to grow from seed packets. Started from seed in late winter, they are transplanted out into the garden in early spring where they hit the ground running, producing blooms throughout the growing season.
The seed packets are easy to find often at any gardening centre or stores that have gardening supplies.
If you are wanting to grow your own cut flower garden, growing annual flowers is a great way to start. These plants are easy to grow for beginner gardeners, and a great way to learn about cutting flowers for the vase.
You will no doubt impress yourself, as it is very rewarding to grow these beautiful flowers and then be able to display them indoors, all in one season.
Different Types Of Annual Flowers
Annual flowers grow for one season, however during that time they can really put on a show. They include both hardy annuals and tender annuals, each of which has their own preferred climate for growing.
Some annuals produce multiple stems throughout the season. Others are one hit wonders, producing only a single stemmed flower.
Starting out, it was hard to know exactly what would be the best choices for the cut flower garden.
We eventually figured out what which annuals worked best in our garden.
You will also be able to discover which annuals you prefer and which ones that you find are the best annuals for your own cutting garden.
What Are The Best Annuals To Grow For Cutting?
For a successful cutting garden it is important to consider the characteristics of a great cut flower when looking at the choices from annual varieties.
The best cut flowers will have multiple characteristics which will make you want to have them in your cutting garden.
Characteristics Of The Best Annuals
There are a number of factors to consider when deciding on the the best annual flowers to grow for cutting. These considerations include but are not limited to choosing annuals that are:
- the easiest to grow and germinate without difficulty
- long lasting cut flowers in the vase
- the most prolific bloomers which produce lots of flowers
- multipurpose flowers and can also be used as a filler
- striking and have the most beautiful flowers
- a robust plant with good disease resistance
- fragrant and sweet smelling
- versatile and can grow in any location
- tall with long stems for cutting
Some annual flowers are one hit wonders, producing only one stem per plant. These blooms still have their place and value, and some of the best annuals in our cutting garden fall into this category.
Others are medium producers, producing multiple stems, although not as prolific as others. These as well have value, depending on the flowers themselves.
Then there are the cut and come again blooms, which produce all summer long. These are the workhorses in the annual cutting garden, and are incredible producers.
Growing Location For Annual Flowers
The best annual flowers for one growing zone may be different than those for another growing zone.
Growing location is a consideration for annual flowers, as some prefer the cooler temperatures of temperate climates, while others love the warmer temperatures of tropical zones.
Environmental factors such as humidity, rainfall, drought, and wind can all influence what grows best in your area.
The best annuals for some cut flower gardens may be hardy annuals, which do not tolerate the warmer climates of USDA zones 8 and above. Then other annuals, such as heat loving drought tolerant blooms, may not do well in a rainy cool climate.
As you can see, there are many factors to consider.
We grow a combination in our garden. At the beginning of the season we grow the cold tolerant flowers, and then as the season heats up, the more heat tolerant blooms.
Best Annual Flowers For Cutting
The best annual flowers for cutting usually have a combination of positive characteristics which make them a good choice.
1. Sunflowers
Sunflowers top my list for the best annual flowers to plant and grow for the cutting garden. These flowers are a great choice for cut flowers, and are exceptionally easy to grow.
It took a couple of seasons to figure this out, however once I did I don’t think I’ll ever look back.
Sunflowers are:
- easy to grow
- beautiful, and everyone loves them
- very easy to plant if direct-planted using a mechanical planter
- tall with long flower stems
- easy to put into a bouquet, and you can even skip the filler
- long lasting in the vase
- bee magnets, especially towards the end of the season
The first year I grew sunflowers I planted the seeds indoors. Transplanted into the garden in late spring, the flowers never really took off, and stayed quite small.
The next year we used a mechanical planter and direct seeded into the ground. The flowers quadrupled in size compared to the previous year.
These are the easiest flowers to grow and work with by far. Plus our customers absolutely LOVE them.
We grow single stemmed pollenless sunflowers, which are essentially one hit wonders. However we grow many at once, and plant many seeds at the same time, so it is well worth it in the end.
You can also grow branching sunflowers which have multiple stems, which will have more pollen than the pollenless.
2. Zinnias
Zinnias are one of the most prolific bloomers in our cut flower gardens and are great cut flowers. They are a cut and come again flower, so the more you cut from them the more they continue to produce.
Once they start to bloom they will bloom all summer long.
These cheerful dome shaped flowers come in a wide variety of colors and are amazing in the bouquet for adding a splash of colour.
Zinnias are:
- easy to grow
- beautiful and cheerful in appearance
- prolific bloomers, and are cut and come again
- pollinator friendly
They are one of my favourite cut flowers with the brightest of colourful blooms.
3. Celosia
Celosia is a heat loving plant and tender annual, so does not tolerate frost. It is planted out later in our garden once the risk of all frost has passed.
The plants quickly catch up however, and can produce many stems per growing season and make excellent cut flowers. Celosia would be considered a moderate producer.
The blooms are magnificent, colourful and intriguing, and for this reason alone this flower would make the cut for one of the top annual flowers to grow in the cut flower garden.
Celosia flowers are:
- beautiful, colourful and unique
- easy to plant and grow
- prolific bloomers
- pollinator attractors
- used as a filler
- medium producers
3. Ammi
There are different varieties of Ammi available for the cut flower garden, and all of them are good choices to grow. We grow Ammi Majus and Visnaga, as well as Dara, also known as Chocolate Lace Flower.
Ammi Visnaga in particular makes sturdy plants with large domed green tinged blooms, which are stunning in the vase.
Ammi blooms are lacy and romantic and add a wildflower touch to flower arrangements.
You can also use the feathery foliage as a filler, even when the blooms are not yet opened or prominent.
Ammi blooms are:
- lacy and romantic
- a great filler
- easy to grow
- attract pollinators
- medium producers
I will always have Ammi growing in the cut flower garden.
4. Cosmos
Cosmos is another annual that will always have a place in the cut flower garden.
The blooms are ethereal and simple. The foliage is feathery and soft.
These blooms as well offer a natural and cottage garden feel to flower arrangements.
Cosmos blooms are:
- a fabulous filler, even when the blooms are tiny buds
- easy to grow
- pollinator attractors
- prolific bloomers, and cut and come again
We grow cosmos every year, and it also self seeds in our garden, returning again the following year.
5. Statice
This Mediterranean plant has a somewhat understated yet interesting flower. Statice can be grown in a variety of different colours, and these plants make good cut flowers.
This plant is a workhorse, and once in bloom continues to put out more stems all season long.
It is also a fabulous filler, as the stems are nice and stiff, and I find that they give a nice base to the bouquets.
Statice is:
- a great filler for bouquets
- easy to grow
- a prolific bloomer and a cut and come again plant
- attracts pollinators
- long lasting in the vase
- a great flower to dry
Just because this is a Mediterranean plant, don’t let this deter you from growing Statice. Statice is actually a short lived perennial plant in warmer locations, although it is grown as an annual for us.
I was surprised at how it thrived in our zone 5b garden.
6. Amaranth
There are a number of different types of Amaranth to grow in your cutting garden, and all are well with the effort.
There are plume shaped varieties with dramatic upward facing plume shaped flowers. Then there are the long trailing types such as Love Lies Bleeding which make for a dramatic look to cut flower arrangements.
There are also the adorable pompom shaped flowers of Globe Amaranth or Gomprena, which add such a colourful splash to arrangements.
Amaranth blooms are:
- beautiful and colourful
- easy to grow
- medium producers
- great fillers with strong stems
Amaranth is also easy to dry and use in dried flower arrangements.
7. Stock
Stock flowers have an amazing floral scent, and they are easy to grow.
They are available in many different colour selections.
Stock blooms are:
- easy to grow
- smell amazing
- are one hit wonders
Since stock are one hit wonders, we don’t grow them as much on the farm. However the fragrance is so delicious that I always have some in the cut flower garden.
8. Sweet Peas
Sweet pea flowers, or Lathyrus, are old fashioned and whimsical annual flowering vines. These annual flowers will require some support in the cutting garden, such as trellis or structure to grow on.
Some people have amazing results with growing sweet peas, and others have some difficulty. Sweet peas are heavy feeders, like good drainage, and are also cool flowers so may not do as well in warmer climates.
They also do not have a long vase life, lasting only five days at the most.
So why have they made this list of best annuals for cutting in the cut flower garden? Because people absolutely love sweet peas! They always make such an impression.
Sweet Pea flowers are:
- beautiful in a bouquet, all on their own
- fragrant and smell amazing
- prolific bloomers, and are a cut and come again flower
I have spent a lot of time growing sweet peas, with a limited success at times. However they are just so adorable, every year I grow more.
9. Poppies
Poppies are such romantic blooms, and always worth the effort to grow, even if just for your own enjoyment.
There are a number of different types of poppies to grow as cut flowers. These include Iceland poppies, California poppies, Breadseed poppies, and Shirley poppies.
I don’t tend to grow these blooms for the flower farm, as they are not long lasting in the vase.
I do however grow them in the cut flower garden, as they are such beauties to have as cut flowers, I just wouldn’t want to miss out on them.
Poppy blooms are:
- easy to grow
- beautiful and romantic
- cut and come again producers
10. Bupleurum
Bupleurum is an annual flower which produces amazing and interesting foliage. Although each plant produces only a single stem, these annual flowers are important plants in our cutting garden.
The stems are covered with ruffled blue green leaves which makes a great filler. The flowers are tiny and yellowish green and somewhat insignificant, yet beautiful in their own way.
These flowers can be difficult to start from seed, although easy to grow if you use the right techniques. Cold stratification is the key to good germination for these plants.
Bupleurum blooms are:
- a great filler
- one hit wonders
- long lasting in the vase
Although Bupleurum are one hit wonders, just as the sunflowers are worth growing just for the single stem, so too are these valuable annual plants.
11. Bachelor’s Button
Reminiscent of cottage style gardens, annual bachelor’s button have been grown for a long time in cut flower gardens.
Also known as Centaurea Cyanus and cornflower, this is an easy to grow annual flower.
It’s cheerful flower is a garden favourite. The flower heads are shaped like pinwheels, and can be found in shades of bright blue, pink and purple.
We like to grow a deep blue variety called “Florist Blue Boy”, and a deep and dark burgundy known as “Black Button”
The plants easily reseed in our garden from year to year, and are always welcome when we find the sweet volunteer plants growing.
Bachelor’s button flowers are:
- easy to grow and low maintenance plants
- medium producing and favorite flowers of many
- prolific and will continue to bloom into late summer on tall stems
12. Scabiosa
Scabiosa, also known as pincushion flower, is a great plant to have in the annual cutting garden.
There are a variety of different Scabiosa flowers which are good for cutting, and are easy to grow in the cut flower garden.
Some Scabiosa, such as Scabiosa stellata, are also grown for their interesting seed pods, which are then cut and dried and used in dried flower arrangements.
Scabiosa flowers are:
- easy to grow
- attractive to pollinators
- attractive and interesting in the vase
13. Bells Of Ireland
This intriguing hardy annual is mainly used as a filler, and adored for it’s bright chartreuse coloured bells.
Although somewhat challenging to grow initially, it can get quite a bit easier using the right stratification techniques.
Bells of Ireland can be planted out in early spring, and can even be planted in fall in some locations.
Bells Of Ireland blooms are:
- attractive and interesting in bouquets and the vase
- medium producers in the garden
- tall, with stems reaching 36 inches
Removing the leaves from around the flowers will help prolong vase life of this hardy annual plant.
14. Larkspur
The spike shaped frilly blooms of Larkspur are a must for the cut flower garden.
These cottage garden flowers are cousins of perennial Delphinium, and have a similar appearance although are smaller and finer in appearance.
Larkspur flowers require a period of vernalization, or exposure to cold temperatures, for a period of about six weeks for successful flowering.
They are cool hardy annuals and can be planted out early in spring. In some locations they can even be direct seeded in the fall for best results.
Larkspur blooms are:
- beautiful and romantic
- easy to grow with proper stratification
- medium producers
- great for drying for dried flower arrangements
Larkspur will always have an important place in our cut flower garden.
Conclusion
This list of annuals for the cutting garden is limited at best. There are so many other annuals that are worthy of mention as well, such as Snapdragon, Lisianthus, Phlox, Strawflower, Agrostemma, and so many more.
Consider the characteristics that are important for you in your cutting garden. Try growing some annual flowers as cut flowers, and if you love them, grow them again.
Annual flowers are the workhorses of the cut flower garden. Starting out they will be the easiest to grow and fantastic for beginners, and will produce the most stems.
Some annuals are cold hardy, and others are very tender to cold temperatures.
Depending on your growing area, some can even be direct seeded directly into the garden in late fall or early spring.
These flowers are some of the easiest to grow from seed. They are easy to establish, and many flower all season long.
You will learn which flowers grow best for you in your own soil and climate, and which ones thrive, and which do not.
Have you grown annual flowers for cutting in a cutting garden? Which flowers were the best performers in your garden? Be sure to leave a comment below to share your experience!
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