2018’s best new annuals

By: Sherri Ribbey

A new year means new plants. See which plants made our list for the best new annuals of 2018.

Fill your containers and borders with a few new annuals this year. Here are some of our favorites.

Loads of colorful flowers take top billing in this year’s mix of new plants. For example, Lady Godiva pot marigold’s cheery flowers will make you smile. And with no need to deadhead there’s plenty of time to enjoy the view. But that’s not the only plant with a plethora of blossoms. Take a look at multibranched ‘Sunfinity’ sunflower and imagine how pretty your summer bouquets can be. Foliage plants are pretty amazing this year, too. You can’t miss ‘Canary Wing’ begonia’s chartreuse foliage and, even better, it does best in shade!

For more new plants, read about 2018's best new shade perennials and sun perennials.

Lady Godiva Orange pot marigold (Calendula hybrid)

Type Tender perennial Blooms Golden-orange flowers from spring to frost Light Full sun to part shade Soil Well-drained Size 10 to 16 in. tall, 12 to 18 in. wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 7 to 11 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Proven Winners^®

‘Canary Wing’ begonia (Begonia hybrid)

Type Tender perennial Blooms Red flowers spring to frost Light Part to full shade Soil Well-drained Size 12 to 18 in. tall, 15 to 18 in. wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 10 to 11 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Ball Ingenuity™

‘Starlight Dancer’ flowering tobacco (Nicotiana hybrid)

Type Tender perennial Blooms White and green to creamy yellow from early summer to frost Light Full sun to part shade Soil Well-drained Size 40 to 55 in. tall, 30 to 36 in. wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 10 to 12 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Select Seeds

‘Chantilly Summer Flame’ butterfly snapdragon (Antirrhinum hybrid)

Type Tender perennial Blooms Red, orange and peach from spring to fall Light Full sun to part shade Soil Moist, well-drained Size 24 to 30 in. tall, 6 to 8 in. wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 7 to 10 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Renee’s Garden

‘Crushed Velvet’ dusty miller (Senecio cineraria)

Type Tender perennial Blooms Yellow in summer Light Full sun Soil Well-drained Size 12 to 16 in. tall, 6 to 8 in. wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 8 to 11 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer HortCouture™

Mime Pink stock (Matthiola incana)

Type Tender perennial Blooms Shades of pink, purple and red in spring Light Full sun to part shade Soil Well-drained Size 15 to 18 in. tall, 4 to 6 in. wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 7 to 10 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Sakata^®

'Lemonade' cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

Type Annual Blooms Pale yellow with a white center yellow to fall Light Full sun Soil Well-drained Size 20 to 24 in. tall, 14 to 18 in. wide Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Burpee^®

Gardenetta Passion Fruit dahlia (Dahlia pinnata)

Type Tender perennial Blooms Coral pink in summer to fall Light Full sun Soil Well-drained Size 16 to 18 in. tall, 12 to 16 in. wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 8 to 12 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Ball FloraPlant™

Sunfinity sunflower (Helianthus hybrid)

Type Annual Blooms Yellow with a brown center from summer to frost Light Full sun Soil Well-drained Size 3 to 4 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Sakata^®

‘Rhythm & Blues’ salvia (Salvia x guaranitica)

Type Tender perennial Blooms Blue flowers in spring to fall Light Full sun Soil Moist, well-drained Size 2 to 3 ft. tall and wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 8 to 10 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer PlantHaven International

Fairy Dust Pink cuphea (Cuphea ramosissima)

Type Tender perennial Blooms Pink and lavender flowers in spring to fall Light Full sun to part shade Soil Well-drained Size 10 to 16 in. tall, 12 to 18 in. wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 10 to 11 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Proven Winners^®

AngelMist^® Spreading Bluebird angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia)

Type Tender perennial Blooms Lavender and white flowers from late spring through summer Light Full sun to part shade Soil Well-drained Size 4 to 10 in. tall, 12 to 20 in. wide Cold-hardy __USDA zones 9 to 11 __Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Ball Seed^®

Can Can^® Bumble Bee Pink calibrachoa (Calibrachoa hybrid)

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms Pink with yellow star pattern that looks like a bee from spring to freost Light Full sun to part shade Soil Moist, well-drained Size 10 to 15 in. tall and wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 9 to 11 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Ball Floraplant^®

Tangerine Slice-A-Peel black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata)

Type Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual) Blooms Orange-red with a lighter orange edge spring to fall Light Full sun to part shade Soil Well-drained Size 60 to 96 in. tall, 18 to 24 in. wide Cold-hardy USDA zones 10 to 12 Heat-tolerant AHS zones 12 to 1 Introducer Proven Winners^®