Annual Flower Care Guide

African Marigold

Tagetes erecta · Annuals

Needs plenty of sun and well-drained soil. Because its pungent scent keeps some pests away, it is also used as a companion plant in vegetable gardens. A showy summer flower, ideal for borders and pots.

Basil

Ocimum basilicum · Annuals

An aromatic annual that loves heat and sun and is not frost tolerant. It should not be planted outdoors before the soil warms; if the tips are pinched regularly it branches and yields plenty of leaves.

Burning Bush

Bassia scoparia · Annuals

A fast-growing annual that likes full sun and well-drained soil. It is grown for its leaves that turn red in autumn, but it can become weedy by dropping abundant seed.

Busy Lizzie

Impatiens walleriana · Annuals

A free-flowering annual used to brighten shaded areas. It should never be left in direct sun and its soil should be kept constantly moist; it is especially susceptible to downy mildew.

Cockscomb

Celosia sp. · Annuals

An annual that loves summer heat and sun and is known for its velvety, brightly colored flowers. For abundant flowering it needs regular watering in fertile, well-drained soil; because it is susceptible to root rot, excess water should be avoided.

Common Daisy

Bellis perennis · Annuals

A plant that likes cool climates, is planted in autumn and blooms through winter and spring. It prefers full sun or partial shade and moist, well-drained soil; it is ideal for flower beds and pots.

Cosmos

Cosmos bipinnatus · Annuals

An annual with feathery, fine leaves and single pink, white and purple flowers that blooms all summer. It flowers more in poor soil; it can be sown directly from seed.

Floss Flower

Ageratum houstonianum · Annuals

An annual grown for its distinctive, soft-textured flowers like 'powder puffs'. It likes full sun or lightly shaded areas and moist, well-drained soil. Ideal for flower beds, borders and pots.

French Marigold

Tagetes patula · Annuals

Needs plenty of sun and well-drained soil. With its compact form, it is excellent for borders, path edges and pots. Its pungent scent keeps some pests away, and it is a good companion plant for vegetable gardens.

Horned Violet

Viola cornuta · Annuals

A seasonal bedding plant that likes cool weather and adds color from autumn through spring. It prefers plenty of sun (it loves winter sun) and moist, well-drained soil. In Izmir it is planted in autumn, blooms through winter and spring, and finishes its life with the summer heat.

Lobelia

Lobelia erinus · Annuals

A cool-weather annual generally known for its delicate flowers in blue and purple shades. In Izmir's summer heat flowering stops and the plant deteriorates, so it must be kept in a cool, moist spot that gets afternoon shade.

Madagascar Periwinkle

Catharanthus roseus (syn. Vinca rosea) · Annuals

An annual that blooms all summer and is exceptionally tolerant of full sun, heat and drought. Its worst enemies are overwatering and poor drainage, which lead to root rot. It is one of the most ideal and trouble-free plants for Izmir's hot summers.

Ornamental Kale

Brassica oleracea var. acephala · Annuals

An annual that adds color to gardens in winter months and loves cold weather. It prefers full sun and fertile, moist soils; its color reaches its most vivid with the onset of cold weather.

Pot Marigold

Calendula officinalis · Annuals

An easy-to-grow annual flower that likes cool weather and can be sown in autumn or spring. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil; removing faded flowers encourages continuous new blooms.

Scarlet Sage

Salvia splendens · Annuals

An annual that blooms brightly and continuously all summer, loves sun and needs rich, moist soil. It is not drought tolerant; to encourage continuous flowering it needs regular watering, fertilizing and removal of faded flowers.

Snapdragon

Antirrhinum majus · Annuals

A popular, colorful cut flower of spring and early summer. It loves cool weather, performs best in full sun and well-drained, rich soil, and is very susceptible to rust.

Sweet Alyssum

Lobularia maritima · Annuals

A spreading annual known for its honey-scented small flowers, ideal for borders and pots. It loves cool weather; in Izmir it is sown in autumn and flowers abundantly in spring, and it usually dies in the summer heat.

Treasure Flower

Gazania rigens · Annuals

A ground cover that loves sunny and hot weather, is very drought tolerant and produces bright, daisy-like flowers. It likes full sun and well-drained soils; its flowers close in cloudy weather and at night.

Verbena

Verbena x hybrida · Annuals

A classic summer annual flower that likes all-day sun and well-drained soil. It is tolerant of drought and heat. To keep it flowering abundantly all summer, faded flowers should be removed regularly and it should be cut back occasionally.

Zinnia

Zinnia elegans · Annuals

A vividly colored, heat-loving annual summer flower that blooms for a long time. It is also used as a cut flower; it should be watered without wetting the leaves.

Zonal Geranium

Pelargonium zonale · Annuals

The most common flower of balconies and pots; it blooms continuously from spring to autumn. It does not like too much water and lives for many years where there is no frost.