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13 Longest-Lasting Annual Flowers to Plant in April

April is a great time for planting flowering annuals. If you want to get the longest bloom time possible, it's important to choose the right plants. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to talk about some of the longest-blooming annuals you can add to your space.

Close-up of the April longest lasting annual flowers featuring rounded flower heads blending warm peach, soft yellow, and rosy pink hues above textured dark green foliage.

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Long-lasting flowering annuals are the greatest color creators in the April garden. Perennials are wonderful, but when it comes to flower power, annuals nearly always take the cake. After all, that’s what we plant them for. 

Many annuals are perennial in limited ranges. We plant them elsewhere to serve for one season, but they will often fail to survive the winter. That’s why some annual lists can be confusing, particularly for those gardeners in warm climates. If you’re a lucky one living in a zone where many of these floriferous plants are perennial, lucky you!

If you’re looking for plants that will flower for a significant portion of the year, I have some great ideas for you. These plants may not live long, but they will show off big time while they last. Here are some long-lasting April annuals that keep flowers in the garden for an extra-long blooming season

Sensation Blend Cosmos

Sensation Blend Cosmos Seeds

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Sensation Blend Cosmos Seeds

Green Mist Ammi

green mist ammi seed packet drawing

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Green Mist Ammi Seeds

Fiery Sunrise Globe Amaranth

QIS Fiery Sunrise Blend Gomphrena Seeds

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QIS Fiery Sunrise Blend Gomphrena Seeds

Angelonia ‘Angelface Blue®’

Spikes of vibrant violet-blue flowers rise from slender green stems with narrow, lance-shaped leaves.
It’s a steady bloomer that doesn’t mind a scorcher.
botanical-name botanical name Angelonia ‘ANBLU140’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 1’-3’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

Angelonias are often called summer snapdragons. They have a similar growth habit and stalks of small, colorful flowers, but they prefer and tolerate hot weather better. They are perennial in zones 10-11 but annual elsewhere. In the middle of summer, many annuals languish, but not Angelonia.

This plant begins flowering in spring and will continue right up until the first frost. Once established, it doesn’t mind heat and humidity and is drought-tolerant. You’ll rarely need to water it. ‘Angelface Blue®’ has blue-violet blooms that look delicate but are surprisingly tough. 

Cosmos ‘Sensation Radiance’

Large magenta-pink flowers with yellow centers bloom on tall, airy stems with finely divided fern-like leaves.
Deadhead often, and you’ll be rewarded with more blooms.
botanical-name botanical name Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Sensation Radiance’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 4’-5’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-11

I love my cosmos. They are some of the longest-lasting annual flowers in the garden, and if you can keep them going, they will bloom from April well into the fall months. Their lovely, feathery foliage adds texture to flower beds, and the blooms are small, cheerful, and exceptionally attractive to pollinators. 

Make sure you deadhead your cosmos. If you grow them from seeds, pinch them to get bushier plants with extra blooming power. ‘Sensation Radiance’ has longstanding popularity, dating back to the 1930s. The pretty pink blooms with a dark eye and yellow center are all characteristics that made it a 1948 All-America Selections Flower Winner.

Zinnia ‘Sungod’

Bright golden-yellow petals radiate around a dark central disk, topping sturdy green stems with coarse, ovate leaves.
Deadheading really does bring out their best performance.
botanical-name botanical name Zinnia elegans ‘Sungod’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 2’-3’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-11

Zinnias bloom frequently, especially if you’re diligent about deadheading. They also make great cut flowers, so make it a point to trim the stems often. They will continue to perform from spring right up to the first frost. They are tolerant of heat and humidity and fairly drought-tolerant as well. 

Zinnias come in many sizes, colors, and petal forms. ‘Sungod’ has gorgeous, golden, double-petaled blooms. The petals are narrow and plentiful, giving them an appearance similar to a dahlia. Pollinators adore these. 

Globe Amaranth ‘Strawberry Fields’

Clusters of vibrant red, globe-shaped flowers sit atop upright stems with slender green leaves.
Cut a few now, and enjoy them all winter long.
botanical-name botanical name Gomphrena haageana ‘Strawberry Fields’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 1’-2’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

If you like a whimsical garden, globe amaranth is a must-have. Tall, slender stems dance about, topped with fluffy balls of brightly colored bracts. Tiny flowers peek out from between the bracts, but the bracts are the showy part. 

‘Strawberry Fields’ also goes by the name Rio Grande Globe Amaranth. The bracts are strawberry red, and the tiny yellow flowers that peek between them are lovely cut flowers. They retain much of their color when dried.

Marigold ‘Konstance’

Double orange-and-yellow blooms with ruffled edges grow on bushy plants with deeply cut green leaves.
They’re such cheerful overachievers, especially with a little deadheading.
botanical-name botanical name Tagetes patula ‘Konstance’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 1’-2’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-11

Marigolds are one of the most popular annuals you’ll find at the nursery. They are tough annuals that are easy to grow from seeds or starts, and they tolerate the heat well. If you need a colorful border for your beds or walkways, marigolds are a wonderfully economical way to do it. 

‘Konstance’ is a low-growing French marigold. The small blooms are bright red and orange and bloom in profusion. If you deadhead your marigolds, you’ll have blooms from late spring until the first frost. They also self-seed, so you’re likely to see them again next year. 

Paris Daisy ‘Vanilla Butterfly®’

Creamy white daisy-like flowers with yellow centers crown branched stems bearing toothed green leaves.
They bloom like they’re showing off—no complaints here.
botanical-name botanical name Argyranthemum frutescens ‘G15104’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 1’-3’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 9-11

Paris daisies are long-lasting annual flowers that will provide color in your beds from planting time (usually around April) until the first frost. This small shrubby plant produces attractive daisy-type flowers that are great in container arrangements and make nice cut flowers.

Use these in the mid-ground of your beds to keep color there throughout the warm seasons. ‘Vanilla Butterfly®’ has creamy white blossoms with a golden glow that makes the entire plant look warm and beautiful. 

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Petunia ‘Wave® Rose’

Cascading plants display vivid rose-pink trumpet-shaped flowers above soft, spreading foliage.
Keep them watered and they’ll reward you nonstop.
botanical-name botanical name Petunia ‘PAS3191’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 5”-7”
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-11

If you love large, soft, brightly colored blooms, petunias are the perfect annual for you. They look wonderful in containers, along walkways, and in hanging baskets. Hummingbirds love them, so they’re a nice addition to the pollinator garden.

Petunias stand up well to heat as long as you keep them hydrated. ‘Wave® Rose’ has vivid pink blooms and a slight trailing habit. It will bloom all summer and into the fall if you give it the right care. 

Ammi 

Delicate white, lacy flower umbels float atop tall, smooth stems with finely cut green foliage.
Classic white heads look like they’re dusted with morning mist.
botanical-name botanical name Ammi majus
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 3’-4’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-11

You may know ammi by the name False Queen Anne’s Lace. It has a similar appearance and looks gorgeous in the cutting garden. It has a wildflower meadow vibe that adds a lacy loveliness wherever you use it. It’s a winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. 

If you plant from seeds, ammi takes a minute to get going. It will begin blooming in mid-summer, and it continues on in grand fashion. It self-seeds, but not aggressively, and comes in a variety of shades, though white is the classic and most popular. 

Impatiens ‘Rockapulco® Orange Shades’

Layered ruffled blooms in warm orange tones cover lush stems with soft, rounded green leaves.
These bloom brightly, even in the quiet shade spots.
botanical-name botanical name Impatiens walleriana ‘Balfiecoran’
sun-requirements sun requirements Partial to full shade
height height 10”-2’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

Impatiens are excellent for spectacular, lasting color in the shade garden. Low-growing and dense, they form a sweet shrub that, when planted in groups, will make a lovely border or low hedge. 

While they don’t like direct sun, they are heat-tolerant and bloom from spring to the first frost. ‘Rockapulco® Orange Shades’ has bright, reddish-orange, double-petaled flowers. These are fancier than the average impatiens and deserve a spot where you can enjoy their pretty blooms. 

Moss Rose

Brightly colored, ruffled flowers in pink shades bloom low to the ground amid succulent, cylindrical green leaves.
They love the heat and require hardly any attention.
botanical-name botanical name Portulaca grandiflora
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 3”-8”
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-11

Moss rose is a fantastic ground cover or hanging plant that blooms from spring until the first frost. It’s a succulent annual, so it’s drought and heat-tolerant and requires minimal care. The fleshy leaves are attractive, and the blooms span a wide range of colors and petal forms. 

If you have a sunny spot that needs brightening up but you worry about watering every day, moss rose is great. It works well in rock gardens and anywhere else where hot and dry conditions are an issue. 

Lantana ‘Peach Sunrise’

Clusters of small, vibrant flowers in shades of peach, pink, and yellow bloom atop leafy green stems.
This is a vibrant addition to any pollinator-friendly garden in warmer climates.
botanical-name botanical name Lantana camara ‘Landmark™ Peach Sunrise’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 1’-2’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 10-11

In warm climates, lantana is a pollinator garden staple. It’s evergreen and perennial in tropical climates, and in zone 10, it’s perennial but dies back in the winter. Elsewhere, it makes a nice annual. It can be aggressive as a perennial, but as an annual, it’s more manageable. 

‘Landmark™ Peach Sunrise’ has sweet, pretty, pastel flower clusters. Rings of creamy yellow and powder pink grow around a darker pink center. This is a profuse bloomer that starts in late spring and lasts right up to the first frost. 

Cuphea ‘Starfire Pink’

Starry pink flowers with deep red centers bloom among fine, glossy green foliage on compact stems.
It’s a hummingbird magnet, blooming steadily from warm days to fall.
botanical-name botanical name Cuphea ‘Starfire Pink’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 2’-3’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 8-10

Hummingbird lovers will also love the way cuphea attracts these tiny feathered friends. With a multitude of small, red, tubular flowers, it has all the qualities that hummingbirds and butterflies look for in a plant. 

‘Starfire Pink’ is dense and lush. It’s evergreen in warm climates and perennial in zones 8 through 10. Elsewhere, you guessed it, you can grow it as an annual. This is an easy one to care for and flowers throughout the summer and into the fall months. 

Verbena ‘Meteor Shower®

Small lavender-purple flower clusters form airy domes atop tall, wiry green stems with sparse lance-shaped leaves.
This is a favorite of bees and butterflies, blooming from summer onward.
botanical-name botanical name Verbena bonariensis ‘Meteor Shower®’
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 1’-3’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 7-11

Speaking of plants that are attractive to pollinators, verbena is a favorite in the pollinator patch. Its interestingly angular stems and foliage make it interesting in the garden, and it flowers for a long period, from summer until your first frost. 

‘Meteor Shower®’ is a beautiful cultivar and an excellent nectar plant. Butterflies and hummingbirds will seek this out, and bees won’t pass it over, either. The stems are nice for cutting and making fresh or dried arrangements. 

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