11 Plants That Bloom Throughout the Year

Whether enjoying them indoors or in the garden in balmy climates, plants that bloom year-round bring all-season color. The little workhouses produce almost continuously, at least until heavy frost for those of us in colder growing regions.

Some of our selections overwinter indoors or grow well as flowering houseplants, while others are cold hardy perennials that rise early in spring for a nonstop show through frost or year-round in warm areas. Still others grow as tender perennials or annuals outside their growing zones, where they have an extended display.

Enjoy the floriferous beauties in your garden or home to extend seasonal color. Plan for diverse selections for all-season appeal, including those with winter interest. With a mix of shrubs, perennials, and annuals tailored to your climate and growing conditions, flowers all year (or nearly so) are within reach.

African Violet

	common name African Violet
	botanical name Streptocarpus ionanthus
	sun requirements Bright, indirect light
	height 6-18”
	hardiness zones 11-12

African violets are sweet tropicals with thick, velvety leaves and delicate, ruffled blooms in a rainbow of hues. African violets bloom year-round, growing indoors or out with warm temperatures. They may take a break between sessions but resume in optimal conditions for a prolific and long-lasting display.

African violets have a reputation for being finicky, but they’re easy to care for in the right spot with adequate moisture. Take care to avoid overwatering – a top cause of decline and lack of flowers. Allow soil to dry slightly between watering sessions.

Well-draining potting mix, or a soilless mix, protects their roots from oversaturation. A little humidity and a draft-free spot help them flourish. They need to be slightly rootbound to initiate flowering and don’t need repotting often. 

Trailing Lantana

	common name Trailing Lantana
	botanical name Lantana montevidensis
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 8-10

Trailing lantana has cascading stems full of bloom clusters for overflowing color. More cold hardy, the show begins earlier in spring and lasts later into fall than some other lantanas. These are exceptionally tough and thrive in hot, dry, and humid conditions and salty exposures. In the landscape, they tolerate lean, sandy soils and partial shade. In containers, they prefer a well-draining potting mix.

Trailing lantana clusters are classically lilac and lavender with white centers and yellow throats (‘Luscious Grape’ and ‘Lavender Swirl’ are two vigorous varieties). ‘Alba’ has bright white flowers. Spreading lantanas like the hybrid ‘Spreading Sunset’ in deep, vivid reds, golds, oranges, and pinks bring high color.

Lantana is rugged, reliable, and long blooming until heavy frost. Err on the dry side between watering sessions; lantana doesn’t do well when overwatered or in soggy soils. Note that it can be invasive in areas without frost. Check with your extension office before planting if you’re unsure of its status in your region.

Gardenia

	common name Gardenia
	botanical name Gardenia jasminoides
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 3-8’
	hardiness zones 7-11

Gardenias feature milky white blossoms that pop against their dark green, glossy leaves. Their sensational fragrance is unmistakable. They bloom in late spring and early summer, with recurrent flowering and even a fall flush, depending on the variety. Gardenias free flower all year in warm climates.

Gardenias house numerous cultivars in varying sizes, forms, and flower structures. For cold-hardy options, look to ‘Jubilation’ and ‘Fool Proof,’ both with extended bloom times through fall. ‘Summer Snow’ overwinters in USDA zone 6 with mulch protection.

They require acidic, well-drained, consistently moist soils. Gardenias grow well in containers. In colder climates, bring them indoors to overwinter near a bright window. They’re finicky if conditions aren’t quite right, especially inside, so move them outdoors as temperatures warm in spring.

Nasturtium

	common name Nasturtium
	botanical name Tropaeolum spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-10’
	hardiness zones 10-12

Nasturtium flourishes in mild temperatures, flowering and seeding year-round. It also grows as a houseplant: sow it indoors and enjoy it brightening up a sunny kitchen window.

A late summer round of bright blooms draws pollinators until freezing temperatures. Nasturtium grows quickly from seed but won’t withstand a heavy frost. They grow so well in tropical climates that they may become invasive.

Nasturtiums are easy to grow in beds, hanging baskets, window boxes, and containers. The edible leaves and large tubular flowers make a lovely, peppery garnish for salads and platters.

Coreopsis

	common name Coreopsis
	botanical name Coreopsis spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6″-5’
	hardiness zones 4-10

Coreopsis is one of the first perennials to appear in spring and one of the last to fade. The North American native brings sunny blooms and reseeds readily for successional seasons. Coreopsis is a valuable nectar and pollen source for bees and butterflies, and songbirds forage on the seeds through winter.

Lance-leaved coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) has signature golden ray petals and yellow centers. C. lanceolata is drought-tolerant. It forms clumps of pincushion leaves with blooms rising on thin stems.

Plains coreopsis (C. tinctoria) features yellow daisy petals with deep red highlights and brown button discs. Though considered an annual, a single plant may flower for two to three years.

Threadleaf (C. verticillata) has an airy form with fine, needle-like foliage. Yellow rays cover the dense clumps in an extended flowering time. 

Roses

	common name Roses
	botanical name Rosa spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-50’
	hardiness zones 4-11

From old garden roses to modern hybrids, repeat-flowering is an asset that many provide. A heavy flush in spring and early summer leads to free flowering throughout the warm season. A fall flush appears as conditions mellow post-summer. In cold climates, showy rose hips are a bonus for visual interest and for birds who enjoy them as forage.

Long-lasting blooms span size and form, from low-growing carpet roses to robust climbers. Look to ‘Iceberg’ in crisp white and ‘New Dawn’ in soft, silvery pink for vigorous climbers with nonstop flowering. 

Shrub roses like ‘Duchesse de Brabant,’ an heirloom with decadent, fully petaled, pale pink blooms, graces with ongoing florals and fragrance. Knockouts, too, span the seasons in an array of colors. Groundcover selections like Drift and Red Meidiland offer a spray of coverage from early summer through frost.

Begonia

	common name Begonia
	botanical name Begonia spp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 8-36”
	hardiness zones 10-11

Begonias are old-fashioned favorites indoors and out, with arching stems and thick, glossy leaves. Clusters of pendulous blooms hang from tuberous stems. From angel wing to polka dot to rex begonias, striking leaf patterns, shapes, and colors vary widely.

The durable growers bloom in hot, dry, and humid conditions and continually until frost. They appreciate summers outdoors. Enjoy them as houseplants in areas where they need winter protection. They live indoors year-round, lovely on a windowsill or hanging basket. 

Hibiscus

	common name Hibiscus
	botanical name Hibiscus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-8’
	hardiness zones 4-11

Hibiscus, with huge disc flowers from soft pink to neon orange, brings a tropical look all year. Although the flowers open only for a day, these floriferous tropicals produce numerous blooms simultaneously for successional blooms.

Grow tropical hibiscus in a pot in a sunny garden location with consistent, even moisture. Hibiscus are tough annuals, but these water-lovers don’t withstand extended dry spells. Overwinter the pot indoors, moving them in before temperatures drop in the fall.

Bougainvillea

	common name Bougainvillea
	botanical name Bougainvillea spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-40′
	hardiness zones 9-11

Bougainvillea is a tropical vine with papery fuchsia, red, white, and yellow blooms. In their native South America and similar climates, plants reach up to forty feet. In frost-free areas, they adorn facades, arches, and arbors. Beyond these tropical growing regions, they make spectacular spreading focal points in hanging baskets and pots.

Bougainvillea withstands dry conditions and high heat. It flowers best with regular watering but tolerates drying out slightly between sessions.

The vines have long thorns along their stems, so place them where they won’t interfere with passersby. Shelter them from winds to keep the tissuey blooms from flying away. To overwinter them, initiate dormancy by placing them in a cool, dim space like a basement or garage. Water only as soil dries out a few inches, once a month or so. To enjoy them inside as houseplants, keep them in a sunny location.

Reblooming Azalea

	common name Reblooming Azalea
	botanical name Rhododendron spp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 2-10’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Azaleas sparkle in the woodland, foundation, and shady border arrangement. Spring blooms bring high color, and some varieties boast repeat flowering through fall. Depending on the variety, blooms may be white, pink, and purple, or apricot, orange, and red. The trumpet flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. 

The EncoreⓇ reblooming series boasts ruffly blooms on well-branched stems. They bloom for three seasons as low as zone 4 and even longer in frost-free areas. The ReBloom™ series is also hardy, with continual flowers from spring through frost.

Azaleas make the most significant impact in groupings or mass plantings. They grow best in rich, well-drained, evenly moist soils.

Black-Eyed Susan

	common name Black-eyed Susan
	botanical name Rudbeckia fulgida
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 18-36”
	hardiness zones 3-9

Black-eyed Susan makes the list for its nonstop show of color with golden ray petals until heavy frost. A native prairie wildflower, Rudbeckia is a long-blooming, adaptable perennial that thrives in heat, humidity, and drought.

The classic flowers are golden daisy rays with chocolate button centers. They rise above dark green basal leaves that clump through spreading rhizomes.

Rudbeckia is low maintenance. It doesn’t require cutting back at dormancy, as its hollow stems house overwintering pollinators. Seeds persist into winter and provide food for songbirds.