Heat-Loving Annuals for the Garden and Containers

Give summer gardens and container plantings a boost by incorporating a few heat-loving annuals.

As temperatures rise, some of our spring annuals are starting to fade. Add some summer color or replace worn out plants with these summer beauties.

Angelonia, also known as summer snapdragon, produces spikes of blue, purple, pink, mauve or white flowers. They are great in containers and garden beds. Plus, they attract butterflies and bees to the garden.

Another butterfly magnet that deer tend to resist are the pentas. These 18- to 36-inch tall plants are covered with star shaped red, lavender, pink, purple and white flowers all summer long.

Like the true zinnia, creeping zinnia, which is really a Sanvitalia, is heat and drought tolerant. This low grower produces small yellow to orange daisy like flowers with a dark purple-brown center.

A bit more information: The list of heat and drought tolerant plants does not stop there. Celosia (cockscomb), lantana, calibrachoa, bidens, cleome, zinnia, mandevilla, pentas, and sunflowers are a more few sun-loving heat tolerant plants to consider.