Buying cut flowers can be expensive. So why not grow your own? Have the satisfaction of growing and cutting your own bouquets. This is definitely not a complete list. Far from it! But it does have some of my favorites.
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Common Name
Astilbe
Botanical Name
Astilbe sp.
Description
Shade perennial that can take the sun in the upper south. Grows 1' up to 4' tall. Requires moist, well drained soil. Blooms late spring through the summer.
Photo
Zinnia
Zinna elegans
Full sun annual growing 1' - 3' tall. Blooms all summer and into the fall. Leaves are subject to mildew if habitually wet at night.
Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue'
Full sun perennial. Will benefit with some protection from hot afternoon sun. Grows 12" to 15" tall. Dwarf varieties available. Deadhead to promote more blooms.
Silver Dollar Tree
Eucalyptus cinerea
Full sun tree or shrub growing as much as 20' to 50' tall. Hardy to 14 - 17 degrees so is usually grown as an annual. Cut back frequently to keep a good supply of young foliage.
Globe Thistle
Echinops ritro
Full sun perennial growing up to 4' tall. Flowers can be dried. Blooms all summer long.
Shasta Daisy
Leucanthemum sp.
Full sun perennial belonging to the chrysanthemum family. Grows 2' to 4' tall. Continuous bloomer summer through fall.
Gerber Daisy
Gerbera sp.
Full sun to part shade perennial. Annual in upper SC. Grows 12" to 18" high. Comes in a variety of colors and blooms spring through fall. Can have trouble with mildew if consistently wet at night.
Red Hot Poker
Kniphofia uvaria
Full sun to light shade perennial. growing 2' to 6' tall. Blooms spring and summer. Requires regular water and excellent drainage.
Cosmos
Cosmos sp.
Full sun to part shade annual and perennial. Growth varies from 2' - 8' tall. Will flower spring through fall and self sows freely.
Mexican Bush Sage
Salvia leucantha
Full sun shrub growing 3' - 4' tall. Blooms summer to fall. Drought tolerant
Lupine
Lupinus perennis
Full sun perennial to eastern U.S. Grows to 2' tall. Blooms spring or early summer. Requires regular water.
Rose Campion
Lychnis coronaria
Full sun to light shade perennial. Grows 18" - 30" tall. Striking magenta flowers in spring. Self sows freely.
Foxglove
Digitalis mertonensis
Part shade perennial. Protect from hot afternoon sun. Grows 2' - 3' high and blooms in spring. Some species are biennial.
Baby's Breath
Gypsophila paniculata
Full sun perennial that can be difficult to grow in South Carolina's heat. Requires well drained soil. Protect from afternoon sun.
English Lavender
Lavendula angustifolia
Full sun evergreen perennial. Hardiest species growing 15" up to 4' tall depending on variety. Requires well drained soil. Blooms in late spring/early summer.
Gladiolus
Gladiolus communis
Full sun bulb to be planted in the fall to late winter, with subsequent plantings 10 - 14 days later to have flowers for a longer time. Grows 36" to 60" high starting in mid to late summer.
Bee Balm
Monarda dydima
Full sun perennial. Grows up to 4' tall, blooms July thru August. Would benefit from afternoon shade in the lower south. Prone to mildew but worth the effort, resistant varieties available.
Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia sp.
Full sun to part shade perennial. Easy to grow and drought tolerant with many varieties available. Blooms July thru to frost. Grows 24" to 36" high.
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Full sun perennial, native to east-central U.S., growing to 3' high. Blooms from summer until frost. Deadheading prolongs bloom time. Withstands summer heat well.
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Native perennial to eastern U.S. Requires shade to part shade that needs constant moisture. Grows 2' to 4' high. Blooms during the summer.
Butterfly Bush
Buddleia sp.
Deciduous shrub in SC. Looks best if pruned hard each year. Varieties grow from 4' up to 12' tall. Needs little care once established. Blooms summer to fall. Butterflies love this one!
Garden Phlox
Phlox paniculata
Full sun to light shade perennial. Also known as summer phlox. Grows 3' to 5' tall. Fragrant cluster of flowers on top July to August. Prefers moist well-drained soil.
Red Valerian
Centranthus ruber
Full sun, clump forming perennial growing 24" to 36". Grows in poor soils and is drought tolerant. Blooms June to August. Deadhead to prolong flowering.
Tickseed
Coreopsis sp.
Full sun perennial growing from 5" dwarf variety to 3' tall. Profuse blooms summer thru to fall. Easy to grow and drought tolerant.
Common Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Full sun, annual sunflower. Blooms during the summer to end of fall. People eat the roasted seeds and birds like them raw. Annual sunflowers are easy to grow and make a great choice for children to grow.
Swamp Sunflower
Helianthus angustifolius
Full sun perennial, native to eastern U.S. growing 5' to 10' tall. Bright yellow daisy like flowers late summer and fall.
Blazing Star
Liatris sp.
Full sun perennial native to eastern and central U.S. Blooms in summer to early fall. Most varieties growing 3' to 5' high. Tolerates poor soil, heat and drought.
Golden Rod
Solidago sp.
Full sun to light shade. Underused in the garden, golden rod is mistaken to cause hay fever. In fact, other plants are the responsible. Clusters of small yellow flowers in summer thru to fall. Tough, drought tolerant plants.
Yarrow
Achillea sp.
Full sun perennial growing from 1' up to 5' depending on species. Drought tolerant, needs good drainage. Blooms in summer.
Butterfly Ginger
Hedychium coronarium
Light shade tender perennial. Grows to 6' high. Needs moist, rich organic soil. Very fragrant flowers
All comments and suggestions are subject to South Carolina conditions and do not necessarily pertain to any other part of the US.