Do your flowerbeds or containers need a little summertime pick-me-up? Give your landscape a colorful refresh with sun-loving blooms and the perfect plants that will thrive throughout the season. Here are 5 fantastic options that will shine as bright as the Texas sun in the bright blue, summer sky!
PLANT 1: PURSLANE
Purslane, a fast-growing herbaceous annual, is known for its succulent leaves that are oval and green in color. The showy cup-shaped flowers love the sun and require full sunlight. The spreading habit makes it a great “Spiller” option for containers, hanging baskets, and for filling out your flowerbeds.
Great for Texas summer gardens, Purslane is drought tolerant and does best in warmer climates. Likely native to North Africa, the Middle East, and India, Purslane has been growing for over 4,000 years and is now used in gardens around the world.
PLANT 2: CORA® VINCA
Cora® Vinca, or Periwinkle, is a dense herbaceous annual with star-shaped flowers and glossy, green leaves. Cora® Vinca does best in evenly moist soil and thrives in the heat and humidity of our Texas summers.
Plant in areas that receive full sunlight to partial shade for continual blooms throughout the season. Known for attracting beneficial pollinators like butterflies, these beauties come in a variety of hues with contrasting “eye” colors that add drama and excitement to your flowerbeds.
PLANT 3: PENTAS
Pentas are a dense herbaceous evergreen annual. Also known as Egyptian Stars for the 5 pointed shape of the flowers, they have clusters of blooms that will sparkle from the spring through the fall. In the warmth of the summer season, Pentas grow fast and constantly stay in bloom. They require full sunlight to partial shade and are relatively low maintenance with regular watering and well-draining soil. Attractive to beneficial pollinators like butterflies and bees, these beautiful blooms come in shades of lavender, pink, red, and white.
Pentas make for a great “Filler” plant in your containers and flowerbeds and they mix well with other warm-weather annuals and ornamental grasses. Introduce year-round color or texture to your landscape during the winter months as well. In milder winters, Pentas can act as a perennial with large, pointy leaves that remain forest green throughout the year.
PLANT 4: LANTANA
Lantana is one of the most popular annuals used in gardens. Lantana is long-lasting, easy to grow, and it thrives in most soil conditions. It is a fast-growing evergreen variety with clusters of small flowers. As they mature the colors create a multicolor inflorescence in your landscape. Native to tropical regions of North and South America and Africa, this plant needs full sunlight to partial shade and does well in hot climates.
Each variety of Lantana grows into a spectrum of colorful blooms with mounds of up to 3-5 ft which is great for attracting beneficial pollinators like butterflies. Very adaptable and drought tolerant, this is a fabulous “Filler” plant option for your containers or flowerbeds.
PLANT 5: MOSS ROSE
Last and certainly not least, Moss Rose is a sun-loving ground cover that will liven up any empty space of your landscape. Moss Rose is related to the Purslane family. This herbaceous annual has frilly flowers with needle-shaped, succulent leaves. It is relatively low maintenance, drought-tolerant, and requires full sunlight. Moss Rose is a tough plant and its happiest in the warmth of the Texas sun.
The beautiful blooms of Moss Rose blanket the green foliage with vibrant colors of red, yellow, orange, and pink. Native to Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina, Moss Rose has been a popular choice in the United States for over 200 years!
These 5 colorful summer blooms will revive your landscape in a quick and natural way. Stop by our store nearest you and pick up your beautiful color selections! Don’t forget to pick up Calloway’s Premium Soils for your gardening success. Quality soil gives your plants the proper nutrients and moisture control to develop strong and healthy roots. Calloway’s Organic Mulches will protect the roots and keep them cool in the hot, summer sun.
Questions? Ask our Texas Certified Nursery Professionals available at every location! Don’t feel like planting? Let us plant for you! Ask an associate for details about our Pick & Plant Garden Services or visit our website here!
