Flower Planting Guide
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Seeding Notes
- Scarify
- Scuff up the seed with sandpaper or an emery board before planting.
- Stratify
- Seed needs alternating temps to germinate. Plant in moist soil and refrigerate for 3-4 weeks. For many wildflowers, you can skip stratification if you sow seed in the fall.
- Chill
- Put your seed packet in the fridge for a few weeks before planting seeds.
- Surface sow
- Seeds need light to germinate. Don’t cover them with soil. You can gently pat the seeds down. If seeds are small, water very carefully so they don’t float away.
| Name | mature height | annual / perennial in Maine | likely to self-sow | native to North America | shade tolerance | containers / windowboxes | drying / everlasting | cutting | other special traits | direct sow (DS) and/or transplant (TP) | ideal germ temp | seeding notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achillea (Yarrow) | 18-24" | perennial | -1 | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | surface sow | ||||||
| Ageratum | 2' | annual | -1 | -1 | TP | 70-85° | surface sow | |||||
| Alyssum | 2-4" | annual | part | -1 | fragrant | DS spring / TP | 55-70° | surface sow | ||||
| Amaranth | 3-6' | annual | -1 | -1 | -1 | edible | DS after frost / TP | 70-75° | surface sow | |||
| Aster, New York | 3-4' | perennial | -1 | late | TP | 65-70° | chill 2wks | |||||
| Aster, China | 12-30" | annual | part | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 65-75° | ||||||
| Bachelor’s Button | 2-3' | annual | -1 | part | -1 | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | |||||
| Balloon Flower | 30-42" | perennial | part | -1 | TP | 65-70° | surface sow | |||||
| Basketflower, American | 3-4' | annual | -1 | part | -1 | fragrant | DS after frost | 60-70° | ||||
| Bee Balm | 24-30" | perennial | -1 | -1 | part | -1 | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 60-70° | surface sow | ||
| Begonia | 8-12" | annual | full shade | -1 | TP | 70-85° | surface sow in March | |||||
| Bells of Ireland | 30" | annual | -1 | part | -1 | -1 | DS spring / TP | 50-65° | chill 2wks, surface sow | |||
| Broom Corn / Sorghum | 7-9' | annual | -1 | DS after frost | 70-85° | |||||||
| Bupleurum | 2' | annual | part | -1 | -1 | TP | 60-65° | |||||
| Butterfly Weed | 18-30" | perennial | -1 | -1 | DS spring or fall | 70-85° | chill 4wks | |||||
| Calendula | 18-24" | annual | -1 | -1 | -1 | edible | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | ||||
| Campanula | 6-8" | perennial | part | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 65-70° | ||||||
| Canary Creeper | 8' | annual | part | vine | DS after frost / TP | 60-65° | ||||||
| Catmint, Persian | 12" | perennial | -1 | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | |||||||
| Celosia | 12-30" | annual | -1 | -1 | -1 | TP | 70-85° | |||||
| Cerinthe | 12-18" | annual | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 70-85° | |||||||
| Chinese Forget-Me-Not | 16-18" | annual | -1 | DS spring / TP | 65-70° | |||||||
| Chinese Lantern | 2' | perennial | part | -1 | -1 | DS spring / TP | 70-85° | surface sow | ||||
| Cleome | 4' | annual | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 70-85° | chill, surface sow | ||||||
| Coleus | 10-12" | annual | full shade | -1 | TP | 65-70° | surface sow | |||||
| Columbine | 24-30" | perennial | -1 | part | -1 | early | DS spring / TP | 70-85° | ch 3-4wks, surface sow | |||
| Coneflower, Prairie | 1-3' | perennial | -1 | TP | 70-85° | chill 1wk | ||||||
| Coreopsis | 18" | perennial | -1 | TP | 60-70° | surface sow | ||||||
| Cosmos | 2-5' | annual | -1 | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 70-75° | surface sow | |||||
| Daisy | 2-3' | perennial | -1 | TP | 70-85° | |||||||
| Delphinium | 6' | perennial | part | -1 | TP | 65-75° | chill 2-4wks | |||||
| Dianthus (Carnation) | 14-20" | annual | -1 | fragrant | TP | 65-70° | ||||||
| Drumstick Flower | 18" | annual | -1 | -1 | TP | 65-70° | ||||||
| Dyer’s Coreopsis | 2-4' | annual | -1 | -1 | -1 | dye | DS after frost / TP | 60-65° | surface sow | |||
| Eucalyptus | 2-3' | annual | -1 | -1 | TP | 65-70° | slow germ; sow in March | |||||
| Flax, Blue | 9-12" | perennial | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | ||||||||
| Forget-Me-Not | 6-12" | perennial | -1 | part | -1 | DS spring | 65-70° | |||||
| Four O’Clock | 2-3' | annual | fragrant | DS after frost / TP | 70-85° | |||||||
| Gaillardia, perennial | 2-3' | perennial | -1 | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 70-85° | surface sow | |||||
| Gaillardia, annual | 12" | annual | -1 | TP | 70-85° | surface sow | ||||||
| Gazania | 8-10" | annual | -1 | TP | 70-85° | surface sow | ||||||
| Globe Amaranth | 2' | annual | -1 | -1 | TP | 60-70° | chill 4-6wks | |||||
| Godetia | 20-30" | annual | -1 | TP | 60-70° | |||||||
| Helen’s Flower | 4-5' | perennial | -1 | -1 | TP | 65-70° | ||||||
| Hibiscus | 2-3' | perennial | TP | 70-85° | ||||||||
| Hollyhock | 4-8' | biennial | -1 | DS fall / TP spring | 65-85° | stratify | ||||||
| Honesty (Silver Dollar) | 3' | biennial | -1 | -1 | DS spring / TP | 65-70° | ||||||
| Indigo | 1-2' | annual | dye | TP | 70-85° | |||||||
| Jewels of Opar | 32-40" | annual | -1 | -1 | edible | TP | 70-85° | surface sow | ||||
| Job’s Tears | 2-3' | annual | -1 | -1 | beads! | TP | 60-65° | |||||
| Joe Pye Weed | 5-9' | perennial | -1 | -1 | part | -1 | DS spring or fall | 65-70° | surface sow, stratify | |||
| Johnny-Jump-Up | 4-6" | perennial | -1 | part | edible | DS spring or fall | 65-70° | |||||
| Kiss-Me-over-the-Garden-Gate | 6-7' | annual | part | DS spring / TP | 70-75° | stratify | ||||||
| Laceflower | 2-3' | annual | -1 | -1 | DS after frost | 65-70° | ||||||
| Larkspur | 3-4' | annual | -1 | part | -1 | -1 | DS spring / TP | 55-65° | Chill 1 wk | |||
| Lavatera | 2' | annual | -1 | DS spring / TP | 65-75° | |||||||
| Lobelia, Cardinal Flower | 2-4' | perennial | -1 | -1 | part | DS spring or fall | 60-65° | surface sow, stratify | ||||
| Lobelia, Cascade Mix | 6-8" | annual | part | -1 | TP | 65-70° | surface sow, start early | |||||
| Love-in-a-Mist | 18" | annual | -1 | -1 | -1 | -1 | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | ||||
| Lupine | 3' | perennial | -1 | -1 | DS spring / TP | 60-70° | soak seed, peat pots | |||||
| Madder | 3-4' | perennial | dye | DS after frost / TP | 70-80° | |||||||
| Maltese Cross | 3' | perennial | -1 | TP | 65-70° | |||||||
| Marigold | 8-30" | annual | -1 | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 75-80° | ||||||
| Mignonette | 10" | annual | -1 | fragrant | DS after frost | 65-70° | surface sow | |||||
| Milkweed, Common | 3-5' | perennial | -1 | -1 | fragrant | DS spring/fall / TP | 65-70° | stratify | ||||
| Millet, Purple Majesty | 3-5' | annual | part | -1 | TP | 70-85° | ||||||
| Morning Glory | 8-15' | annual | -1 | vine | DS after frost / TP | 70-85° | scarify, stratify | |||||
| Morning Glory, Bush | 18" | annual | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 70-85° | |||||||
| Nasturtium | 12-16" | annual | -1 | -1 | edible | DS after frost / TP | 65-70° | |||||
| Nicotiana, Only Lonely | 4-6' | annual | fragrant | DS spring / TP | 65-70° | surface sow | ||||||
| Nicotiana, Lime Light | 3' | annual | -1 | part | -1 | TP | 70-85° | surface sow | ||||
| Pansy | 4-6" | annual | part | -1 | -1 | TP | 60-65° | |||||
| Petunia | 6-15" | annual | -1 | TP | 70-75° | surface sow | ||||||
| Phacelia | 18-30" | annual | -1 | DS spring | 60-65° | chill and soak | ||||||
| Phlox, annual | 6-8" | annual | -1 | -1 | -1 | fragrant | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | ||||
| Phlox, perennial | 3' | perennial | -1 | DS fall / TP | 60-65° | stratify | ||||||
| Pincushion Flower | 30-36" | annual | -1 | -1 | TP | 65-70° | chill 1 wk | |||||
| Poppy, Oriental | 16" | perennial | DS spring | 60-65° | surface sow | |||||||
| Poppy, annual | 2-4' | annual | -1 | -1 | -1 | DS spring or fall | 60-65° | |||||
| Poppy, California | 8-18" | annual | DS spring | 60-65° | ||||||||
| Queen Anne’s Lace | 3' | annual | -1 | DS spring | 60-65° | |||||||
| Red Hot Poker | 32-40" | perennial | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 70-75° | |||||||
| Rudbeckia, perennial | 2' | perennial | -1 | TP | 70-85° | surface sow | ||||||
| Rudbeckia, annual | 12-30" | annual | -1 | TP | 70-85° | |||||||
| Salvia | 18-36" | annual | -1 | -1 | TP | 65-70° | surface sow, start early | |||||
| Snakeroot | 2-4' | perennial | -1 | -1 | part | -1 | DS spring or fall | 65-70° | stratify | |||
| Snapdragon | 20-36" | annual | -1 | -1 | TP | 65-75° | Chill 2wk, surface sow | |||||
| Soapwort (Bouncing Bet) | 1-3' | perennial | -1 | part | fragrant | TP | 65-70° | stratify | ||||
| Statice | 24-30" | annual | -1 | -1 | TP | 65-85° | surface sow | |||||
| Stock | 15-20" | annual | -1 | -1 | fragrant | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | surface sow | ||||
| Strawflower | 24-40" | annual | -1 | -1 | TP | 70-75° | surface sow | |||||
| Sunflower | 2-12' | annual | -1 | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 65-75° | ||||||
| Sweet Annie | 3-5' | annual | -1 | part | -1 | fragrant | DS fall / TP | 60-65° | surface sow, stratify | |||
| Sweet Pea, annual | 1-6' | annual | -1 | vine | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | soak seed 24 hrs | |||||
| Sweet Pea, perennial | 5-6' | perennial | -1 | vine | DS spring | 60-65° | soak seed 24 hrs | |||||
| Sweet William | 18" | biennial | -1 | -1 | fragrant | DS spring / TP | 65-70° | |||||
| Thyme, Creeping | 2" | perennial | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | surface sow, start early | |||||||
| Tithonia | 4-6' | annual | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 70-85° | |||||||
| Verbena | 8", 48" | annual | part | -1 | -1 | TP | 65-70° | Chill 3wk, surface sow | ||||
| Wallflower | 9-12" | biennial | -1 | DS spring / TP | 60-65° | |||||||
| Winged Everlasting | 2' | annual | -1 | -1 | TP | 65-70° | ||||||
| Zinnia | 20-42" | annual | -1 | DS after frost / TP | 80-85° |