Lubbock Master Gardeners Association has created information-filled listings of water-wise plants we recommend for our area. This list of water-wise annuals is offered as a starting point for gardeners in the Lubbock area. This list is not all-inclusive, but is a great place to start to fill in the empty spots around your yard.
Click here to download a Printable PDF List of Water-wise Annuals for Lubbock County.
Spring Flowering Annuals for Lubbock County:
- California Poppy – Direct seed, 8-12 in. tall
- Copper Plant – Use for accent
- Cosmos – Good for background; massed beds may need staked
- Dahlberg – Small golden-yellow deadhead for best results
- Daisy – blooms all summer takes some shade
- Dianthus – Bloom spring and fall
- Dusty Miller – Good accent plant, may
- Euryops – Yellow daisy-like flowers good in pots
- Four o’clock – Tolerates heat, little
- Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) – Tolerates heat, native, don’t fertilize
- Gladiolus – Plant on 2-week intervals, 20-48 in tall
- Iceland Poppy – Direct seed, attractive in
- Larkspur – Direct seed, 18-48 in. tall survive mild winter
- Nasturtium – Do not over-fertilize
- Pansy/Johnnie Jump-Up Plant in fall
- Snapdragon – Also do well in partial shade water once established 6-36 in. tall
Full Sun Annuals for Lubbock County:
- Portulaca (Moss Rose) – Tolerates heat/drought, many colors
- Purslane – Tolerates heat; can be invasive
- Spider Plant – Great in hanging basket, use indoors also
- Stock – Excellent cut flower, fragrant excellent
- Sweet Pea – Seed in fall
- Strawflower – Good in dried arrangements
- Sunflower – Tolerates heat, use as background plant, some dwarf forms
- Verbena – Tolerates heat; spider mite problem
- Zinnia – Tolerates heat; don’t get leaves wet
Summer and Fall Flowering Annuals for Lubbock County:
- Baby’s Breath – Also a perennial variety
- Ice Plant – Tolerates heat excellent in containers
- Blue Daze – Low, sprawling plant, great in hanging basket
- Cardinal Vine – Attracts hummingbirds, climber 8-12 ft. tall
- Marigold – Spider mite problem, tolerates heat
- Cockscomb – Many colors, great as border
- Hollyhock – May need to stake, 2-8 ft. tall depending on var.
- Lantana – Tolerates heat; some perennial var., native
- Moon Flower – Vine, 8-12 ft., white flowers direct seed
- Morning Glory – Vine, tolerates heat, vigorous
- Nierembergia – Does well in hanging basket, tolerates heat
- Ornamental – Peppers Colorful fruit, good pot plant
- Periwinkle – Tolerates heat/drought, rotate beds