10 New Plants for Cut Flower Gardens
Our gardens are many things rolled into one entity. They are often simultaneously a source of beauty, a way to exercise, a boost to our mental health, a source of fresh food, a spot to relax, the background for family get-togethers and parties with friends, and with a bit of planning they can provide a wealth of flowers and foliage to create one of a kind cut-flower arrangements.
Flowers that last a long time in a vase of water, or can provide a focal point to an arrangement are two characteristics of what makes a good cut flower choice. You might be surprised by how easy it is to incorporate plants in your garden that will provide flowers and foliage that are perfect for fresh cut-flower arrangements. These 10 newly introduced annuals, perennials, and shrubs will give you a range of options that will help get you started!
If you are looking for easy to care for and long lasting color for your flower arrangements, it’s hard to beat the beauty and impact of Heart to Heart Caladiums. The large, colorful leaves come in a range of colors and patterns and will lend a bit of tropical flair to your arrangements. Mix these with other foliage options and floral ingredients for eye-catching centerpieces.
Annual. 12-24” tall. Exposure ranges from shade to sun to shade. Check plant tags for variety-specific information.
Suncredible™ Yellow Helianthus
Sunflowers are great cut flowers and our new Suncredible Yellow is perfect for the home cut flower garden. The plant has multiple stems and will bloom for weeks on end. The flowers are 3 to 4 inches in diameter and are the perfect size to use in cut flower arrangements. If I had to pick a flower emblematic of summer, I’d choose the sunflower. Who doesn’t love cheery yellow sunflowers?
Annual. 24-42” Tall. Sun.
Sunstar Pentas are available in 4 colors - Pink, Lavender, Red, and Rose. These bright and beautiful flowers consist of clusters of small flowers creating a larger mass of color. Sunstar Pentas are good-sizedn, which means the stems will be long enough for cutting. They love heat, will perform all summer! Another bonus is when you cut the flower stems you’ll actually be encouraging branching and eventually even more flowers. These heat tolerant plants are as beautiful in your garden as they’ll be indoors!
Annual. 18-22” Tall. Part Sun to Sun.
ColorBlaze® Wicked Hot and ColorBlaze® Wicked Witch Coleus
Boldly colored foliage makes a wonderful component in cut flower arrangements. Wicked Witch and Wicked Hot are two to consider, their leaves have scalloped edges that lends an extra dimension and interest in both the garden and when used in the vase.
Annual. 24-34” Tall. Sun to Shade.
'Firefly Peach Sky' Achillea
Perennial yarrow has always been inviting to bees and butterflies—their big, flat clusters of small flowers act as easy landing pads for pollinators to browse and enjoy. A complaint about older varieties was that the tall stems with such big flower heads tended to lodge or fall—but ‘Firefly Peach Sky has tall, sturdy stems that stay upright while it’s in flower and makes them perfect for cut flower purposes. The lovely flowers are a gorgeous light peachy orange flowers age to yellow. One bonus is that deer and rabbits don’t like the taste of the leaves and will usually stay away.
Perennial. 2.8 -3' Tall. Full Sun. Hardy in zone 3-8.
The word “serendipity” means an unexpected occurrence, and what a fitting name for this sport of the popular ‘Millenium’! The blue Globe-like, rosy-purple flowers match the parent and are profuse in mid to late summer. It’s perfect timing for use in summer flower arrangements and the round flower shape will add a fun and interesting element while the attractive blue foliage sets off the flower color in the garden. When crushed, the leaves will emit a smell of onion.
Perennial. 15-20” Tall. Part Sun to Sun. Hardy in Zones 4-8.
Color Coded™ ‘Yellow My Darling’ Echinacea
Join the craze with this new yellow coneflower. ‘Yellow My Darling’ has excellent basal branching, flower performance, large flower size, and horizontally held petals. Enjoy these as late summer interest for your garden and as a great addition to a flower arrangement. They are perfect pollinator magnets and during late fall to winter the seed heads will serve as food for birds. Rich yellow flowers contrast beautifully with its dark green leaves. Flowers age to an attractive creamy yellow. A large volume of petals helps to make the flowers last for a long time! There’s also an orange version – ‘Orange You Awesome’.
Perennial. 18-24” Tall. Hardy in Zones 4-8 Part Sun to Sun.
This Phlox isn’t just pink, it’s ULTRApink! With this addition to the Opening Act Phlox Collection, it is officially the brightest, most vibrant color of the set and awesome in flower arrangements. In early summer, this plant produces fluorescent rose-pink flowers that are ‘slam-on-your-brakes’ intense! Just like the other members of the series, ‘Opening Act Ultrapink’ is mildew and disease resistant, blooming 2-3 weeks earlier than the standard Phlox paniculata varieties. If sheared back, these plants will rebloom later in the season. Spreads slowly through stolons. A must-have!
Perennial. 22-28” Tall. Hardy in Zones 4-8. Full sun
You can’t have a cutting garden without at least one rose. Oso Easy Peasy® is one of our newest to join our line, but it has already been lauded with a prestigious Award of Excellence in the No Spray division from the American Rose Society. It's just that good! The apple-green foliage resists powdery mildew and black spot, and its abundant magenta flowers appear in endless profusion from early summer through frost. The size and scale of this rose and its blooms is perfect for incorporating into flower gardens - not just because it's so beautiful, but because it's so easy to care for that it frees you up to work on other tasks (or, better yet, just relax and enjoy the show!)
Rose. 30-40” Tall. Hardy in Zones 4-9. Full Sun.
Scentara Pura® is a hyacinthiflora lilac, the most fragrant type on the market, which makes it an especially wonderful addition to spring flower arrangements. It earns its name from its pure purple flowers and deep, true fragrance. Fresh green foliage resists disease and keeps the plant looking good even when it's not in bloom. Warm climate gardeners should especially take note of Scentara Pura lilac: it requires less chilling than other lilacs, so it will better where winters are mild.
Shrub. 4-6’ Tall. Hardy in Zones 2-8. Full Sun.
Learn More:
Consider these 10 Shrubs to Plant Now for Cut Branches in Fall and Winter to create Fall and Winter decorations.
Explore this Pinterest Board Featuring plants for cut flower arrangements.
Browse this Idea Board of Cut Flower Garden Plants.
Watch this video on Making a Beautiful Hydrangea Bloom Arrangement
