Fast Growing Flowering Plants: Your Ultimate Guide To A Colorful

ByRimon Chowdhury Updated on

Have you ever meticulously planted a garden, only to feel like you’re watching paint dry as you wait for that first glorious pop of color? It’s a common frustration for even the most patient gardeners among us. We pour our hearts into the soil and dream of a vibrant oasis, but sometimes, the waiting game can feel endless.

I’m here to let you in on a little secret: a lush, flower-filled garden doesn’t have to take all season to come to life. I promise to share my time-tested secrets for choosing and nurturing the best fast growing flowering plants that will transform your outdoor space from bare to beautiful in record time. Don’t worry—many of these are perfect for beginners!

In this complete guide, we’ll dig into my top plant picks for speedy blooms, cover the essential care tips to supercharge their growth, and explore how to create a sustainable, beautiful garden that brings you joy, fast. Let’s get growing!

Why Choose Fast Growing Flowering Plants? The Benefits of a Speed-Bloom Garden

Beyond the simple joy of seeing color quickly, there are so many wonderful reasons to dedicate a corner of your garden to these speedy bloomers. Understanding the benefits of fast growing flowering plants can help you design a garden that’s not just beautiful, but also smart and functional.

Here’s why I always recommend them, especially for new gardeners:

  • Instant Gratification: This is the most obvious perk! Seeing results quickly is incredibly motivating and helps build confidence. It’s the perfect way to get children excited about gardening, too.
  • Filling Gaps: Have a bare spot in your perennial bed where something didn’t come back? Fast-growing annuals are the perfect, colorful solution to fill those empty spaces while you decide on a more permanent resident.
  • Attracting Pollinators, Fast: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are essential for a healthy ecosystem. Quick-blooming flowers like Zinnias and Cosmos provide an early and sustained source of nectar, turning your garden into a buzzing, eco-friendly hub in no time.
  • Seasonal Flexibility: Many rapid growers are annuals, meaning you can completely change your garden’s color scheme and design every single year. It’s a fantastic way to experiment and find what you truly love.
  • Weed Suppression: These vigorous plants grow so quickly that they often outcompete and shade out pesky weeds, saving you time and backache. A beautiful garden that weeds itself? Yes, please!

Our Top 10 Picks for Fast Growing Flowering Plants

Ready for the fun part? Here is my personal, tried-and-true list of flowers that will give you the most bang for your buck in the shortest amount of time. I’ve broken them down into annuals (which complete their life cycle in one year) and perennials (which come back year after year).

Fast-Growing Annual Flowers

These are the sprinters of the garden world, often going from seed to flower in just a few weeks.

  1. Zinnias (Zinnia elegans): If I could only recommend one fast-growing flower, it would be the Zinnia. They are incredibly easy to grow from seed, come in every color of the rainbow, and attract butterflies like magnets. Pro Tip: Snip off spent blooms (a technique called “deadheading”) to encourage non-stop flowers all summer long.
  2. Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus): With their delicate, daisy-like flowers floating on feathery foliage, Cosmos add a touch of whimsy to any garden. They thrive on a bit of neglect and can go from seed to bloom in as little as 8 weeks.
  3. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus): Nothing says “summer” quite like a towering sunflower. Many varieties, especially the dwarf types, grow incredibly fast, providing cheerful color and, later, seeds for the birds. They are a fantastic project for kids!
  4. Marigolds (Tagetes spp.): A classic for a reason! Marigolds are tough, dependable, and bloom profusely. They are also famous for deterring pests in vegetable gardens, making them a beautiful and functional choice.
  5. Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima): Looking for a fragrant, fast-growing groundcover or container spiller? Sweet Alyssum is your answer. It forms a low-growing mat of tiny, honey-scented flowers in just a few weeks from seed.
READ MORE  Pepper Plants Not Flowering - 9 Expert Fixes For Abundant Blooms

Fast-Growing Perennial Flowers

These plants establish quickly in their first year and will reward you by returning even bigger and better in the years to come.

  1. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta): These cheerful, golden-yellow flowers are incredibly resilient. While technically a biennial or short-lived perennial, they often bloom the first year from seed and will happily self-sow to ensure a continuous display.
  2. Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): A powerhouse for pollinators, Coneflowers are tough, drought-tolerant, and establish quickly. You’ll get beautiful blooms in the first year, and the plant will become a reliable garden staple.
  3. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum): For that classic, clean, white-and-yellow daisy look, nothing beats the Shasta Daisy. Varieties like ‘Becky’ are vigorous growers that will give you a beautiful display in their first season.
  4. Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii): Don’t confuse this with its aggressive cousin, catnip! Catmint is a well-behaved, fast-growing perennial that produces clouds of lavender-blue flowers. It’s deer-resistant and drought-tolerant once established.
  5. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): Yarrow is one of the toughest plants in my garden. It grows quickly, tolerates poor soil, and produces flat-topped clusters of flowers that are beloved by beneficial insects.

How to Supercharge Growth: Your Fast Growing Flowering Plants Care Guide

Choosing the right plant is half the battle; the other half is giving it the right conditions to thrive. This is how to fast growing flowering plants reach their full potential. Following these fast growing flowering plants best practices will make a huge difference.

Step 1: Start with Great Soil

Think of soil as the foundation of your house—if it’s not solid, nothing else will be. Most flowering plants need well-draining soil.

Before planting, amend your garden beds with a few inches of compost or well-rotted manure. This simple step improves soil structure, adds vital nutrients, and helps retain the perfect amount of moisture. It’s the single most important thing you can do for a healthy garden.

Step 2: Water Wisely

Fast-growing plants are often thirsty plants, especially as they are getting established. Water deeply and consistently, rather than giving a light sprinkle every day. This encourages roots to grow down deep into the soil, making the plant more resilient.

A good rule of thumb is to check the soil with your finger. If it’s dry an inch or two down, it’s time to water. Water at the base of the plant to keep the foliage dry and prevent fungal diseases.

Step 3: Provide the Right Food

Vigorous growth requires a lot of energy, which means these plants need food! While the compost you added at the beginning helps, an extra boost can be beneficial.

I recommend using a balanced, all-purpose liquid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks during the peak growing season. Look for one where the numbers are relatively even (like 10-10-10). Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which can lead to lots of green leaves but very few flowers.

Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Gardening with Rapid Bloomers

A beautiful garden can also be a healthy one for our planet. Embracing sustainable fast growing flowering plants and practices is easier than you think and incredibly rewarding. It’s about working with nature, not against it.

One of the best eco-friendly fast growing flowering plants tips is to choose native varieties when possible. Plants like Coneflower and Black-Eyed Susan are native to North America and are perfectly adapted to the climate, requiring less water and fertilizer. They also provide the ideal food and habitat for local pollinators.

You can also create a healthier garden by:

  • Making Your Own Compost: Reduce household waste and create the world’s best soil amendment for free.
  • Avoiding Chemical Pesticides: Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings that will naturally control pests for you.
  • Collecting Rainwater: Use a rain barrel to collect water for your garden, reducing your reliance on treated tap water.

Common Problems with Fast Growing Flowering Plants (And How to Fix Them!)

While these plants are generally easy-going, their rapid growth can sometimes lead to a few specific issues. Here’s a quick troubleshooting guide for the most common problems with fast growing flowering plants.

Problem: Leggy, Floppy Stems

The Cause: This usually means the plant isn’t getting enough direct sunlight and is stretching to find it. It can also be caused by too much nitrogen fertilizer.

READ MORE  Flowering Plants That Are Not Good For Fire Hazard – Your Guide

The Fix: Ensure your plants are getting at least 6-8 hours of direct sun. If they are, you can “pinch back” the tips of young plants (like Zinnias and Cosmos) to encourage bushier, sturdier growth. You can also use plant supports like stakes or cages.

Problem: Powdery Mildew

The Cause: This white, dusty-looking fungus often appears in humid conditions or when plants are too crowded, leading to poor air circulation.

The Fix: Give your plants enough space when you plant them. Water at the base of the plant in the morning so leaves can dry during the day. If you see it, remove affected leaves immediately to prevent it from spreading.

Problem: Few or No Blooms

The Cause: The most common culprits are not enough sun or too much nitrogen fertilizer, which, as we mentioned, promotes leafy growth at the expense of flowers.

The Fix: Double-check that your sun-loving plants are in a sunny spot. Cut back on the fertilizer or switch to a “bloom-booster” formula that is higher in phosphorus (the middle number).

Frequently Asked Questions About Fast Growing Flowering Plants

What is the fastest flowering plant from seed?

Annuals like Zinnias, Marigolds, and Cosmos are champions of speed. Under ideal conditions, you can see Zinnia blooms in as little as 6 to 8 weeks after sowing the seed directly in your garden. They are incredibly rewarding for impatient gardeners!

Can I plant fast growing flowers in pots and containers?

Absolutely! Many of the plants on our list, like Sweet Alyssum, Marigolds, and dwarf Sunflower varieties, are perfect for containers. Just be sure to use a quality potting mix and remember that containers dry out faster than garden beds, so you’ll need to water more frequently.

How do I keep my fast-growing annuals blooming all summer?

The key is a practice called deadheading. This simply means snipping off the spent flowers before they have a chance to produce seeds. When you do this, the plant’s energy is redirected into producing more flowers instead of seeds, which can extend the blooming season dramatically.

Your Fast-Track to a Beautiful Garden Awaits!

There you have it—a complete fast growing flowering plants guide to help you achieve the garden of your dreams without the long wait. From choosing the right sprinters to giving them the five-star treatment they need to thrive, you now have all the tools for success.

Remember that gardening is a journey, not a destination. Don’t be afraid to experiment, move things around, and see what works best in your unique space. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the process.

So pick a few favorites from our list, get your hands dirty, and prepare to be amazed at how quickly you can create a vibrant, beautiful, and buzzing backyard oasis. Happy gardening!

Rimon Chowdhury
Latest posts by Rimon Chowdhury (see all)

Similar Posts