Most annual plants flourish better in poorer soils, since rich soils cause them to produce too much foliage. Typically, biennials only produce flowers in the second year. Many of these plants self-sow spontaneously and must be removed where they are not intended. Here is a list of drought resistant annuals for full sun.
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Argemone (Mexican poppy)
Argemone has stems with spiny leaves of a glaucous blue color. It blooms in the summer and the flowers are of the poppy type. Typically grown as an annual plant, it can reach 1m in height. They grow on poor, sandy or rocky soils.
Brachyscome iberidifolia (swan river daisy)
Bushy annual plant that grows up to 45cm tall. It has slender stems. It blooms throughout the summer where it is covered with abundant blue-scented, fragrant marigold-type flowers.
Calendula officinalis (common marigold)
A small annual plant famous for its properties used in cosmetics. It produces abundant orange flowers from summer to autumn. It grows well in poor soils with good drainage.
Cosmos bipinnatus (cosmea)
Charming plant to fill the spaces that are left empty by other plants. Cosmea grows up to 1.5m and produces flowers in various shades of pink and white in the shape of a cup.
Dimorphotheca pluvialis (weather prophet)
Annual plant of South African origin that reaches 40cm in height. It can be grown in soil or in pots in hot and sunny places. It has marigold-shaped flowers that only open in the sun. They are white with a blue center and are born above the fragrant foliage.
Eschscholzia californica (California poppy)
Blue-green leaf plant, California poppy grows up to 30cm. It produces bowl-shaped flowers throughout the summer, usually yellow or orange in color but also red or pink, followed by long seed pods that disperse in the garden.
Lavatera trimestris (Royal mallow)
Annual plant that grows up to 1m in height. Royal mallow has hairy leaves and pink or white flowers in the summer.
Linaria maroccana (toadflax Fairy)
Erect plant that grows up to 45 cm in height with small purple, pink or white flowers.
Linum grandiflorum (flowering flax)
Plants with slender leaves of greenish gray color. It grows between 45cm and 75cm and is used to soften the strongest shades in beds and borders.
Onopordum acanthium (cotton thistle)
Biennial giant thistle that forms a rosette of thorny leaves. It is a very architectural shape. The leaves are greyish-green and in the second year it produces branched stems that reach 3m in height, crowned by purple and white flowers.
Papaver (poppy)
Poppies are annuals and easy to grow. They can reach up to 1m in height and typically produce bluish leaves and warm colored flowers such as orange, red and yellow, but also white and pink. They are also much appreciated for their beautiful seed heads.
Portulaca grandiflora (Rose moss)
Portulaca grandiflora is an annual plant with red stems and very fleshy green leaves. It reaches only 20cm. The flowers appear during the summer, single or double and can be pink, red, yellow or white.
Salvia sclarea (clary)
Biennial plant with pale pink flowers that are born in the second year of cultivation. The leaves are rough and the plant can reach 1m in height.
Silene coeli-rosa (rose of heaven)
Slender plant that reaches 50cm in height with gray-green leaves. In summer, they produce small pink flowers with a white center. The flowers of Silene coeli-rosa last for a long time in jars.
If you know any plant that shoulb be included in this list of drought resistant annuals for full sun, please comment in the section below. Thank you.
