Variegated shell ginger provides large, tropical foliage with striking color and bold texture in one plant. Grow outdoors as an annual or grow it as a houseplant. Learn more about Alpinia zerumbet ‘Variegata’ in this article.

With flowers in a variety of bright and pastel shades, Four O’Clocks are fast-growing tender perennials grown as annuals in cool climates. Most flowers open early in the day, but one species from the tropical Andes opens late in the day since its pollinators are evening-flying sphinx moths. To learn more about the plant commonly called four o’clocks, read this article.

Rubygrass is grown as an annual in Wisconsin with attractive blue green foliage and fluffy pink flower heads. Learn more about this interesting African grass in this article.

Moss rose, Portulaca grandiflora. does well in hot dry conditions where other annuals fail. This semi-succulent annual native to South America has showy flowers that bloom all summer long. Learn more moss rose and its many cultivars and hybrids in this article.

Flowering tobacco offers dramatic foliage and sweet-scented flowers in late summer. This annual plant with clusters of tubular white flowers atop huge, chartreuse to green leaves is easy to grow and combines well with many other annuals. To learn more about Nicotiana sylvestris read this article.

‘Fireworks’ gomphrena is a tough, low-maintenance plant with long-lasting, intense hot iridescent pink blossoms with tiny yellow flowers that together resemble exploding fireworks. To learn more about this relatively new cultivar read this article.