Plants with Big Flowers

When you think tropical, you think hibiscus. These colorful blooms with prominent stamen can be the size of a dinner plate and come in shades of pink, red, yellow, orange, and white. While the majority of the petals are generally one color, they are often studded with a contrasting "eye" in the center of the blooms.

Lilies are known for their sweet fragrance, spear-shape (sometimes speckled) petals, and bold and bright centers. Lilium 'Star Gazer' is one of the world's most popular lily varieties, with speckled magenta trumpets edged in white. This bulb's blooms can be over 6 inches wide.

The lotus flower is a staple in any Asian-inspired garden, especially those with water features and ponds. The blooms of this delicate flower can reach up to 12 inches across. As they open, the petals reveal a crown of golden stamens that gradually gives way to a large ornamental seedhead.

Peonies are popular flowers that are common picks for bouquets and wedding flowers. The lacy, layered blooms give a soft and elegant look, then open to expose a textured yellow center. Peonies thrive in full sun but will tolerate partial shade.

Big, beautiful, and old-fashioned, sunflowers fit into every garden. These sunny yellow flowers have standout blooms with brown, seedy centers. Classic sunflower blooms can grow to be the size of an adult's head!

Dahlias make a bold statement in the garden with spiky, colorful petals in a full, layered pattern. The flowers bloom in mid- to late summer. Some varieties of dahlias can have blooms 10-12 inches wide.

This showy vine is always a hit in the garden. The summer-blooming varieties have large flowers with contrasting centers, and some have striping or veining patterns. Clematis flowers can be up to 7 inches wide.

Five-inch-across blooms in warm hues of red, pink, and orange make poppies a standout garden flower. The blooms have ruffled petals and a dark center, the most well-known variety being red with a black center. Plant poppies in full sun for the best and biggest blooms.

A showstopping shrub that transforms any space into a tropical getaway, angel's trumpet boasts huge, pendulous blooms with a pleasant fragrance. The flowers of this plant come in pink, orange, yellow, white, and the occasional purple, and blooms can grow up to a foot long depending on variety. These low-maintenance shrubs are also a deer-resistant plant.

These tough, long-blooming annuals are a great addition to any cutting garden and come in myriad colors (excluding blue). Low-growing varieties of zinnia are perfect selections for borders. The 4-inch-wide flowers prefer to be planted in full sun.

These rose-like flowers have soft and delicate petals of pink, red, and white. Camellia is a broadleaf evergreen shrub, and the leaves are used to make tea (see more on growing your own tea). Some varieties open to expose a textured yellow center.