These new annual flower varieties were voted the best of the best. See what makes them thrive — and impress — in gardens throughout North America.
Here Are the 11 Best New Flowers for Your 2025 Garden
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Dahlia Black Forest Ruby
Red flowers are always captivating in the garden, but when contrasted against dark, almost black foliage, the effect is particularly striking. This seed-grown dahlia is aptly named Black Forest Ruby because it is indeed a horticultural “gem.” Featuring a multitude of colorful semi-double to double blooms 2 ½ to 3 ½ in. wide, the plant is sturdy enough to stand upright without staking. Black Forest Ruby matures at 20 to 27 in. tall and 18 to 20 in. wide. AAS judges applauded this annual event for its neat habit, clean, disease-free foliage, and ability to stand up to heat and drought.
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Dianthus Interspecific Capitán Magnifica
Dianthus often favors cool weather, but this 2025 AAS winner was bred with greater heat tolerance than traditional dianthus varieties. As a result, it sails smoothly through summer’s heat, continuing to grow and bloom if deadheaded. Capitán™ Magnifica dianthus features beautiful pink flowers with light pink edging atop long stems that are perfect for bouquets. It grows about 12 to 18 inches tall and wide and is hardy to USDA Zone 7 or can be grown as an annual. Judges liked the two-tone color of the flowers, the clean foliage and the adaptability of the plant. One noted, “Even in the horrible heat, the plants kept blooming their heads off and only started to give out a little at the beginning of September when it was very hot and dry!”
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Marigold Mango Tango
Marigolds are capturing the hearts of gardeners as fail-safe annuals with bright colors and easygoing dispositions. Mango Tango deepens the attraction with stunning yellow and red bicolor flowers that look like Mother Nature hit the saturation button a few extra times. In keeping with the marigold’s reputation, the Mango Tango has a long flowering period from summer to frost for an eye-catching display that lasts and lasts. Plants reach 8 to 10 inches tall, making them suitable for use in containers and in front of borders.
One AAS judge applauded the compact, mounding habit and especially the “great flower power,” explaining that “flowers have more saturated colors” with “really nice deep red and yellow flower petals.”
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Nasturtium Baby Series
Good things apparently happen in threes. At least that’s the case with the three nasturtiums that were named AAS Award Winners for 2025. They feature new colors in the popular Baby series of nasturtiums: petite-flowered, mounding varieties ideal for containers and small-space gardens. All have compact habits, about 1 foot tall and 10 inches wide, so flowers tend to flop less and remain upright and highly visible against the dark green foliage. Baby Gold has intense golden yellow flowers that resist fading. Baby Red has rich red flowers. And Baby Yellow boasts soft yellow blooms. Flowers in the Baby series are tolerant of heat, drought, cold, wind and rain.
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Petunia Dekko Maxx Pink
Everyone loves petunias for their showy trumpet-shaped flowers — as long as the weather doesn’t get in the way. But Dekko Maxx Pink flowers are resilient enough to resist being beaten down by heavy rain and inclement weather. The vibrant pink flowers feature dark-pink throats and hold their color well. Dekko Max Pink grows 8 to 12 inches tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, keeping a nice habit all season.
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Petunia Shake Raspberry F1
How do you describe the color of Petunia Shake Raspberry? Well, it has been described as looking like “a blended raspberry milkshake swirled with lemon-lime green sorbet.” Better yet, Petunia Shake Raspberry is a superior performer with blooms that won’t melt away in the summer heat. And if that’s not enough, this 2025 AAS award winner has a naturally compact habit, just 5 to 8 inches tall and 8 to 10 inches wide. One judge noted the striking color contrast between raspberry and lime shading, saying the “flower color stands out…as more eye-catching and unique.” Others lauded the compact, well-contained habit and abundant blooms.
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Snapdragon DoubleShot Yellow Red Heart F1
From the stunning flowers held on upright stems to the candy-like fragrance, this is a snapdragon you’ll want in your spring garden. And summer garden. That’s because this cool-season stalwart blooms early and continues to hold up through the heat of summer. Befitting the name, the soft-yellow tubular flowers feature heart-red throats for an intriguing two-tone effect. AAS Judges complimented DoubleShot Yellow Red Heart for the vibrant colors and long-lasting flowers, as well as the plant’s healthy disposition. It grows 18 to 20 inches tall and 6 to 8 inches wide.
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Zinnia Zydeco Fire
Fiery orange color is front and center on this midsize zinnia, which features overly large, fully double flowers on sturdy stems needing no support. Blooming summer to frost, Zydeco features long-lasting blooms on disease-resistant foliage and looks particularly good when massed. It reaches 18 to 22 inches tall and 10 to 12 inches wide. “A winner from start to finish,” commented one AAS judge. “Bloomed quickly and until frost with consistently double, large flowers. Plants stayed healthy and compact the whole season.”
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Zinnia Crestar Mix
Here’s a zinnia mix that is all about offering something out of the ordinary. Zinnia Crestar Mix offers highly distinctive semi-double blooms with a pronounced central disc, mimicking those of the perennial pincushion flower (Scabiosa). Plants are robust, even in the heat and humidity of summer, and they look particularly good when massed. This award-winning varietal mix gives you a range of colors—pink, orange, red, white, peach and yellow—for a stunning display all summer long. Noted one judge: “Flower quality is an improvement. Plants produced bright, colorful double blooms over a long growing season and retained a more compact plant and higher bloom quality than either comparison.” Plants reach 18 to 23 inches tall and about 5 inches wide.
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Vinca Sphere Polkadot
With its compact, rounded habit, this new vinca has a neat, uniform way of displaying flowers all summer long. This fast-growing annual features small, sparkling white blooms with deep red centers set against attractive glossy foliage with excellent disease resistance. Vinca Sphere Polkadot does well in hot, dry conditions and stands up to heavy rains. “Smaller flowers make this entry perform much better than [comparison plants] after a storm,” noted one judge. “With projections forecasting that rains will decrease in frequency and increase in ferocity, this might be the vinca of the future! Very uniform and held up well through the season.” Use it along walkways and in borders or containers. It matures at about 11 inches tall and 5 to 7 inches wide.
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Celosia Flamma Pink
This AAS award winner is a semi-dwarf variety with eye-popping pink “flames” for flowers. They’re held upright on bushy, compact plants and augmented by secondary flowerheads for even more oomph. In fact, judges praised Celosia Flamma Pink for its flower-filled, multi-branched habit. It all adds up to a striking annual with vibrant, long-lasting blooms for the garden or in cut-flower arrangements. Celosia Flamma Pink thrives even in hot, humid conditions, delivering continuous visual interest. “Entry held up much longer and looked great,” said one judge. “Perfect for bedding or cutting.” It reaches 14 to 18 inches tall and 7 to 9 inches wide.
