Flower Starting Dates




Plant
Approximate Weeks to Plant Before Last Frost Date
Days to Germination
Min. Temperature (oF)
Light/Dark Requirement
Abelmoschus
8
10-30
70
Dark
African Daisy
6-8
10-15
60
Dark
Ageratum
8
5 to 10
70
Light
Alyssum
8
5 to 10
70
Either
Amaranthus
6-8
10-15
70
Dark
Amsonia
8-10
28-42
55
Dark
Anemone
2-3
15-180‼
60
Dark
Asarina
10-12
9-21
60
Light
Aster (Annual)
6
5 to 10
70
Either
Aubrieta
6-8
14-21
65
Light
Balloon Vine
6-8
21-30
65
Dark
Balsam
6
5 to 10
70
Either
Basil
4-6
8-14
55
Light
Bean
4-6
4-5
60
Dark
Bee Balm
8-10
10-40
60
Dark
Begonia
12 or more
10 to 15
70
Light
Belamcanda
8-10
14-60‼
65
Dark
Bergenia
6-8
15-180‼
60
Light
Black Eyed Susan
10
7-14
70
Either
Bloodroot
8-10
30-90
50
Dark
Boltonia
6-8
14-21
60
Dark
Broccoli
8
5 to 10
70
Either
Browallia
12 or more
15 to 20
70
Light
Brugmansia
12
21-60
68
Dark
Brunnera
8-10
30-90‼
55
Dark
Bunny Tail Grass
6-8
15-21
55
Dark
Butterwort
8-10
30-130
55
Light
Cabbage
8
5 to 10
70
Either
Calendula
6-8
6-14
70
Dark
California Poppy
2-3
14-21
60
Dark
Campanula
8-10
14-28
60
Light
Candylily
8-10
15‼
70
Either
Candytuft (Annual)
6-8
10-20
70
Dark
Candytuft (Perennial)
6-8
10-60
55
Dark
Canna
2-3
21-365☼
70
Dark
Cantaloupe
2-3
3-12
60
Dark
Catchfly
8-10
21-30‼
70
Light
Catmint
8-10
7-21
60
Either
Cauliflower
8
5 to 10
70
Either
Celosia
8
5 to 10
70
Either
Centurea
6
5 to 10
65
Dark
Chilean Bellflower
4-6
7-30
60
Either
Chrysanthemum (Annual)
6-8
10-13
60
Either
Chrysanthemum (Perennial)
6-8
7-28
60
Light
Clarkia
6-8
5-21
55
Light
Clematis
3
30-365‼
70
Either
Cleome
6-8
10-14
70
Light
Coleus
8
5 to 10
65
Light
Columbine
2-3
30-90‼
65
Light
Coneflower (Echinacea)
8-10
10-21
70
Dark
Convolvulus
5-6
5-14
70
Dark
Coral Pea
8-10
30-90
55
Dark
Coreopsis (Annual)
6-8
5-25
55
Light
Coreopsis (Perennial)
8-10
5-25
55
Light
Cosmos
4 or less
5 to 10
70
Either
Creeping Zinnia
6-7
7-10
70
Dark
Crocosmia
6-8
30-90
55
Dark
Cucumber
4 or less
5 to 10
85
Either
Cupid’s Dart
6-8
20-25
65
Dark
Dahlberg Daisy
8
14
65
Light
Dahlia
8
5 to 10
70
Either
Daylily
8-10
15-49
60
Dark
Delphinium
8-10
14-28
50
Dark
Dianthus (Annual)
10
5 to 21
70
Either
Dianthus (Perennial)
8-10
14-21
60
Either
Dill
6-8
5-14
55
Dark
Edelweiss
8-10
10-42‼
50
Light
Eggplant
8
5 to 10
70
Either
Euphorbia (Annual/Biennial)
6-8
10-28
70
Dark
Euphorbia (Perennial)
6-8
10-28‼
65
Dark
Eustoma
10-12
10-21
65
Light
Everlasting Flower
6-8
5-20
65
Light
Fairy Foxglove
6-8
20-25
65
Light
False Indigo
6-8
5-36§
70
Dark
Fennel
4-6
10-14
65
Dark
Flameflower
6
21-30
60
Light
Flax
6-8
20-25
65
Dark
Flax Lily
10-12
30-180
60
Dark
Floss Flower
6-8
5-14
70
Light
Flowering Tobacco
8
10 to 14
70
Light
Four-O’Clock
6-8
5-7
70
Dark
Foxglove
8-10
14-21
60
Light
Fuchsia
14-18
21-120
65
Light
Gaillardia (Annual)
4-6
7-20
70
Light
Gaillardia (Perennial)
6-8
15-20
70
Light
Garland Lily
6-8
20-25
70
Dark
Gaura (Annual)
4-6
14-30
65
Either
Gaura (Perennial)
8-10
14-30
65
Either
Gazania
6-8
8-21
60
Dark
Geranium
12 or more
10 to 20
70
Light
Gerbera
12
15-30
70
Light
Geum
8-10
21-28
65
Dark
Globe Thistle
2-3
15-60
65
Either
Gomphrena
7-8
14
70
Either
Gunnera
6-8
14-60
60
Dark
Gypsophila (Annual)
6-8
14-60
60
Either
Gypsophila (Perennial)
8-10
14-60
60
Either
Hacquetia
10-12
30-180‼
55
Light
Helenium
6-8
15-20
70
Light
Helianthemum
6-8
15-20
70
Light
Heliopsis
8-10
10-15
70
Dark
Heliotrope
10-12
2-42
70
Dark
Helleborus
3
1-18 months‼
60
Dark
Hepatica
12-14
30-360‼
50
Dark
Hollyhock
6-8
10-14
60
Light
Hosta
6-8
15-90
50
Dark
Hyssop
8-10
14-42
60
Either
Ice Plant
6
10-40
65
Light
Impatiens
10
15 to 20
70
Light
Inula
6-8
14-42
55
Either
Jasione
8-10
10-25
70
Either
Kaffir Lily
8-10
30-90
55
Dark
Knautia
4-6
10-30
65
Light
Lablab
6-8
3-30§
70
Dark
Lagerstroemia
6-8
14-21
70
Light
Lamium
8-10
30-60
65
Either
Lampranthus
6-8
15-30
65
Either
Lantana
6-8
30-90
70
Dark
Larkspur
6-8
14-21‼
55
Dark
Lavender
6-8
15-90‼
60
Dark
Layia
6-8
8-36
70
Dark
Leonotis
8-10
10-21
60
Light
Leopard’s Bane
8-10
15-20
70
Light
Lettuce
8
5 to 10
70
Light
Lewisia
10-12
1-2 years‼
55
Light
Liatris
6-8
20-25
55
Either
Ligularia
6-8
14-42
60
Light
Lily
2-3 months
1-8 months‼
70
Dark
Lily of the Altai
8-10
30-90
50
Dark
Lilyturf
6-8
30§
65
Dark
Lilyturf
6-8
30-42§
65
Dark
Linaria
6-8
10-15‼
55
Either
Lisianthus (Eustoma)
14
10-14
75
Light
Lobelia (Annual)
6-8
15-21
65
Light
Lobelia (Perennial)
8-10
15-21‼
65
Light
Loosestrife (Lythrum)
6-8
5-30
65
Either
Luffa
3-4
8-28§
70
Dark
Lunaria
6-8
10-14
70
Dark
Lungwort
7-9
30-42
60
Either
Lupine
6-8
14-60☼
55
Dark
Malope
4-6
15-20‼
65
Either
Malva
6-8
5-21
70
Dark
Mandevilla
6-8
14-30
65
Dark
Marigold
6
5 to 10
70
Either
Marjoram
6-8
10
55
Either
Matthiola
6-8
3-20
60
Light
Meadowsweet
8-10
30-90
55
Either
Melissa
8-10
14-21
70
Light
Mignonette
6-8
5-21
70
Light
Milkweed (Hardy Perennial)
8-10
30-90‼
50
Dark
Milkweed (Tender Perennial)
8-10
7-35
50
Dark
Moluccella
8-10
8-35‼
60
Light
Monkey Flower
10-12
7-21‼
70
Light
Morning Glory
3-4
5-21§
70
Dark
Muskmelon
4 or less
5 to 10
85
Either
Myosotis
8-10
8-30
65
Light
Nasturtium
5-6
10-14
65
Dark
Navelwort
10-12
14-42
65
Dark
Nemesia
8-10
5-21
60
Light
Nicotiana
8
10 to 15
70
Light
Nigella
6-8
8-158
65
Either
Nippon Daisy
6-8
7-28
60
Light
Obedient Plant
8-10
15-30
60
Either
Oenothera
8-10
5-30
65
Either
Onosma
10-12
30-60
50
Either
Oregano
6-8
8-12
60
Either
Painted Tongue
8-10
8-30
70
Dark
Pampas Grass
8-10
14-21
60
Light
Passiflora
8
30-365§
70
Dark
Pearlwort
6-8
10-25
55
Either
Pennisetum
6-8
15-20
70
Either
Penstemon
8-10
18-36
55
Light
Pentas
8-10
7-40
60
Light
Pepper
8
5 to 10
80
Either
Perilla
10-12
15-30
65
Light
Peruvian Lily
8-10
15-365§
65
Dark
Petunia
10
5 to 10
70
Light
Phlomis
8-10
14-42
60
Either
Phlox (Annual)
8
5 to 10
65
Dark
Pitcher plant
8-10
30-90‼
65
Light
Platycodon
6-8
15-30
70
Light
Plectranthus
8-10
14-35
65
Either
Plumbago
10-12
30-90‼
60
Dark
Polemonium
8-10
20-25
70
Dark
Polka-dot Plant
8-10
7-21
65
Either
Poor Man’s orchid
8-10
7-20
60
Dark
Poppy (Annual)
6-8
20
70
Either
Poppy (Perennial)
6-8
10-30
55
Light
Portulaca
10
5 to 10‼
70
Dark
Potentilla
8-10
14-30
65
Dark
Primula
8-10
10-40‼
60
Light
Prunella
8-10
30-60
55
Either
Ragwort
6-8
10-21
65
Light
Ratibida
4-6
7-42‼
70
Dark
Red Hot Poker
6-8
10-30
70
Dark
Ring Bellflower
5-6
10-30
60
Light
Rodgersia
6-8
12-60
55
Surface
Rudbeckia
6-8
5-21‼
70
Light
Ruellia
8-10
30-60
65
Either
Rumex
4
7-10
65
Dark
Salvia farinacea
8-9
10-14
70
Light
Salvia splendens
8
10-14
70
Light
Sandersonia
8-10
30-90§
75
Dark
Sandwort
6-8
8-30
68
Light
Scilla (Squill)
2-3
30-180‼
50
Dark
Sea Holly
2-3
5-90‼
65
Light
Shoofly
6-8
15-20
60
Either
Sidalcea
6-8
14-42
50
Dark
Sleepy Daisy
6-8
25-30
70
Dark
Slipperwort
10-12
14-21
55
Light
Snapdragon
10
5 to 10
65
Light
Solenopsis
8-10
10-60
60
Light
South African Daisy
6-8
7-21
60
Dark
Sparaxis
8-10
30-90
50
Dark
Spiderwort
6-8
10-40
70
Dark
Squash
4 or less
5 to 10
85
Either
St. John’s Wort
8-10
20-90
50
Dark
Statice (Annual)
8-10
7-10
70
Either
Stipa
6-8
21-30
70
Dark
Stock
10
10 to 15
70
Either
Stoke’s Aster
8-10
20-30
70
Dark
Strawflower
6-8
7-10
70
Either
Sunflower
3-4
5-7
70
Dark
Swan River Daisy
6-8
10-21
65
Dark
Sweet Cicely
8-10
14-42‼
55
Dark
Sweet Pea (annual)
6-8
10-20☼
60
Dark
Sweet Pea (Perennial)
6-8
20-30☼
60
Dark
Sweet William
6-10
10
70
Dark
Tagetes
6-8
4-14
70
Dark
Tanacetum
6-8
7-30‼
60
Light
Thrift
8-10
10-21
60
Dark
Throatwort
8-10
15-21
55
Light
Thunbergia
6-8
10-21
65
Dark
Thyme
6-8
15-30
55
Light
Tithonia
6-8
5-14
70
Light
Toad Lily
12-14
30-90‼
65
Dark
Tomato
6
5 to 10
80
Either
Tree Mallow
6-8
15-20
70
Dark
Tree Poppy
6-8
30‼
55
Dark
Tritonia
6-8
30-90
55
Dark
Turtlehead
6-8
14-48
55
Dark
Tweedia
6-8
10-15
70
Dark
Valerian
8
21-30
60
Dark
Valerian
10-12
21-25
70
Dark
Verbascum
6-8
14-30
55
Dark
Verbena
10
15 to 20
65
Dark
Veronica
8-10
15-90
60
Light
Vinca
12 or more
10 to 15
70
Either
Viola (Annual)
10-12
14
65
Dark
Viola (Perennial)
8-10
10-21‼
65
Dark
Watermelon
4 or less
5 to 10
85
Either
Wax Begonia
10-12
14
70
Light
Wishbone Flower
6-8
7-30
70
Light
Wisteria
6-8
30-35☼§
55
Dark
Woundwort (Stachys)
8-10
15-30
70
Dark
Xeranthemum
2-3
10-15
70
Dark
Yarrow
8-10
10-100
60
Light
Zinnia
6
5 to 10
70
Either
☼ Chip seed
§ Soak seed
‼Cold stratification required
Source: Various resources including North Carolina State University, Iowa State University and The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing Flowers from Seed to Bloom written by Eileen Powell

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