7 Outdated Annual Flowers That Experts Say to Skip—and Why

Mexican Butterfly Weed

Native milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) plays an essential role in the ecosystem as a food source for monarch butterflies, making it a popular addition to pollinator gardens. However, not all milkweeds are the same, says Andrew Bunting, vice president of horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Mexican butterfly weed (Asclepias currasavica) blooms with sunny orange and red flowers—but at the wrong time of year. "This milkweed is controversial," says Bunting. "Because it blooms late into the season, there is some speculation that Monarchs feed on it late, and it impacts their migration back to Mexico."

Spider Flower

Spider flowers (Cleome) add beautiful purple, pink, and white petals to garden beds, attracting bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. While some gardeners choose this plant because it self-seeds, Bunting recommends choosing less seed-heavy plants—unless you want a landscape full of these flowers. "This is a very beautiful annual, but beware, it will set copious amounts of very viable seeds, and you will have seedlings everywhere in the garden," he says.

Impatiens

Experts are slowly seeing impatiens (Impatiens spp.) go out of style. "Impatiens have had their run," says Nathan Tuno, regional design and sales for Roots Landscape Inc. "They’re still widely used, especially in commercial landscapes, but at this point, they just feel a little overdone. Even when they’re thriving, they tend to read as flat and uninspired, especially when compared to options with more texture or architectural interest."

Look for unexpected alternatives in a similar color palette. "Depending on the zone, we’ll often reach for Angelonia, or even perennials like yarrow or ornamental grasses, to get the same impact with more nuance," he says.

Shiso

Shiso (Perilla frutescens)—known as the beefsteak plant because of its purple-red leaves that look like raw meat—is an edible member of the mint family with a medicinal history, says Bunting. However, it's also a quick spreader and invasive in some states. "There are both green and purple varieties," says Bunting. "But watch out, if you let it go to seed, you will be pulling out seedlings all summer long."

Snapdragons

Colorful, nostalgia-inducing snapdragons (Antirrhinum) have their place in certain garden styles but are not always ideal for more contemporary, streamlined layouts. "Snapdragons have great cottage garden appeal, but we’re seeing them become more aggressive in urban areas, popping up in sidewalk cracks and other spots where they were never planted," says Tuno. "It starts to feel less curated and more chaotic. In intentional garden design, that kind of self-seeding behavior can be more of a nuisance than a bonus."

Bells of Ireland

Chartreuse-colored bells of Ireland (Moluccella laevis) grow 2 to 3 feet tall, adding a bright accent and dynamic texture to planting beds and cutting gardens. However, Bunting says they're no longer reliable in some climates. "This old-fashioned annual used to be easier to grow, but in parts of the country where the summers are warm or getting warmer, it is not really a viable annual anymore due to the heat," he says.

Wave Petunias

Nothing takes a popular plant from in to out more quickly than seeing it in everyone's yard. Wave petunias (Petunia x hybrida) are everywhere, which is part of the problem. "When a plant is used too often, especially in commercial beds, it starts to lose its charm," says Tuno. "We’re opting for choices that still deliver bold color and trailing form but with a fresher take, like calibrachoa, nasturtium, or even some of the newer begonias and marigolds that are making a comeback. What once felt dated can actually feel exciting again when used in a more thoughtful way."