What’s blooming in the garden this month? A lot! Summer flower beauty is far from over! Check out these 17 gorgeous happy August flowers that are blooming strong. I’ll share how they grow best, so you can add them to your oasis of beauty!
17 Gorgeous August Flowers That Are Blooming Right Now
So much beauty is happening in the gardens this month! August flowers, both annuals and perennials, are in full bloom, making me smile. They are also making bees, butterflies, and other pollinators happy and alive!
Find out which are blooming here in my gardens, and then add below what is still gorgeous in your garden so I can add more, haha! Let’s dive into the beauty of flowers!
1. Phlox
All you have to do is drive down the road, and you’ll see houses everywhere, blooming with this gorgeous August flower.
They seem to thrive in just about any condition, although they will grow well in partial shade to full sun. If you are in a more southern or hot climate, though, make sure they only get about 6 hours.
Like most plants, they like well-drained soil but thrive if the soil is rich and sweet. Meaning added organic matter, natural wood chips, or leaves left to compost in the soil. Mine gets all of that, so they are happy!
They will spread, but very contained. I have lived here for about 15 years and only recently have had 3 more small clumps of phlox that have grown. This is fine for me, as I love this happy, pink August flower!
And so do my butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and hummingbird moths! They go crazy on my phlox and make perfect picture backdrops.
I do water them during our Midwest dry spells, and they appreciate it as they don’t like to be dried out.
They also come in a few other colors, and one clump of mine came up by itself it this lighter, almost variegated pink color.
I love phlox! They are also beginner-friendly. 🙂
2. Swamp milkweed
Contrary to the name, they don’t need to be near a swamp. Mine thrive in my flower garden next to my other flowers and get watered the same as the others.
This milkweed is gorgeous with its bright pink flowers, and butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators swarm to it like honey.
It does not spread unless you plant the seeds, and it blooms for most of the beginning of August, preferring full sun.
The iconic Monarch butterfly will lay her eggs on this plant, allowing you to watch the Monarch caterpillar’s fast and amazing life cycle.
I love this plant and have several. They are an amazing, life-giving August flower to have!
Please note that these plants are a perennial in zones 3a-8b. Check out other native milkweed to plant if you are out of those zones.
3. Butterfly bush
Although I know there’s much talk about planting native, and I agree, I will always have my butterfly bush.
I have a ton of native plants, trees, and shrubs in my yard, so the butterfly bush does not take the place of natives, just adds to it.
I get so many beautiful pictures of a wide variety of butterflies on this plant! They absolutely love the sweet nectar it provides! Bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators alike love it as well.
Some of these plants can get really big, but mine stays the same size each year. (a couple feet high and about a foot wide)
They come in a variety of colors and also variations that don’t spread. They like well-drained soil and full sun. Meaning at least 8 hours a day of it!
If you add this to your garden, just make sure you plant a few natives to balance it. I do love my butterfly bush, it is definitely an august flower that blooms for a long time!
4. Bee balm
The hummingbirds around here simply love my bee balm plants, especially my tall “purple rooster” variety, which boasts bright red flowers. They go from petal to petal, enjoying the sweet nectar.
I also often find the hummingbird moths doing the same thing, as well as butterflies and other pollinators.
This August flower usually starts in July and prefers full sun. You can get it in a few different colors as well. I have red, bright pink, and light pink.
It also needs some air circulation around it, or it will get powdery mildew. So don’t plant it too close to other plants and maybe think about splitting it up if it spreads out too much.
Such a great addition to any flower garden!
5. Lantana
I love these small, delicate-looking flowers! The lantana is always visited by the bees and butterflies, and I’ve seen hummingbirds on it as well.
They come in a variety of colors. Last year I had bright pink, orange, and deep yellow colors. This year I have yellow and white.
They don’t like to dry out, and to be honest, I’ve only had them in containers since they are an annual in the Midwest. (they are perennials after about zone 8)
They have beautiful, deep green leaves all summer long, and they never stop blooming. I have them listed as an August flower because they seem to bloom the strongest in August here.
I deadhead the spent flowers and get rewarded with plenty more. And although this plant prefers slightly acidic soil, it will usually do well in any as long as it gets full sun.
Next year I will try to start some from seed! I have to grow lantana each year! 🙂
6. Joe-Pye Weed
You’ll see the Joe-Pye weed in abundance along creeks and rivers. It feeds many butterflies, bees, and other pollinators with it’s beautiful August flowers.
It resembles the swamp milkweed, but can grow 3-12 feet tall! This year, mine are probably almost 6.5 feet tall. They are beautiful with light pink flowers.
Joe-Pye weed does best in somewhat moist, rich soil. Mine are planted in an area where natural wood chips and leaves have been reapplied for years, so it loves that natural breakdown of organic matter. I water it frequently during dry days, but the wood chips keep it moist as well.
It likes partial-to-full sun, and it gives off this beautiful, vanilla-like aroma as you walk past it.
This is a must-have for wildlife lovers, as the hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies flock to it. It is a perennial in zones 4-9. Go get some! 🙂
7. Ironweed
I have this planted right next to my Joe-Pye weed, and it’s just as tall. It’s a show-off with its bright/deep purple flowers and attractive foliage.
It prefers the same moist, rich soil as the Joe-Pye weed, so I treat it the same by often watering during dry spells.
The pollinators LOVE this plant, and it’s actually a host plant for the Painted Lady butterfly. Meaning you may be able to watch your own babies grow into beautiful butterflies! I’ve also seen hummingbirds flock to it.
The ironweed is actually listed by the Xerces Society as having special value to native bees.
In the wild, you’ll see it growing in thickets and woodlands near water, and often near the Joe-Pye weed. It’s a beautiful August flower and a life-giving plant!
8. Mountain mint
I can’t say enough about the mountain mint. It blooms from July to September, making it a definite August flower and beyond (like most of them here!)
It is a tremendous draw for pollinators, and my four plants are always completely filled with bees of all kinds, butterflies, and more. It is a pollinator’s favorite!
This plant would do okay in bright shade, but it prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
Although it doesn’t like to get dried out, it does well in our dry spells, with a little help from me. 🙂 It’s a perennial in zones 4-8.
So far, mine hasn’t spread but stays in nice big clumps that are a couple feet high and wide. It’s hardy and a beautiful, must-have addition if you want to see and help pollinators!
9. Black-eyed Susan
A must-have flower list wouldn’t be a list without the black-eyed Susan! This cheerful, happy flower brightens up any garden with its constant blooms!
Deadhead this plant, and you have flowers from June to October! In the Midwest, they seem to start flowering closer to July, with the highlights in August-September, making it the perfect August flower.
Pollinators will visit this plant often. Leave the spent flowers in the fall, and so will the birds (like most spent flowers!).
Most varieties of the black-eyed Susan will stay compact. It may spread, but just a little each year, which is perfect! I love this sunshiney flower!
It’s a perennial in zones 3-9, prefers full sun, and doesn’t like to dry out. I also suggest they aren’t allowed to be crowded from other plants, as they can get powdery mildew, although mine hasn’t.
This plant can be split up and also started from seed, which you can harvest yourself. Fun!
10. Rudbeckia
This is a sister of the black-eyed Susan, which is also in the Rudbeckia family.
I have it listed separately for the brown-eyed Susan, which tends to grow taller than it’s black-eyed sister. And yes, it has more of a brown center than the black center of its “sister.”
You may also have some beautiful variations of the Rudbeckia like the multi-colored variation shown here.
They are perennials in zones 4-9 and like the same growing conditions as the black-eyed Susans.
These plants don’t like to be waterlogged nor dry out, so well-drained, rich soil is preferable!
11. Geraniums
I think it’s easy to take the super hardy geranium for granted, as we see them everywhere. But when a lot of other annuals are fading away, this August flower blooms strong and hardy!
I can’t limit them to August, though, as they literally bloom all season long if I deadhead the spent flowers, which come in many different colors.
They like soil similar that you would use for a house plant, and although I’ve only had them in containers, they would do well in the ground as well.
They do prefer at least 6-8 hours of sun. And although this flower has little to no pollen for pollinators, the hummingbirds enjoy getting nectar from them.
12. Petunias
The petunia can be considered one of your blooming August flowers if properly watered and cared for since their trip home from your garden center in spring.
Although the care tags usually say full sun, my petunias seem to last longer if they have at least a little shade each day.
I’ve only ever had them in containers, though, so maybe they would like more sun if in the ground. Also, if not enough sun, they will become spindly.
While bees aren’t as attracted to petunias, butterflies and hummingbirds will visit each flower, sucking out the sweet nectar.
They don’t do well if dried out, nor do they like to sit in water. There are many different colors to suit your taste and are considered a tender perennial in zones 9-11.
13. Coneflowers
No flower list is complete without the coneflower! Also known as Echinacea, most of us think of them in their pale purple color.
They come in a few different colors, though, and are a beautiful addition to flower gardens!
They usually grow in clumps, so they don’t readily spread. Pollinators of all kinds love this flower, and so do the birds in the fall, where they will eat the leftover dried seeds.
The coneflower will bloom all season long, so it definitely is an August flower too that can reach 2-4 feet high, depending on the variety.
They like 6-8 hours of sun a day unless you are in hotter, more southern areas. Then make sure they get some shade throughout the day.
These beautiful flowers thrive in zones 5-8 and like well-drained soil.
14. Coreopsis
This pretty little yellow flower is still going strong in August, giving it an August flower title!
There are different varieties of this pretty flower, but all of them like full sun and well-drained soil. Mine also doesn’t like to get dried out, although they are quite hardy.
Whether you have a taller plant, or a shorter variety like mine, bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators will visit this flower.
Although it’s Florida’s state flower, it’s a perennial in zones 4-9.
15. Cosmos
I love this pretty flower so much! I have never actually bought a plant, but have grown from seeds for a few years now.
Actually, my first attempt was from a free packet from some real estate lady, haha!
They come in many different colors, and varieties can be grown in pots or in the ground. They are visited regularly from pollinators of all kinds.
They are annuals in most places since they are native to Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America.
They are very easy to grow and care for, though! They will grow in just about any soil, and although they prefer full sun, the ones I grow in partial sun do just as well.
Try to keep them from being in windy places, though, as they don’t care for that.
A growing season wouldn’t be complete with this August flower that literally blooms all season long!
16. Zinnias
Another must-have for me is this full-season blooming flower that makes the August flower list and any flower list I write about.
This flower comes in 4 different petal variations and many different colors.
I have never bought a plant, as they are super easy to start from seed. They do well in containers or in the ground and like full sun.
I have some in partial sun that do well too, although if you had some in the shade, it would get less flowers.
Pollinators of all kinds love this flower, and it’s been the backdrop for many pretty pictures!
They are butterfly magnets, and one bloom seems to last forever. I do deadhead spent flowers, but they can be saved for seeds as well.
These annuals deserve a spot in any flower garden or deck. They are one of my favorites, and they are beautiful.
17. Sweet Alyssum
I bought seeds for this plant a couple of years ago, and never planted them. This year I sprinkled them around the bulbs of my Dahlias, and wow, they are so delicately pretty!
Easy to grow from seed, this makes the list as an August flower because it truly does last all month and really, almost all season long.
It doesn’t like to dry out, though, and will stop flowering and even die back if they are.
I have some in full sun and some in part sun, and both are doing well. They need at least 4-6 hours to flower and have sweet, subtle, honey-scented flowers.
They can be grown in containers or in the ground, and are perennials in zones 7-11. They also come in a variety of colors.
They give pollen and nectar all summer long, so bees, butterflies, and other pollinators will definitely visit this delicate, pretty little flower!
Walking around my yard, I know there are plenty more I could talk about and share with you. This is a great list, though, and worth adding to your own gardens for beautiful August flowers!
What else do you have blooming in August? Please share your favorites with me below! Thank you!
Leave a Reply