Ever dreamed of a sun-kissed garden that stays vibrant all summer? I get it. We all want long-blooming flowers when planning our landscapes. After all, yellow flowers are cheerful to look at, but they are also a great source to lift your mood when you feel low. Don’t believe me? It’s hard to frown when looking at a yellow bloom. You can choose from a variety of drought-tolerant perennials or low-maintenance annuals; these plants keep your garden lively with minimal effort. If you’re a fan of bold sunflowers, delicate daylilies, or trailing golden vines, there’s a perfect yellow plant for every garden style. Backed by gardening experts and research, these choices will add a pop of color but also attract beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies, supporting your local ecosystem. Here are 15 plants with yellow flowers that will brighten the yard all summer long.
1. Sunflower
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Nothing says summer quite like the towering sunflower with its giant golden face turned towards the sun. These iconic blooms can reach heights of 6–12 feet and are highly efficient in attracting pollinators, especially bees and butterflies. They’re among the top three flowers for beginner gardeners due to their low-maintenance nature. You can plant them in clusters for a dramatic golden display. Sunflowers boost garden aesthetics and improve soil health because they absorb heavy metals. Their seeds also provide a valuable food source for birds, making them eco-friendly stars. For smaller spaces, try dwarf varieties like ‘Sunspot,’ which grows just 2 feet tall but still packs a punch. Sunflowers thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, blooming from mid-summer until frost.
2. Black-Eyed Susan
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Black-Eyed Susans are another incredible summer flower, known for their golden-yellow petals and dark, dome-shaped centers. It blooms from early summer to fall, providing months of sunny color. They’re versatile, too—plant them in borders, wildflower meadows, or containers. For a twist, try ‘Goldsturm,’ a compact variety with larger blooms. Just give them full sun, and they’ll reward you with nonstop color! Interestingly, this pretty flower has a history of medicinal use too. In some Native American herbal medicines, an infusion of Black-Eyed Susan roots was traditionally used to treat colds, dropsy, and worms in children. Black-Eyed Susans are also known for their resilience against pests and diseases, making them a low-maintenance favorite for gardeners looking to add color and ecological value to their yards without constant upkeep.
3. Coreopsis
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Coreopsis is a summer superstar known for its bright, daisy-like yellow flowers that bloom continuously from early summer to fall. Coreopsis is one of the top perennial choices for beginner gardeners due to its drought tolerance and low maintenance needs. Its sunny blooms can cover entire garden beds, creating a golden carpet effect that’s hard to miss. Beyond aesthetics, Coreopsis plays an essential role in supporting pollinators. These flowers attract a wide variety of bees and butterflies, making them valuable for biodiversity. Varieties like ‘Early Sunrise’ and ‘Moonbeam’ are especially loved for their long blooming season and ability to thrive in poor soils, making them perfect for fuss-free, summer-long color.
4. Yellow Marigold
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Marigolds are beloved annuals known for their vivid yellow and orange blooms that last from spring until frost. Marigolds are loved for their ability to repel garden pests naturally, thanks to their pungent scent and unique chemical compounds. Their compact size makes them perfect for borders, pots, and companion planting to keep bugs off your more prized vegetables. Research shows that marigolds and cowpeas attract predatory insects like ladybugs and lacewings, which help control aphid populations. Varieties such as ‘Lemon Gem’ and ‘Yellow Boy’ are particularly prized for their long-lasting blooms and vibrant color. For continuous color, deadhead spent blooms and plant in full sun, and you will see them thrive even in poor soil.
5. Goldenrod
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Goldenrod is often mistaken for a weed, but in reality, it’s a powerhouse of late-summer color and pollinator support. Its bright yellow flowers light up late summer and fall gardens when other flowers fade. Goldenrod plants are remarkably hardy. They thrive in full sun and are drought-tolerant once established. Goldenrod is as tough as it is beautiful, thriving in everything from dry, rocky soil to damp clay. Unlike some aggressive spreaders, modern varieties like ‘Fireworks’ stay neatly contained while still offering that wildflower charm.
6. Yarrow
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‘Moonshine’ yarrow stands out with its flat-topped, lemon-yellow flower clusters and fern-like foliage. This drought-tolerant perennial blooms from June to September, thriving in poor soil where other plants struggle. Yarrow attracts pollinators, predatory wasps, and hoverflies, which help manage garden pests naturally. Cultivars like ‘Coronation Gold’ offer weeks of bright, cheerful blooms perfect for cutting gardens.
7. Daylily
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Yellow daylilies are classic garden favorites, admired for their trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in cycles all summer long. Daylilies are a reblooming variety, with each flower lasting just a day but quickly replaced by new buds. Daylilies are not just pretty; they’re also practical. Their dense foliage helps suppress weeds and prevent soil erosion, contributing to a healthier garden ecosystem. Daylilies are highly adaptable, tolerating a range of soil types and light conditions, which makes them a reliable choice for gardeners of all skill levels.
8. Calendula
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Calendula offers cheerful yellow-orange daisy-like flowers; it is also an edible flower with a hint of saffron flavour. The University of California Cooperative Extension highlights its edible petals, often used in teas and salves for their skin-soothing properties. It’s also a cool-season bloomer, providing color in early summer and again in fall. Calendula self-seeds readily, making it a great choice for gardeners who love low-effort plants. Its flowers contain high levels of antioxidants. Grow it in full sun to partial shade, and enjoy its dual role as both an ornamental and medicinal plant.
9. Evening Primrose
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Evening Primroses are sun-loving beauties that unfurl their buttery yellow blooms as dusk falls, creating a magical twilight show in your garden. What makes evening primrose extra special is its delightful fragrance that intensifies at night, attracting moths and other nocturnal pollinators. It’s a wonderful choice if you love enjoying your garden after sunset. The plant’s easy-going nature makes it perfect for beginners. It thrives in poor soil and actually prefers to be left alone once established. While it’s technically a biennial, it readily self-seeds, so you’ll enjoy its cheerful flowers year after year. Just give it plenty of sunshine and watch it transform neglected corners into golden displays.
10. Jerusalem Artichoke
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Jerusalem Artichoke is a sunflower relative that is grown more for its sunny blooms than its edible tubers. Towering up to 10 feet tall, it creates a dramatic backdrop of golden daisy-like flowers that last from midsummer through fall. The blooms are absolute magnets for bees and butterflies throughout the season. This hardy perennial serves as an excellent natural screen or windbreak. It’s remarkably adaptable, growing in almost any soil condition, though it does spread vigorously. Plant it where it has room to roam, or be prepared to harvest some tasty tubers to keep it in check!
11. Yellow Coneflower
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This unusual echinacea breaks the mold with its sunny yellow petals surrounding a dark brown central cone. It brings all the drought-tolerant toughness of purple coneflowers but with a brighter disposition. The long-lasting blooms make excellent cut flowers and provide weeks of color in the summer garden. You’ll love watching goldfinches flock to the seed heads in fall – they’re absolutely mad for the seeds! Plant it in well-drained soil and full sun, and it will reward you with months of carefree color. It’s especially stunning when paired with its purple cousins for a vibrant contrast.
12. St. John’s Wort
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St. John’s Wort offers more than just cheerful yellow blooms – its distinctive flowers seem to sparkle in sunlight thanks to tiny translucent dots on the petals. The flowers give way to attractive red berries that add fall and winter interest to the garden. It’s a great choice for adding structure to borders. While it has a reputation for spreading, newer cultivars like ‘Brigadoon’ offer all the visual appeal without the aggressive tendencies. The plant’s compact form makes it perfect for tucking into sunny spots where you want reliable color with minimal fuss. Just be sure to give it good drainage to keep it happy.
13. Buttercup
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Buttercups, with their shiny, cup-shaped yellow flowers, add a playful touch to summer gardens. These cheerful blooms have a special childhood magic, remember holding them under a friend’s chin to “test” if they liked butter? While most species bloom in spring, some varieties like creeping buttercup can flower intermittently all summer, especially in cooler climates. The bright yellow flowers attract early-season pollinators when food sources are still scarce, making them ecologically valuable despite their weedy reputation in some areas.
14. Yellow Zinnia
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Zinnias are summer workhorses, prized for their nonstop blooms and vibrant colors. Yellow zinnias, such as the ‘Zahara Yellow’ variety, are noted for their disease resistance and heat tolerance. Their sturdy stems make them perfect for beginner gardeners and kids’ gardens alike. Bonus: they’re butterfly and hummingbird magnets! For maximum impact, plant them in bold drifts or mix with purple salvias and blue ageratum for a stunning color contrast.
15. Yellow Canna Lily
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Canna lilies make a bold statement with their large, banana-like leaves and bright yellow flowers that bloom from midsummer to fall. The dwarf ‘Tropical Yellow’ stays compact at 2-3 feet tall, while classic varieties like ‘Yellow King Humbert’ can reach 6 feet with spectacular bi-colored blooms. The University of Florida IFAS Extension recommends cannas for their adaptability to wet soils and high heat tolerance. Cannas are magnets for pollinators, especially hummingbirds. Their robust growth and ability to thrive in challenging conditions make them a favorite for tropical-themed gardens. Plus, their rhizomes help prevent soil erosion, adding functional beauty to the landscape.