Plants with orange flowers will bring vibrant colour and warmth to your borders and pots. There's a huge spectrum of orange shades, from the palest peach and apricots in plants such as the moth orchid 'Las Vegas' and Geum 'Totally Tangerine' to the brilliant orange of Dahlia 'Vulcan' and brick red orange of Gerbera 'Sweet Glow'.

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For an exotic style go for hot oranges that can be combined with reds and purples or to keep a calm feel, try combining orange with plants that have white, yellow or blue flowers.

We list 40 of the best orange-flowered plants to grow, below. There are plants for every type of space, whether you're limited to a window box or want to revamp your herbaceous border. And if you don't have a garden, why not try a vibrant house plant.


Calendula officinalis 'Indian Prince'

Calendula 'Indian Prince'
Calendula 'Indian Prince'

This easy annual has rich orange petals and makes a fantastic cut flower as well as attracting hoverflies. English marigolds can be grown from seed.

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Height x Spread: 60cm x 45cm
Flowers: June-October


Tithonia rotundifolia 'Torch'

Tithonia rotundifolia 'Torch'
Tithonia rotundifolia 'Torch'

Light up the border with this half hardy annual which has bright daisy-like flowers on tall stems. Mexican sunflower is perfect for adding height to borders, easy to grow from seed and will flower well into autumn. Try combining with salvias, agastache and aromatic nicotianas.

H x S: 1.8m x 40cm
Flowers: July-October


Zinnia elegans ‘Orange King’

Zinnia elegans 'Orange King'
Zinnia elegans 'Orange King'

You won't miss this zinnia with its vibrant semi-double flowers. Sow this annual from March to April for a long-lasting display that's ideal for adding colour to containers.

H x S: 75cm x 20cm
Flowers: July-October


Sunflower ‘Solar Flash’

Sunflower 'Solar Flash'
Sunflower 'Solar Flash'

Break away from the traditional yellow sunflower, adding impact to the back of your border with a variety that has a ring of deep orange such as the compact 'Solar Flash', perfect for a container, or the rich orange ‘Copper Queen’. Sunflowers are easy to grow from seed, whatever their colour and the flowerheads can be left to dry, providing food for birds in the winter months.

H x S: 50cm x 35cm
Flowers: July-October


Geum avens ‘Totally Tangerine’

Geum 'Totally Tangerine'
Geum 'Totally Tangerine'

Geums are useful perennials for the front of the border where their small flowers are held high on tall wiry stems. ‘Totally Tangerine’ has pale orange flowers throughout the summer, good for sun or partial shade. There are geums to grow in just about every shade of orange, from peachy ‘Pineapple Crush’, to luminous ‘Totally Tangerine’, to burnt orange ‘Firefinch’.

H x S: 90cm x 50cm
Flowers: June-August


Dahlia ‘Vulcan’

Dahlia 'Vulcan'
Dahlia 'Vulcan'

For a big splash of orange go for Dahlia ‘Vulcan’, a semi-double cactus variety that flowers for months with blooms that measure 17cm across. Named after the Roman God of Fire, there’s no missing these orange flowers. As with tulips there is a spectrum of orange dahlias to choose from.

H x S: 1.2m x 40cm
Flowers: July to November


Canna 'Tropicanna'

Canna 'Tropicanna'. Getty Images
Canna 'Tropicanna'. Getty Images

Add a tropical look to your garden with this canna. Everything about it is exotic, from the striped green, gold and red foliage to the show-stopping orange flowers that appear in summer.

H x S: 1.5m x 50cm
Flowers: June-September


Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora ‘Emily McKenzie’

Crocosmia 'Emily McKenzie'
Crocosmia 'Emily McKenzie'

You’re spoilt for choice with orange crocosmias but ‘Emily McKenzie’ is a beautiful variety for a sunny spot, with dark red markings on the rich orange flowerheads. This is a great choice for extending summer interest into the autumn.

H x S: 60cm x 10cm
Flowers: July-September


Red hot poker

Orange kniphofia
Orange kniphofia

Red hot pokers provide height and impact in the border and they don't just come in red. Orange varieties like Kniphofia 'Orange Blaze' make a fiery addition to hot colour schemes. Plant these perennials in a sunny spot border or containers. They are good for dry spots once established.

H x S: 75cm x 60cm
Flowers: June-September


Berberis darwinii

Berberis darwinii. Getty images
Berberis darwinii. Getty Images

Known as barberry, this evergreen shrub brings spring cheer to the border with clusters of orange flowers. It's a valuable plant for the garden providing several seasons of interest including berries in the autumn, which are good for birds.

H x S: 3m x 3m
Flowers: April-May


Primula bulleyana

Primula bulleyana
Primula bulleyana

This candelabra primula looks good planted in among daffodils and hellebores and will thrive in partial shade or sun in moist soil. Its flowers are a yellow shade of orange, held on tall stems.

H x S: 60cm x 30cm
Flowers: April-July


Nasturtium ‘Orange Troika’

Nasturtium 'Orange Troika'
Nasturtium 'Orange Troika'

Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum) are hardy annuals that are easy to grow. They can be grown as companion plants alongside brassicas, helping to draw away small and large white butterflies. ‘Orange Troika’ is a semi-trailing variety with red-orange flowers that can be eaten in salads.

H x S: 30cm x 30cm
Flowers: June-September


California poppy

California poppy
California poppy

The California poppy, Eschscholzia californica, is a hardy annual that’s perfect for sowing in pots and containers, or in gaps in borders with vivid orange flowers. For darker orange flowers, try a cultivar like ‘Mikado’.

H x S: 45cm x 30cm
Flowers: June-September


Lilium ‘Orange Pixie’

Lilium 'Orange Pixie'
Lilium 'Orange Pixie'

There are several varieties of orange oriental lilies including the dwarf Asiatic hybrid ‘Orange Pixie’, with star shaped flowers or the hot-coloured ‘Orange Ton’. There are lots of others to choose from including Lilium henryi, a Turk’s cap lily, which has orange spotted petals that curve backwards.

H x S: 50cm x 30cm
Flowers: June-August


Hemerocallis fulva 'Flore Pleno'

Hemerocallis fulva. Getty Images
Hemerocallis fulva. Getty Images

The flowers of daylilies, as the name suggests, only last a day, but the plant produces a prolific amount of flowers over the summer. H. fulva, the common daylily, has pale orange-brown trumpet-shaped flowers. Its double form is called 'Flora Pleno'.

H x S: 90cm x 60cm
Flowers: June-August


Eremurus ‘Cleopatra’

Eremurus 'Cleopatra'
Eremurus 'Cleopatra'

These magnificent perennials are native to western and central Asia. Reaching an impressive 1.5m in height, foxtail lilies are at home in a sunny spot, in well-drained soil – a gravel garden or similar is ideal. Many varieties of foxtail lilies have orange blooms, such as ‘Cleopatra’.

H x S: 1.5m x 60cm
Flowers: June-July


Campsis ‘Indian Summer’

Campsis 'Indian Summer'
Campsis 'Indian Summer'

Trumpet vines (Campsis) are fast-growing climbers, perfect for quickly covering sunny walls and fences. Despite exotic appearances, they’re hardy to -10°C. For rich orange blooms, take a look at cultivars like ‘Indian Summer’ and ‘Madame Galen’.

H x S: 4m x 4m
Flowers: July-September


Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena'

Witch hazels are deciduous, winter-blooming trees with distinctive, fragrant blooms. There are lots of cultivars with orange flowers, including ‘Jelena’ with fiery orange scented flowers as well as ‘Aphrodite’, ‘Jelena’ and ‘Orange Beauty’.

H x S: 4m x 4m
Flowers: January-February


Begonia ‘Richard Galle’

Begonia 'Richard Galle'
Begonia 'Richard Galle'

Begonias are popular for their bright colours and long flowering period. There's no shortage of orange varieties, from the apricot shades of 'Richard Galle' to the deeper oranges of the Non Stop orange series. Begonias are a good choice for pots, containers and window boxes, providing a big impact in small spaces.

H x S: 30cm x 30cm
Flowers: June-October


Buddleia globosa

Buddleia globosa. Getty images
Buddleia globosa. Getty images

This is known as the orange ball tree for its eye-catching, sphere-shaped blooms, made up of lots of small flowers. As well as providing an attractive focal point, it’s also an excellent wildlife plant, attracting butterflies and bees.

H x S: 5m x 5m
Flowers: June-August


Gladiolus ‘Hastings’

Gladiolus 'Hastings'
Gladiolus 'Hastings'

For a sunny border, this orange to brown gladiolus makes an attractive border plant for cottage garden style schemes and is an excellent cut flower. For a paler peachy orange variety try 'Peter Pears'. Plant the corms from March to May.
H x S: 70cm x 10cm
Flowers: May-August


Iris ‘Feu du Ciel’

Iris 'Feu du Ciel'
Iris 'Feu du Ciel'

There's a number of striking orange bearded irises to grow, from the yellow-orange 'Feu du Ciel' and the award-winning light shades of ‘William of Orange’ to the vibrant ‘Orange Harvest’, which is a re-blooming variety. Plant these perennials in free draining soil.

H x S: 80cm x 20cm
Flowers: May-Jun


Poppy ‘Orange Feathers’

Poppy 'Orange Feathers'. Getty Images
Poppy 'Orange Feathers'. Getty Images

This is a perennial poppy with double flowers and delicate petals in an intense orange shade. Sow in the spring for flowers the same year that will last all summer. It’s best in a rockery or at the front of the border.

H x S: 60cm x 30cm
Flowers: June-October


Rosa ‘Lady of Shalott’

Rosa 'Lady of Shalott'
Rosa 'Lady of Shalott'

‘Lady of Shalott’ is at the richer end of the orange spectrum, but you’ll find roses to warm up your border in every shade from the pale apricot of ‘The Lark Ascending’ through to the deep orange of ‘Summer Song’ which are almost red.

H x S: 1.3m x 1m
Flowers: June-October

Orange roses to grow


Marigold 'Dune Mixed'

Marigold 'Dune Mixed'
Marigold 'Dune Mixed'

Marigolds are useful plants for pots and filling gaps at the front of the border. Sow this vibrant annual in spring for flowers all summer. 'Dune Mixed' is a mix with flowers in yellow, orange and gold. For an alternative try the more elegant, single-flowered 'Tangerine Gem'. Plant with tomatoes to deter greenfly.

H x S: 30cm x 30cm
Flowers: June-October


Chrysanthemum

Orange chrysanthemum
Orange chrysanthemum

Add late colour to the garden with vivid orange chrysanthemums, such as ‘Dixter Orange’, selected by the late Christopher Lloyd of Great Dixter for its early flowering habit or 'Conella Orange' for its large, deep orange flowers that last well into autumn.

H x S: 75cm x 50cm
Flowers: Sep-Nov


Achillea ‘Walther Funcke’

Achillea 'Walther Funcke'
Achillea 'Walther Funcke'

Create a hot border with this deep orange achillea, combining it with other fiery shades. Its flat heads make a good contrast to plants with spire or daisy-shaped flower heads. This perennial should be drought tolerant once established and likes a spot in full sun.

H x S: 60cm x 60cm
Flowers: June to September


Cosmos sulphureus

Cosmos sulphureus. Getty images
Cosmos sulphureus. Getty images

Invaluable for its long flowering habit, cosmos is one of the easiest annuals to grow. Try bright orange varieties such as Cosmos sulphureus 'Tango' to boost colour and height in a sunny border or for a fiery container display. Deadhead regularly to keep the flowers coming.

H x S: 1.2m x 45cm
Flowers: July-October


Crown Imperial

Fritillaria imperialis 'Rubra'
Fritillaria imperialis 'Rubra'

Fritillaria imperialis is an imposing flower in the border, growing to around a metre tall. Its deep orange bell-shaped flowers are topped by a tuft of green leaves, like a spiky hair do. Plant the huge bulbs in the autumn for spring flowers.

H x S: 1m x 30cm
Flowers: April-May


Rudbeckia ‘Cherokee Sunset’

Rudbeckia 'Cherokee Sunset'
Rudbeckia 'Cherokee Sunset'

Rudbeckia's daisy-style flowers come in shades from bright yellow through to rusty red orange. At the redder end of orange is ‘Cherokee Sunset’ with a blend of yellow, orange and red-brown in double flowers that will bring interest to your border well into autumn. It’s usually grown as an annual and can be grown from seed. Learn more about growing rudbeckia.

H x S: 60cm x 30cm
Flowers: July-October


Helenium ‘Waltraut’

Helenium 'Waltraut'
Helenium 'Waltraut'

Grow these cheery perennials for late summer colour. They are easy to grow with varieties such as ‘Waltraut’ bringing a burst of coppery orange sunshine to the border. It makes a good plant partner for late-flowering perennials such as rudbeckias or ornamental grasses.

H x S: 1m x 60cm
Flowers: Aug-Sep


Bird of paradise

Bird of Paradise
Bird of Paradise

If you don’t have a garden, bring orange flowers into your life with Strelizia reginae. It’s a big house plant with exotic flowers that is best suited to a warm room, out of direct sun, with plenty of humidity, such as a bathroom or conservatory.

H x S: 1.5m x 75cm
Flowers: January-March


Tulip ‘Prinses Irene’

Tulip 'Prinses Irene'
Tulip 'Prinses Irene'

There are many orange tulips to choose from, whether you want an elegant variety like ‘Prinses Irene’ or an attention-grabbing tulip like ‘Fabio’ with orange frills and deep scarlet orange petals. Plant tulip bulbs in November.

H x S: 30cm x 10cm
Flowers: Apr-May


Lonicera ‘Mandarin’

Lonicera 'Mandarin'
Lonicera 'Mandarin'

Cover bare walls or fences with this vigorous orange climber. It’s an easy way to squeeze more plants in to the garden and this honeysuckle will give a boost to any colour scheme.

H x S: 6m x 2m
Flowers: June-August


Gerbera ‘Sweet Glow’

Gerbera 'Sweet Glow'
Gerbera 'Sweet Glow'

For daisy-like flowers and bright luminous orange try this gerbera. It’s a cheery, long-flowering plant for containers and makes a good cut flower. It’s frost hardy but may need protection in cold winters.

H x S: 40cm x 40cm
Flowers: June-October


Abutilon ‘Orange Hot Lava’

Abutilon 'Orange Hot Lava'
Abutilon 'Orange Hot Lava'

Grow abutilons like the fiery ‘Orange Hot Lava’ on a sunny wall or fence for exotic blooms all summer long. These semi-hardy shrubs can be grown in pots and brought into a conservatory in harsh winters.

H x S: 1.5m x 70cm
Flowers: June-October


Mexican Cigar Plant

Mexican cigar plant. Getty images
Mexican cigar plant. Getty images

Known as the firecracker plant for its vivid orange red flowers, this tender perennial is a prolific flowerer. Its long blooms have an ashen-coloured end, which makes them look like mini cigars. Its frost tender so can be grown as an annual outdoors or indoors as a house plant.

H x S: 40cm x 40cm
Flowers: June-September


Alstromeria aurea ‘Orange King’

Alstroemeria 'Orange King'. Getty Images
Alstroemeria 'Orange King'. Getty Images

Plant this hardy perennial in the spring for easy summer flowers. Alstroemeria, also known as Peruvian lilies, are long flowering and come in a range of shades from red and purple through to orange, yellow and white. Available as bulbs or plants.

H x S: 75cm x 25cm
Flowers: July-September


Ranunculus 'Rocorange’

Ranunculus 'Rocorange'
Ranunculus 'Rocorange'

Ranunculus make excellent cut flowers or plants for a container with tightly packed blooms like roses. ‘Rocorange’ has large flowers that last for months and will stand out in a container on the patio or at the front of a border. Plant the corms in autumn or spring.

H x S: 65cm x 60cm
Flowers: April-June


Moth orchid ‘Las Vegas’

Moth orchid 'Las Vegas'
Moth orchid 'Las Vegas'

Bring orange flowers indoors with an easy to grow moth orchid. ‘Las Vegas’ has flowers that are apricot to gold shade. It will flower for months if happy. Place in a spot with bright light but not in direct sun.

H x S: 40cm x 20cm
Flowers: March to December

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