Top 10 Classic Yellow Flowers to Grow

Courtesy Peggy Schafer

Sunflower

Helianthus, Annual

Show off your love of yellow on a new level—literally. Sunflowers can grow over 15 feet tall. And as you can imagine, they love a good, hot summer. Attractive to bees and birds, sunflowers shine if you’re looking for an easy way to lure wildlife to your backyard.

Try This: For a spin on the classic shape, choose the compact Teddy Bear variety. The 6-inch double blooms are real showstoppers in borders, bouquets or containers.

Next, check out the prettiest yellow flowering shrubs for your yard.

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Yellow Blanket Flower

Gaillardia x grandiflora, Zones 3 to 10

This short-lived perennial blooms best in full sun and well-draining soil. The 3-inch blooms attract butterflies and the plant will grow to be about 18 inches tall.

Try This: The Mesa Yellow blanket flower is great for stunning blossoms with brilliant petals and matching centers. Unlike many other blanket flower varieties, it offers loads of flowers and a uniform habit.

For a beautiful effect, include some purple flowering plants in your garden.

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Daffodil

Narcissus, Zones 3 to 8

Daffodils’ sunny trumpets are among the first beacons of spring. They’ll grow in most types of soil and don’t mind some shade. Keep daffodils in mind as summer winds down, because you’ll need to plant them in autumn. They’re also pretty resilient, growing in woodlands, between shrubs and even in rock gardens.

Try This: February Gold is an extra-early bloomer. The long middle trumpet sets it apart from other daffodils.

Check out the ultimate guide to planting spring bulbs.

Courtesy Lisa Thompson

Goldenrod

Solidago, Zones 4 to 9

Known for its small yellow elongated flower heads, goldenrod grows along roadsides, riverbanks and in prairies. A late bloomer, it’s ideal for planting in a late-summer border or native garden. Reaching up to 3 feet high, this charming plant combines well with ornamental grasses.

Try This: Goldrush goldenrod is a butterfly favorite, with masses of yellow flowers that nearly conceal the pretty green foliage.

Also consider growing these gorgeous green flowers.

David Austin Roses

Yellow Rose

Rosa spp., Zones 2 to 9

The well-loved rose has been cultivated for many centuries. The best part about it? It’s available in hundreds of cultivars, with varying habits and flower forms. As a rule of thumb, give roses a sunny spot for optimal flowering.

Try This: Golden Celebration is a pretty yellow selection with dense ruffled petals and a sweet, fruity scent.

Learn how to choose the best roses for your garden.

Walters Gardens, Inc

Ligularia

Ligularia, Zones 4 to 8

These golden yellow flower spikes, reaching about 4 feet tall, love moisture and will add quite a bit of interest if planted near a backyard pond or stream. If you don’t have water, ligularia prefers sun and reliably moist soil.

Try This: Surrounded by a clump of dense foliage, Bottle Rocket ligularia’s flowering stems shoot straight up, showing off the mustard yellow blooms.

You can also consider growing these drought and heat tolerant Dahlberg daisies.

Luis Echeverri Urrea/Getty Images

Black-Eyed Susan Vine

Thunbergia alata, annual

Vibrant black-eyed Susan vine shows off its angled petals in summertime. Its spindly stems grow up to 8 feet long, but don’t worry about this one getting out of control. Even though it’s a vine, you can count on it to stay in bounds.

Try This: Climbing up a trellis or spilling over an arbor, Sunny Lemon Star makes a bold statement.

Check out the top 10 vines for hummingbirds.

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Snapdragon

Antirrhinum majus, Annual

Though it usually blooms for most of the growing season, this distinctive flower’s spikes put on the display in cooler weather. Deadheading is required to prolong growing, and you’ll want to do it—because everyone knows that snapdragon blooms are fun to snap open like puppets.

Try This: We especially like the lacy Rocket Lemon hybrid, which grows about 3 feet tall, perfect for the back of the flower bed.

Need color now? We love these fast-growing annual flowers.

Walters Gardens

Tickseed

Coreopsis, Zones 3 to 10

Always a garden favorite, coreopsis is a stunning yellow flower pick. Plant it in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade for best results. It also makes a beautiful cut flower, so keep it in mind when you’d like a fresh bouquet.

Try This: With distinctive fluted petals, Jethro Tull is a long and prolific bloomer. The compact habit makes it a natural for the front of a flower bed.

Courtesy Pamela Howard

Yellow Coneflower

Echinacea, Zones 2 to 9

Gone are the days when all coneflowers were purple. Echinacea has burst onto the scene in yellow, pink, white and even green. It’s an easy-care, sun-loving favorite, varying in height from 2 to 5 feet. Encourage more compact growth by pruning coneflowers early in the season.

Try This: The 3-inch Cleopatra coneflower, shining in bright yellow, sits atop strong stems. As they age, the blooms fade to an appealing creamy yellow. Plus, you can attract birds and butterflies with coneflowers.