9 Annual Flowers You'll Never Have to Buy Seeds for Again If You Do One Thing This Fall
Heirloom vs. Hybrid Seeds: What’s the Difference? Before we dive into the flowers, let’s talk seeds. Not all seeds are created equal, and knowing the difference between heirloom and hybrid seeds will save you a lot of frustration. Heirloom (or open-pollinated) seeds: These are old varieties passed down for generations. When you collect seeds from these plants and replant them, the new plants look and behave just like the parent. Gardeners call this being “true to type.” Hybrid seeds: These are created by crossing two different plants to get specific traits, like brighter blooms or better disease resistance. The problem? If you save seeds from hybrids, you never know what you’ll get. They might grow weak, look different, or not even germinate. That’s why, if you want a self-sufficient flower garden, heirloom or open-pollinated annuals are the way to go. Save their seeds in fall, and you’ll have free flowers year after year. Now, let’s look at nine annual flowers that make seed-saving super easy.
1. Sunflowers 🌻
Sunflowers aren’t just cheerful—they’re seed-producing machines. Once the flower fades, the head fills with hundreds of plump seeds. Let the heads dry on the stalk, then cut them and rub the seeds out. Store them in a paper bag, and next spring you’ll have rows of sunny giants again.
Bonus tip: Leave some seeds for the birds—they’ll thank you.
2. Snapdragons 🐉🌸
Snapdragons are garden classics with spiky blooms. After flowering, they form small pods filled with tiny black seeds. Collect the pods once they turn brown and dry. When planted again, heirloom snapdragons will give you the same colorful spikes.
Why save them? These flowers often reseed on their own, so even if you forget, you may find baby snaps popping up the following year.
3. Calendula 🌼
Also called “pot marigold,” calendula makes seeds shaped like little curls. Once the petals fade, let the seed heads dry and collect the crescent-shaped seeds.
Garden perk: Calendula is not only beautiful but also edible and medicinal. By saving seeds, you ensure a steady supply for tea, skin balms, or just cheerful pops of orange and yellow in your beds.
4. Marigolds 🌺
Marigolds are beloved for their bold colors and bug-repelling powers. Their seeds are long, thin, and striped black-and-white. When the flower dries, simply pull them from the head.
Pro gardener tip: Keep marigold seeds in a dry jar all winter, and you’ll never buy another packet again.
5. Nasturtiums 🌿🌸
Nasturtiums produce round, pea-like seeds that are so easy to spot, they practically roll into your hand. Collect them once they fall to the ground and dry out.
Why they’re special: Both leaves and flowers are edible, with a peppery kick. Saving seeds means you’ll always have these colorful salad toppers.
6. Cosmos 🌸
These delicate, daisy-like flowers are seed-making champions. Their seeds are long, slender, and needle-shaped. When the flower dries, pluck the seeds straight from the spent blooms.
Garden bonus: Cosmos attract pollinators like butterflies and bees, so keeping them around year after year boosts your whole garden’s health.
7. Annual Poppies 🌺
Annual poppies (like the classic red Flanders poppy) form papery seed pods filled with thousands of tiny black seeds. Let the pods dry, then shake them into a paper bag.
Fun fact: A single poppy seed head can give you enough seeds for an entire bed of blooms the following year.
8. Zinnias 🌼
Zinnias are beginner-friendly, colorful flowers that thrive in the summer heat. Their seeds are arrow-shaped and easy to pull from dried flower heads.
Why they’re a keeper: Saving zinnia seeds ensures a steady supply of butterfly magnets—zinnias are irresistible to pollinators.
9. Morning Glories and Moonflowers 🌙🌸
These climbing vines produce dramatic blooms—morning glories open with the sunrise, while moonflowers glow at night. Both create large, black seeds inside dried pods.
Why save them? Once you start these climbers, you’ll always have a natural trellis cover, turning fences or railings into walls of flowers.
The One Thing You Need to Do This Fall 🌱
So, what’s the secret? Don’t throw away those dried flower heads. Instead, let them ripen fully, collect the seeds, and store them in paper envelopes or glass jars in a cool, dry place. Label each one, and by spring you’ll have a treasure trove of free seeds ready to plant.
Choosing heirloom or open-pollinated varieties means every seed you save grows into a plant just like the one you loved last summer. That’s not just thrifty—it’s gardening magic.
✨ With a little seed-saving this fall, you’ll never have to buy these nine annual flower seeds again.