Flower Seed Recommendations for Zone 9A/9B
Question:
I live in Cottonwood, California. Zone (9A 9B). For Christmas I’d like to give my wife a basket of flower seeds Is there a way to sort flower seeds that grow in my zones? I just received the 1st order… Bachelor’s Buttons.. she will love them.
Answer:
We are delighted to hear you were happy with your first order of Bachelor’s Buttons (a lovely choice, by the way—your wife will certainly love them! One of my favorites in our mix or flowers we plant each year). Love your idea for a gift basket of seeds Christmas gift!
Cottonwood, California, being in USDA Zones 9A/9B, is a wonderful area for gardening, as your mild winters allow for two distinct flower seasons: cool-season blooms and heat-loving summer annuals.
Here is a list of flower seeds from the St. Clare Seeds collection that are ideal for your Zone 9 climate, sorted by when they would be best enjoyed in your garden, making for a truly thoughtful basket!
Flower Seed Recommendations for Zone 9A/9B
1. Cool-Season & Winter-Planted Flowers (Plant in late Fall/Winter for Spring Bloom)
Since you are gifting these for Christmas, these varieties can be sown almost immediately after the holidays in your mild climate for an early spring display of color.
- Sweet Pea (Old Spice Mix or Royal Mix): Perfect for Zone 9! Plant these seeds over the winter for beautiful, fragrant spring blooms.
- Alyssum (Carpet of Snow): A cool-season annual that provides a low-growing carpet of white flowers. Can be planted in fall or early spring.
- Iceland Poppy: Often grown as a cool-season annual in warmer climates, these can provide beautiful color in the early spring.
- Snapdragon (Maximum Mix): Treat these as a cool-season annual. Planting in late fall or early winter allows them to establish for a dazzling spring display before the summer heat arrives.
2. Heat-Loving Summer Bloomers (Plant in Spring after soil warms up)
These varieties thrive in the hot California sun and will provide your wife with color and life throughout the summer.
- Zinnia (California Giant Mix, Cherry Queen, Dahlia Mix, etc.): Zinnias are famously heat-tolerant and are excellent choices for cut flowers. They will perform beautifully in Cottonwood’s summer heat.
- Sunflower (Mammoth Grey Stripe, Lemon Queen, etc.): A classic for a reason! They love full sun and heat, making them a Zone 9 staple.
- Morning Glory (Blue Star, Heavenly Blue, etc.): A vigorous climbing annual that handles heat well and will bloom from summer until your first light frost.
- Marigold (Crackerjack Mix or Sparky Mix): Dependable, easy to grow, and very heat-tolerant annuals that provide continuous color.
- Cosmos (Sensation Mix): Another excellent, carefree annual that thrives in hot and dry conditions.
- Nasturtium (Alaska Mix or Dwarf Jewel Mix): Easy to grow, edible flowers that handle heat well and spill beautifully over pots or garden edges.
3. Long-Lasting Perennials (Will return year after year)
These seeds will establish in the first year and come back for many seasons to come.
- Echinacea (Purpurea Coneflower): A durable perennial that attracts pollinators and is highly suited for Zone 9.
- Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia): Another excellent native-plant choice that is robust, heat-tolerant, and often blooms from mid-summer into the fall.
Note on Bachelor’s Buttons
Since you just received Bachelor’s Buttons (Centaurea cyanus) (Polka Dot Mix), you could include a different variety of them in the basket if you wanted, or simply use this as a chance to include 10 brand new varieties she doesn’t have yet! They are also a favorite cool-season annual for your area.
We hope this helps! Thank you for your patronage. Have a blessed weekend and a joyous Christmas! God bless. 🙂
