15 Plants That Produce Giant Blooms

If you love trying new things in your garden, give giant flowers a try. Though bigger is not always better, the common saying does hold some truth in the garden. Familiar big bloomers such as hydrangeas, peonies, and sunflowers always make a yard pop with their large growth habit and wonderful, several-inch-wide blossoms. Still, there are many more similar plants that you have yet to learn about. You can choose between even more spectacular flowers that include the additional benefits of a sweet scent, vibrant foliage, or low-maintenance care requirements.

Keep in mind that although you can find lots of giant blooming plants, few of them are low-maintenance. Typically, plants with giant flowers require more water, frequent fertilization, and plenty of space to grow. As explained by National Geographic, some of the first flowering plants were low-growing with insignificant blooms. Our favorite flowers in this collection appeared long after herbivorous dinosaurs cleared fertile soil and early mammals further diversified herbaceous plants as their tasty leaves, flowers, roots, fruits, and vegetables kept them fed. Today we enjoy gorgeous large blooming flowers for their aesthetic enrichment, not just for their practical uses.

Amaryllis (Hippeastrum spp.) is a popular houseplant, but it can be grown outdoors if your climate is warm enough. Throughout the year, at seemingly random times, the amaryllis plant will produce a flower stalk that will bloom with a large 4 to 10-inch blossom that can have a single or double form depending on the cultivar you purchase, as explained by the University of Minnesota.

Bloom Season: May bloom at any time during the year

USDA Growing Zone: 9 to 11

Growing Conditions: Partial shade

Soil Type: Well-draining and organic

Size: 1 to 2 feet tall

King protea (Protea cynaroides) are a species of relatively small shrubs that produce giant bowl-shaped flowers that can measure up to 11 inches across, as described by RHS. This plant, which looks great in border gardens, containers, and cut flower gardens, boasts evergreen foliage and blooms during the spring and summer. As a warm-weather shrub, you should keep the flower in direct sunlight and water it sparingly while it's dormant.

Bloom Season: Spring and summer

USDA Growing Zone: 9 to 12

Growing Conditions: Full sun

Soil Type: Well-draining

Size: 40 to 60 inches tall and wide

Cockscomb (Celosia argentea var. cristata) is a unique flowering annual that blooms in six different colors. The cockscomb flower appears in the summer and lasts until fall in most places, according to Cornell University, and it is named after its resemblance to rooster combs.

Bloom Season: Summer and fall

USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 11

Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade

Soil Type: Fertile and well-draining

Size: Up to 3 feet tall and 1 foot wide

The butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) is named after its ability to attract some species of butterflies that enjoy the plant's clustered flowers. Unfortunately, as warned by Oregon State University, this bush is considered invasive in some places, including Oregon, New Zealand, and England. Still, you can buy seedless cultivars of this plant as approved by your local department of agriculture.

Bloom Season: Summer

USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 11

Growing Conditions: Full sun

Soil Type: Well-draining

Size: 8 to 12 feet tall

Hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos) is a perennial plant that grows in wet or moist soils as well as shallow standing water. The flower is native to the United States, and it can often be found growing in ditches, mallows, and swamps east of the Midwest. At maturity, most hardy hibiscus bloom with saucer-shaped flowers that can be up to 12 inches across, as described by New Moon Nursery.

Bloom Season: Summer

USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 8

Growing Conditions: Full sun

Soil Type: Rich and wet

Size: 4 to 7 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide

Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica) is a good option for flower gardens in need of a hedge for privacy reasons. This shrub can grow up to 15 feet tall, and its dense stems support a wonderful floral display during the colder months in USDA zones 7 through 10, notes Oregon State University. There are many Japanese camellia flower cultivars, so you can choose from delicate single blooms or large peony-like flowers.

Bloom Season: Winter to spring

USDA Growing Zone: 7 to 10

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade

Soil Type: Well-draining

Size: Up to 15 feet tall

Hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) are recognized for their round groups of flower types known as mopheads and lacecaps in between the plant's green and fleshy leaves. These clusters of flowers present themselves in the summer, and they are typically blue, pink, purple, or white. Some special cultivars, however, can instead show off red, white, or green blooms, as shown by North Carolina State Extension.

Bloom Season: Summer

USDA Growing Zone: 6 to 11

Growing Conditions: Dappled sunlight to full shade

Soil Type: Evenly moist and well-draining

Size: 3 to 6 feet tall and wide