15 Stunning Orange Flowers You Should Grow In Your Garden

Orange is a beautiful, attention-grabbing color to introduce into your garden. As described by Empowered by Color, it evokes a ray of sunshine and a warm glow of happiness. It also adds a rush of energy that will get you excited to spend more time outdoors, enjoying every breath of fresh air as your hands dig through the soil. There are many options for these gorgeous orange bloomers, and we've put together a list of the best flowers for various climate zones and soil conditions.

Plant tulip bulbs that will pop up in the spring and follow them up with summer blossoms like alstroemeria and California poppies. Your garden can stay abloom with an autumnal wash of deep auburn dahlias when fall rolls around. We've even got ideas for winter blooming flowers that can be brought inside during the colder months, if necessary. Whatever shade of orange you fancy, you'll find it here. So read on for various snazzy, eye-catching suggestions to add to your garden today.

Daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.) are drought tolerant and incredibly easy to grow. Their flowers bloom large and are known for their ability to come back each new season with hardly any attention needed from the gardener. Per The Old Farmer's Almanac, the name daylily is a misnomer as they are not a lily plant variety, growing from tuberous roots instead of bulbs, but their beauty is equally stunning. A mature daylily will have six stems, or scapes, shooting up with 15 buds on each one. 

Bloom Season: Spring, summer, and early fall

USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 9

Growing Conditions: Full sun; can tolerate some shade

Soil Type: Slightly acidic to neutral; can accept most soil types

Size: 1 to 2 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide

Another spring beauty to consider is the ranunculus (Ranunculus asiaticus). Per the Garden Design, these flowers get their Latin name from rana, the word for frog, likely because they fare well in wetter climates. They are stunning and bright, commonly called Persian buttercups, and are tremendously popular among florists who employ them as cut flowers for bouquets. Ranunculus resemble roses with their light fragrant scent and petals that ruffle gently out from the center. They are winter hardy in temperature zones 8 to 11 but can be grown as annuals in colder zones 4 through 7.

Bloom Season: Late winter to early spring

USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11

Growing Conditions: Morning sun, afternoon shade

Soil Type: Moist, well-draining

Size: 8 to 18 inches tall, 6 to 12 inches wide

The official flower of Los Angeles, CA, the bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae), is undoubtedly a unique, exotic option. The flowers of this plant stand out in any tropical or subtropical garden for their bright colors and the way they resemble birds with pointy beaks and fanciful head plumes. The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Plants & Animals mentions that they can also be grown indoors in colder climates.

Bloom Season: Late winter to early spring

USDA Growing Zone: 10 to 12

Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade

Soil Type: Fertile, rich, well-draining

Size: 4 to 6 feet tall, 3 to 4 feet wide

Sometimes called the lion's ear or wild dagga, the lion's tail flowers (Leonotis leonurus) blossom from large plants that can grow up to 6 feet tall in a single year. The folks at Annie's Annuals & Perennials absolutely adore these South African natives for many reasons, including their ease of growth, tolerance to both drought and excessive heat, and natural resistance to those hungry deer roaming through the backyard. A lovely bonus feature of having lion's tails in your garden is the hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies they are sure to attract.

Bloom Season: Late spring, summer, and fall

USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11

Growing Conditions: Full sun

Soil Type: Low moisture, well-draining

Size: 4 to 6 feet tall, 4 to 6 feet wide

The captivating spherical blossoms of the dahlia may not bloom until the end of August, but they are definitely well worth the wait. Trumpeting the imminent arrival of autumn, dahlias give us one last pop of botanical delight before summer officially comes to an end. For an array of orange varieties in your garden, Gardener's World recommends the cantaloupe-hued Dahlia Gwyneth, the lighter, peachier miniature Dahlia David Howard, or the darker, red-orange Dahlia Sylvia.

Bloom Season: Summer and fall

USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 10

Growing Conditions: Full sun

Soil Type: Light, sandy, well-draining with added fertilizer

Size: Varies, up to 5 feet tall, 2 feet wide

How about the carrot orange-hued, low-lying butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) for something different? This flower is a favorite of the monarch butterfly, and it blooms in clusters of tiny flowers that can span up to 5 inches. Although it is a member of the Asclepiadaceae milkweed family, it does not contain any sticky or milky sap, so no worries about adding a mess to your landscape design or gardening gloves. Botanists from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center note that indigenous peoples used the root of the butterfly weed to remedy pulmonary issues.

Bloom Season: Spring and summer

USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 10

Growing Conditions: Full sun

Soil Type: Sandy, well-draining

Size: 24 to 36 inches tall, 12 to 24 inches wide

With tall, torch-like stalks that end in a wave of yellow, orange, and red, all in one long and narrow blossom, it's no wonder this flower is called the red hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria). Red hot pokers attract hummingbirds with tubular, nectar-filled flowers, and a single bloom can last for almost three weeks! These flowers have heavy water requirements, so they're a great addition to a yard with a pond, but they'll also look spectacular in containers where they can become an eye-catching focal point. For bouquets, American Meadows recommends pairing them with natural grasses.

Bloom Season: Summer and fall

USDA Growing Zone: 6 to 9

Growing Conditions: Full sun

Soil Type: Moist yet well-draining

Size: 3 to 8 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide