Many varieties of flowers bloom later in the afternoon or evening, but if you want to enjoy a colorful garden in the morning, you can plant some flowers that bloom in the morning.
Chicory
Chicory produces periwinkle blue flowers that bloom in the morning sun and close in the afternoon heat. The plant grows in spikes that can reach 3-5 feet tall.
As an herb, chicory is also edible. The flowers make edible cake decorations, the roots are a coffee substitute, and the leaves are cooked or used in salads. The leaves resemble dandelion leaves, and chicory and dandelion are closely related. It has been used to detoxify the liver.
California Poppy
California Poppy is the state flower of California and blooms in all shades of orange, from yellow to red. Some cultivars offer other colors, such as pink, purple, red, and white. The flowers bloom in the morning and close in the evening, continuing from early spring into early summer.
Generally an annual, some varieties are perennials. The California Poppy is generally free from diseases and pests, and it self-seeds so readily that it can be considered invasive.
Gazania
Gazania blooms open early in the morning and close at night. On cloudy days, they may open only partially. In warm climates, like its native southern Africa, they will bloom all year, while in cooler locations, they bloom from spring until fall.
The flowers are orange, pink, and yellow. Unlike some other daily bloomers whose individual blooms only live one day, each gazania daisy flower will open and close multiple days until the flower withers.
Jamaican Feverplant
Jamaican feverplant flowers bloom in the morning, follow the sun across the sky, and close at dusk. Their yellow blooms with five petals are followed by fruits with spines sharp enough to puncture tires, earning the nickname “puncture vine.” The vines can become invasive very quickly if allowed to spread.
Morning Glory
Morning glory flowers bloom in the morning and die off when the sun becomes stronger in the afternoon. However, if the temperature remains moderate throughout the day, the flowers can last longer.
The morning glory vines require full sun and a structure to climb to their average height of 10 to 12 feet. The funnel-shaped flowers appear in blue, pink, purple, red, white, and more, and the leaves are heart-shaped.
Morning glories are an annual plant, but they reseed themselves. They bloom from mid-summer until the first frost.
Moss Rose
Moss rose opens and closes with the sun, meaning it will open on sunny mornings, close in the afternoon, and may remain closed on overcast days. It produces colorful 2-inch blooms with heart-shaped petals during the summer and into early fall.
Most species of moss rose are annuals, though some perennial varieties exist. They are low-growing and do well in containers. Although they love the sun, as succulents, they can grow well in poor soil and with little water. In fact, they are prone to rotting if they are too wet.
Venice Mallow
Sometimes referred to as “flower-of-an-hour,” venice mallow blooms open in the morning and close at night. The plant produces flowers from early summer into fall. The flowers are bright pink, white, or yellow, and though it grows and spreads rapidly enough to be considered a weed, it is a tender perennial with a short lifespan.
Plant Morning Flowers in Your Garden
If you want to fill your garden with morning color, consider adding these plants. As an added benefit, most of them grow easily, but they do tend to be warmer climate flowers, so make sure they are compatible with your hardiness zone.