13 Flowers that Start with S: Spring to Summer Blooms!

As we continue our flower-themed trip through the alphabet, we reach the letter S, which has a collection as bright as the spectrum itself. These flowers that start with S, each with its own beauty and care needs, provide a wide range of gardening pleasures. This guide will add a variety of colors, textures, and smells to your garden, no matter how experienced you are or how new you are to gardening.

As we talk about the many ways these beautiful plants can improve our gardens and our lives, from the sunny days of spring to the last rays of summer, get ready to be inspired by their beauty.

1. Sedum (Sedum spp.)

Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus) Flowers that Start with S

Flower Type: Perennial succulent
Growing Zones: Generally hardy in Zones 3-9
Origin: Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, with some species in the southern hemisphere
Color: Varieties include white, yellow, pink, and red flowers

Sedum, also known as stonecrop, is a diverse group of succulent plants that are highly valued for their hardiness and drought resistance. They come in various forms, from creeping groundcovers to upright shrubs.

Sedum plants are easy to grow and require little maintenance, making them a favorite among gardeners. They are particularly popular for use in rock gardens, borders, and green roofs. Their flowers are attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

2. Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)

Flower Type: Biennial or short-lived perennial
Growing Zones: Zones 3-9
Origin: Native to the mountains of Southern Europe
Color: Wide range including red, pink, white, and bicolor patterns

Sweet William is a vibrant and fragrant flower that adds a splash of color to any garden. It's known for its clustered blooms that sit atop sturdy stems, making it an excellent choice for cut flower arrangements. Sweet William prefers well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. It's often planted in borders, cottage gardens, and as a ground cover.

The flowers are highly attractive to pollinators and can add biodiversity to your garden. Its delightful fragrance and range of colors make it a popular choice for gardeners looking to add visual interest and aroma to their outdoor spaces.

3. Spider Flower (Cleome)

Flowers that Start with S Spider Flower (Cleome)

Flower Type: Annual
Growing Zones: Grown annually in all zones
Origin: Native to South America
Color: Pink, white, lavender, and purple

The Spider Flower, with its distinctive long stamens that resemble spider legs, is a unique and eye-catching addition to the garden. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, reaching heights of up to 6 feet, depending on the variety.

Cleome is relatively easy to care for and can tolerate poor soil and drought conditions once established. It's often used in the back of border plantings due to its height and dramatic appearance. The flowers bloom from summer to fall, providing long-lasting color and texture.

4. Sea Holly (Eryngium)

Spider Flower (Cleome) Flowers that Start with S

Flower Type: Perennial
Growing Zones: Zones 5-9
Origin: Native to various areas including Europe, the Mediterranean, and central Asia
Color: Blue, purple, and silver flowers

Sea Holly is a striking perennial known for its distinctive blue or silver cone-shaped flowers and spiky foliage. These plants thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, making them excellent choices for xeriscapes or coastal gardens where conditions can be harsh.

Sea Holly is particularly notable for its ability to attract bees and butterflies while being deer resistant. Its unique appearance makes it a standout in borders, rock gardens, or as a dried flower in arrangements. Sea Holly's tolerance for poor soils and drought conditions makes it a low-maintenance option for gardeners seeking dramatic texture and color.

5. Statice (Limonium)

Statice (Limonium) Flowers that Start with S

Flower Type: Perennial (often grown as an annual)
Growing Zones: Zones 2-11 as an annual
Origin: Originates from the Mediterranean region
Color: Shades of blue, purple, pink, and yellow

Statice, also known as sea lavender, is cherished for its clusters of papery flowers that are perfect for both fresh bouquets and dried arrangements. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil, thriving in coastal environments but adaptable to various garden settings.

Statice blooms from mid-summer to fall, providing long-lasting color and interest in the garden. This plant is drought-tolerant once established, requiring minimal upkeep. Its ability to withstand salty conditions makes it an ideal choice for seaside gardens.

6. Speedwell (Veronica)

Speedwell (Veronica) Flowers that Start with S

Flower Type: Perennial
Growing Zones: Zones 3-8
Origin: Widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere
Color: Blue, white, pink, and purple flowers

Speedwell, with its spikes of brightly colored flowers, is a versatile and easy-to-grow perennial that adds height and texture to garden borders and beds. Preferring full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil, Speedwell is resilient and adaptable to a variety of garden conditions.

It blooms from early to late summer, depending on the variety, offering a long season of color and interest. Speedwell is known for its attractive, lance-shaped foliage and upright growth habit, making it a great choice for adding vertical interest to the landscape.

7. Scabiosa (Scabiosa)

Scabiosa (Scabiosa) Flowers that Start with S

Flower Type: Perennial, though some species are annuals
Growing Zones: Zones 3-7 for perennials, annuals can be grown in all zones
Origin: Native to Africa, Europe, and Asia
Color: Includes shades of blue, purple, white, and pink

Scabiosa, also known as pincushion flower, is cherished for its delicate blooms that sit atop slender stems, giving the appearance of a pincushion. These flowers are excellent for adding texture and color to borders, meadows, or as part of cut flower arrangements.

Scabiosa prefers full sun and well-drained soil but can tolerate partial shade. It's a magnet for pollinators such as butterflies and bees, making it a beneficial plant for promoting biodiversity in the garden.

8. Sun Star (Ornithogalum dubium)

Sun Star (Ornithogalum dubium) Flowers that Start with S

Flower Type: Bulb
Growing Zones: Zones 7-10 or as a houseplant in cooler climates
Origin: Native to South Africa
Color: Bright orange, yellow, and white

The Sun Star plant is a bulbous perennial known for its striking star-shaped flowers, which come in vibrant shades of orange, yellow, and sometimes white. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil, flourishing in both garden beds and containers. In cooler climates, it can be grown as a houseplant or seasonal outdoor plant, providing a bright splash of color. Sun Star's blooms appear in the spring, offering a cheerful contrast to the green foliage.

9. Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica)

Flowers that Start with S Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica)

Flower Type: Perennial
Growing Zones: Zones 3-8
Origin: Native to Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia
Color: Primarily shades of blue and purple, but also white and yellow

Siberian Iris is a graceful and elegant perennial known for its striking blooms and slender, grass-like foliage. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil. Siberian Iris is a robust plant, tolerant of a variety of garden conditions, including wet soils.

Its flowers, which appear in late spring to early summer, add a touch of elegance to borders, water features, or as part of naturalized garden areas. This iris variety is also noted for its disease resistance and ability to naturalize, spreading slowly over time to form beautiful clumps.

10. Swainsona (Swainsona formosa)

Flower Type: Annual or short-lived perennial
Growing Zones: Grown as an annual in most climates
Origin: Native to Australia
Color: Typically red with a black center, known as the "Sturt's Desert Pea"

Swainsona, or Sturt's Desert Pea, is a striking Australian native plant known for its vivid red flowers and distinctive black center. Although it's a desert plant, it can be grown in various garden settings as an annual, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil.

Swainsona is particularly drought-tolerant, making it an excellent choice for water-wise gardens. Its unique appearance makes it a standout in containers, rock gardens, or as a dramatic groundcover. However, it may require specific conditions to thrive outside its native range, including protection from frost and excessive moisture.

11. Silver Bell (Halesia tetraptera)

Flowers that Start with S Silver Bell (Halesia tetraptera)

Flower Type: Deciduous tree
Growing Zones: Zones 4-8
Origin: Native to the southeastern United States
Color: White

Silver Bell or Halesia tetraptera is a beautiful deciduous tree that produces stunning white bell-shaped flowers in the spring. The tree can reach heights of 30 to 40 feet, making it an excellent choice for residential landscapes or small gardens seeking a spring focal point.

Silver Bell prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained, acidic soil. It is noted for its low maintenance requirements and resistance to pests and diseases. The tree's flowers are followed by distinctive winged fruit, adding to its ornamental value through multiple seasons.

12. Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)

Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum) Flowers that Start with S

Flower Type: Perennial groundcover
Growing Zones: Zones 3-7
Origin: Native to the Alps and other mountainous regions of Europe
Color: White

Snow-in-Summer is a low-growing, mat-forming perennial known for its silvery-gray foliage and profuse white flowers that cover the plant in late spring and early summer, resembling snow. It thrives in full sun and well-drained, even poor or sandy soil, making it an excellent choice for rock gardens, borders, and slopes where erosion control is needed.

Snow-in-Summer is drought-tolerant once established, requiring minimal care. This plant is appreciated for its ability to spread quickly, covering large areas with its striking foliage and flowers.

13. Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus)

Flowers that Start with S Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus)

Flower Type: Perennial bulb
Growing Zones: Zones 6-9 (with winter protection in colder zones)
Origin: Native to Greece and Southwest Asia
Color: Lilac with deep purple veins

Saffron Crocus is famed not only for its beautiful autumn-blooming flowers but also for producing saffron, the world's most expensive spice by weight. The spice is derived from the stigmas of the flower.

This crocus variety prefers full sun and well-drained soil, blooming in the fall when many other plants are beginning to retreat. While it can be a bit more demanding in terms of care and harvesting, the reward of growing your own saffron is unparalleled for culinary enthusiasts. The plant is relatively cold-hardy but may require protection or indoor cultivation in regions experiencing harsh winters.

A Closing Chapter

We have now finished our tour of the colorful world of flowers that start with S. It is clear that they make our grounds and lives more interesting and full of different kinds of flowers. Each of these 13 flowers, from the rough beauty of Sedum to the foreign beauty of Saffron Crocus, makes us appreciate nature's beauty more. Happy gardening and all the new things you can learn from it!