20 Different Plants With Tiny Flowers For Your Garden (2024)

Dahlias are spectacular, and sunflowers are stunning. There is no denying that big, beautiful flowers are the queens of the garden. But every queen must have her ladies in waiting. There is a multitude of plants that produce abundant amounts of tiny, delicate, wonderful flowers.

These plants make wonderful, textural filers for larger focal points, and many stand on their own with the ability to draw butterflies that is unrivaled among larger blooms. They are also perfect for fairy gardens and other small-scale gardens.

	botanical name Gypsophila Paniculata ‘Adoratta’
	plant type Herbaceous Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 2’-3’ tall and wide
	hardiness zones 3-9

Gypsophila goes by the name Baby’s Breath amongst cut flower enthusiasts. This delicate perennial has a cloudlike appearance made up of a multitude of tiny white flowers. From far away, the appearance is a rather simple, ethereal one.

Up close, each tiny flower is a cluster of tiny, ruffled, white petals. The stems and branches are thin and graceful, which creates a gossamer beauty to the plant.

Adoratta is quite low maintenance. It likes full sun and average, well-drained soil. This plant makes a wonderful filler. If you are planting a cut flower garden, it is an absolute must-have. Gypsophila attracts lots of butterflies and is virtually impervious to disease. It has a long blooming period, beginning in spring and lasting until fall.

Bright Eyes Phlox

	botanical name Phlox Paniculata ‘Bright Eyes’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Sun
	height 2’-3’ tall and 1’-2’ wide
	hardiness zones 4-8

Phlox is a lovely, fragrant genus of plant. Their large clusters of tiny flowers make a wonderful, perennial border plant. They enjoy full to partial sun exposure and like moderately fertile, well-drained soil.

Deadheading your phlox will promote more blooms, which last for several weeks in mid to late summer. Phlox can be propagated by division and are a favorite among butterflies and hummingbirds.

Bright Eyes is a sweet and mildew resistant variety making it quite popular as phlox can be susceptible to powdery mildew in general. The flowers are light bubblegum pink with a darker, bright pink gradation toward the center. These make great, fragrant cut flowers as well.

Bordeaux Lily of the Valley

	botanical name Convallaria Majalis ‘Bordeaux’
	plant type Rhizomatous Perennial
	sun requirements Part Shade to Full Shade
	height 6”-8” tall and 8”-2’ wide
	hardiness zones 2-7

Lily of the Valley is a nostalgic and long enduring favorite among gardeners and brides alike. These lovely, delicate, white flowers are deceptively hardy in contrast to their fragile appearance.

In spite of their delicate look, convallaria is a solid, robust ground cover and is noteworthy for its ability to thrive and bloom in areas of significant shade.

The Bordeaux variety has slightly larger flowers than other varieties. This is unique as Lily of the Valley typically has very small, but very beautiful blooms. The flowers are white, very fragrant, and bell-shaped, with a bit of an outward curl to the petals. Bordeaux blooms in spring, and flowers last for several weeks.

Charmed Wine Oxalis

	botanical name Oxalis Triangularis ‘Charmed Wine’
	plant type Annual or Perennial (depending on zone)
	sun requirements Part Sun to Shade
	height 6”-2’ tall and 10”-1’ wide
	hardiness zones 8-11

Oxalis is a lovely family of plants that is commonly referred to as Shamrock. They are very easy to care for and bloom from mid-spring through late summer, making them one of the longest blooming plants on the list.

They tolerate a range of light conditions and can be quite happy as a houseplant as well, but they need a bright sunny window when kept indoors to prevent them from taking on a leggy appearance.

Charmed Wine is a gorgeous, deep, purple-leafed variety. The leaves are striking. They stand out in contrast with most green-leafed plants. This foliage color makes the entire plant appear to be in bloom. The flowers are quite small and bright white, which stand out nicely against the deep-toned leaves. These plants make great container plants and look great in beds.

Elfin Creeping Thyme

	botanical name Thymus Serpyllum ‘Elfin’
	plant type Herbaceous Evergreen or Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 3” tall and 12”-18” spread
	hardiness zones 4-9

This lovely ground cover plant is a unique variety of thyme, which generally is an herb used in the kitchen. Thyme plants are evergreen in warmer climates, and perennial in cooler climates. They thrive in full sun. Like most herbs, they are nearly pest and disease free.

Elfin is a creeping variety that is not generally used in cooking. It is quite aromatic but doesn’t have the same flavor fullness as other varieties. It has a creeping habit and makes a gorgeous ground cover. The blooms are hardy and bountiful. Tiny lavender-pink flowers bloom from early to mid-summer and are a butterfly attractant.

English Lavender

	botanical name Lavandula Angustifolia
	plant type Herbaceous Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 2’-3’ tall and 2’-4’ wide
	hardiness zones 5-8

Lavender plants are famous for their soothing, herbal fragrance that intensifies when the leaves and flowers are crushed. Their oils are used substantially for their fragrance and medicinal purposes, and the flowers are used for perfume as well as cooking.

Lavender plants like a lot of sun and well-drained soil that does not need to be nutrient rich. In fact, lavender doesn’t appreciate fertilizing and does very well with a bit of neglect, although deadheading does bring on more flower spikes.

English Lavender is an exceptionally beautiful, delicate, and herb-like plant. The stems and small leaves are a dusty green color and are rather dense. The flowers are appreciated both in the bud and in bloom. The buds are small and nicely formed, and they open to a cluster of tiny purple blooms in late summer. English Lavender is actually native, not to England, but rather to the Mediterranean region.

Fairy Foxglove

	botanical name Erinus Alpinus
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
	height 6” tall and wide
	hardiness zones 4-9

Fairy Foxglove is not a true Foxglove variety, but rather, it is a member of the Alpinus genus. These tough-as-nails little plants can flourish in just about any conditions and will even grow in the cracks of rocks and in quite a lot of shade, although they will bloom best in full sun. They need little to known upkeep and will reseed themselves. They can also be propagated by cuttings.

The tiny flowers are usually pink but can also be white or lavender. Fairy Foxglove can begin blooming in late winter in warmer climates where it is evergreen. Farther north, flowers appear in mid-spring and last well into the summer months. This lovely plant needs virtually no care. It spreads well and can grow in soil that is quite barren.

Fortune’s Tea Olive

	botanical name Osmanthus x Fortunei
	plant type Evergreen Shrub
	sun requirements Full Sun to Partial Sun
	height 2’-3’ tall and wide
	hardiness zones 7-11

Fortune’s is a hybrid variety of the parent plants Osmanthus fragrans and Osmanthus heterophyllus. It is commonly planted near the front door of homes in the Southern United States because of the wonderful fragrance it greets guests with.

Tea Olives likes well-drained acidic soil. They do well in areas where plants like hydrangea, camellias, and other acid-loving plants thrive.

Fortune’s flowers are very small and inconspicuous. This is not a plant typically chosen for the flowering appearance but rather for the aromatic nature of the blooms. I have one of these pretty shrubs near my front door, and I adore the fragrance it emits from late summer into the fall months.

Heart Attack Dianthus

	botanical name Dianthus Barbatus ‘Heart Attack’
	plant type Perennial to Biennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 12” tall
	hardiness zones 4-8

Dianthus goes by the name Sweet William in most circles. This hardy perennial or biennial is also commonly used as annuals in cooler climates. These flowering plants enjoy organically rich soil and full to partial sun. They prefer some shelter in the hotter hours of the afternoon.

Dianthus will reseed itself, so although a plant may only live for two years, it can continue to reproduce indefinitely.

Heart Attack is a true perennial variety. It blooms in late spring to early summer. The blooms appear as clusters of tiny, deep red flowers with white centers. This variety has the rare characteristic of being fragrant, whereas many varieties of dianthus have little to no scent. This, paired with its enduring nature make it a wonderful plant in the garden, and they also make nice cut flowers.

Honey Cluster Pink Penta

	botanical name Penta Lanceolata “Honey Cluster Pink’
	plant type Annual
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
	height 6” tall and wide
	hardiness zones 9-11

Pentas are a pollinator favorite, in particular, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to their pretty star-shaped flowers. They are compact plants with long bloom times, so they make wonderful container plants. Pentas are low maintenance, although deadheading is recommended to encourage more blooms. They are tolerant of full to partial sun.

The Honey Cluster series is very floriferous and hardy. These perennial beauties produce large clusters of tiny pink flowers. They make an excellent border plant as they tend not to spread much.

Miss Huff Lantana

	botanical name Lantana Camara ‘Miss Huff’
	plant type Perennial/Evergreen
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Sun
	height 4’-6’ tall and wide
	hardiness zones 7-11

Lantana attracts a multitude of butterfly species with its puffy clusters of tiny colorful flowers. They vary from annual to perennial and even evergreen, depending on the climate in which they are planted. Here in zone 8, Lantanas grow quite large and lose their leaves in winter but come back larger every spring.

They are exceptionally easy to care for and grow like a weed in many climates. There are both trailing and shrubby varieties of lantana. Trailing varieties make wonderful hanging planters.

Miss Huff is one of the hardiest varieties with her multitude of brightly colored blooms. Flowers are shades of pink, yellow, and orange. This shrubby perennial is fast-growing in warm climates. It will fill a space quickly and efficiently. It blooms through the summer and into the fall in warm climates.

Miss Molly Butterfly Bush

	botanical name Buddleia davidii ‘Miss Molly’
	plant type Deciduous Shrub/ Perennial Shrub
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 4’-5’ tall
	hardiness zones 5-9

Butterfly bush is another butterfly attractant, as you probably guessed. These attractive shrubs like full sun and plenty of heat. The foliage is lovely, with narrow, pointed, dark green leaves against which the flowers stand out nicely. Their roots are susceptible to rot, so it’s important to plant in a well-drained location that gets lots of sunlight.

Miss Molly has large, dazzling clusters of tiny, deep magenta flowers. The color combination of dark green leaves and deep pink flowers is a striking one, making this one of the most beautiful varieties. Miss Molly blooms through summer and into fall and requires no deadheading. It is compact for its genus and fits well in many landscapes.

Purple Emperor Sedum

	botanical name Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 15” tall and wide
	hardiness zones 3-9

Sedum, also called stonecrop, is a very large genus of perennial succulent plants. It contains up to 600 species. They are low-growing or trailing plants with succulent leaves and clusters of tiny flowers in various color combinations. Sedum flowers are very attractive to bees. They can also be propagated in water quite easily.

Purple Emperor, as you may have guessed, has purple leaves, giving it a unique appearance. The deep purple-black foliage is dense and firm, fading to a green color at the ends of the stems, where they are topped with 5” clusters of tiny pink flowers. Blooms show up in late summer and last through the fall.

Queen Anne’s Lace

	botanical name Daucus Carota
	plant type Herbaceous Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 1’-4’ tall
	hardiness zones 3-9

While Queen Anne’s Lace is considered a weed in many places, it makes a beautiful addition to wildflower gardens and cut flower gardens as well. Their delicate lacy appearance is stunning in a wildflower arrangement.

Also known as Wild Carrot, this herbaceous biennial is easy to grow in many climates and the root of the plant is edible when young.

Queen Anne’s Lace is named for Queen Anne of England who was an expert lacemaker. The legend is that she pricked her finger and a single drop of blood dropped into the center of the lace. The cluster of tiny white flowers has a single purple spot in the center. The plant reseeds itself abundantly, so deadheading is imperative unless you want tons of flowers in the following year.

Queen Jodie Kalanchoe

	botanical name Kalanchoe Blossfeldiana ‘Queen Jodie’
	plant type Succulent Perennial
	sun requirements Part Sun
	height 12” tall and wide
	hardiness zones 7-11

Kalanchoe is another flowering succulent, making it drought-tolerant and easy to care for. Growing to a maximum height of only 1’ tall, it makes a very nice border plant, as it is very slow to spread. The attractive foliage supports lovely, brightly colored flowers that bloom through the winter months in warmer climates.

This Kalanchoe variety blooms in clusters of tiny, lavender-pink flowers and prefers bright, filtered sunlight. Too much sun in the summer months can lead to leaf scorch, so a little protection in summer goes a long way.

Rain of Gold Thryallis

	botanical name Galphimia Gracilis
	plant type Perennial Evergreen Shrub
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 5’-9’ tall and 4’-6’ wide
	hardiness zones 9-11

This is one of my favorite plants in my own garden because of its long-lasting, cheerful blooms and general ease of care. You get a lot of growth and flowers with very little maintenance from Thryallis. This plant is drought-tolerant and attractive to pollinators. Thryallis is fast-growing and early blooming, so you don’t have to wait years for this perennial shrub to look its best.

Rain of Gold is a common variety of Thryallis. Stalks of tiny, cheerful, golden-yellow flowers cover the plant all summer and into the fall months. It flowers best in full sun but can tolerate part shade as well. In warmer climates, Thryallis is evergreen, retaining its lovely foliage year-round.

Red Velvet Yarrow

	botanical name Achillea Millefolium ‘Red Velvet’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 2’-3’ tall and wide
	hardiness zones 4-8

Yarrow is another plant that can be considered a weed in many places, as it grows very quickly and can take over if you don’t deadhead it. However, it is a beautiful and pollen-rich plant that bees and butterflies love, and some varieties are quite unique and lovely. Its blooms last for a long time in late summer and into fall, and it is very disease resistant.

Red Velvet is compact and dense. It has fern-like foliage that is topped with rounded clusters of bright red flowers. The entire plant has a pleasant aroma, and it is hardy and easy to care for.

This is another foolproof plant that can fill a space in just a couple of years and makes a very nice filler for cut flowers. It also dries nicely and makes a lovely border for a cottage-style garden. It does require good drainage for ideal health and blooming.

Stuart’s Original Heather

	botanical name Erica x Stuartii
	plant type Evergreen Shrub
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 6”-10” tall and 18”-20” wide
	hardiness zones 5-7

This small, spreading evergreen shrub is a member of the heather family of flowering plants. Heather likes a lot of sun and does well in loamy and sandy soil. Heather plants benefit from a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus applied yearly. They can survive in partial sun but will perform their best and produce the most flowers in full sun (6 or more hours).

The Stuart’s Original variety blooms through the summer and into the fall months. Grey-green foliage is topped by spikes of tiny, crimson-tipped coral flowers. The plant grows in a neat urn shape, making it a beautiful container plant, and lovely when planted in groupings.

Snow Crystals Sweet Alyssum

	botanical name Alyssum Maritimum ‘Snow Crystals’
	plant type Annual
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Sun
	height 6”-8” tall and 10”-1’ wide
	hardiness zones 2-11

Sweet Alyssum is quite drought-tolerant and fast-growing. The flowers are delicate, plentiful, and fragrant and mix well with other types of flowers, filling in the space between taller, larger plants. These plants like full sun and average moisture to reach their full potential.

The Snow Crystals variety is known for its incredibly long blooming season. Flowers appear in late spring and last until the first frost! Butterflies love alyssum, which is perennial in zones 9-11 and grown as an annual in cooler climates all the way to zone 2.

This Mediterranean native can behave invasively in some beds. Cutting back by half after their first bloom will help control the spread and increase the flower yield.

Victoria Rose Forget-Me-Not

	botanical name Myosotis Sylvatica ‘Victoria Rose’
	plant type Herbaceous Biennial
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
	height 6”-12” tall
	hardiness zones 3-8

The legend of the Forget-Me-Not comes from a German tale about a knight who died while trying to acquire the pretty flowers for his lover. His dying words, “forget me not” gave the sweet blooms their moniker.

The scientific name, Myosotis comes from the Greek word for a mouse’s ear. This is because of the rounded form of the flower petals. This member of the borage family is perennial in warmer climates and biennial in cooler ones.

Victoria Rose is a unique variety. Rather than the signature blue flowers, her blooms are rose-colored with a golden eye at the center of each tiny flower. It is self-seeding, so be mindful of the spread of this plant. Its dark green foliage is quite lovely and a nice backdrop for its bright blooms.