Annuals

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Cannas

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The following are plants I expect to have available for 2025. This is just a wee sampling of my annuals, so come on in and see them all! I will have them in various pot sizes and price points. We also will have a limited selection of hanging baskets woo-hoo!!! Just remember that I do sell out so just cuz they are on the site does not mean that they are currently available. ALSO PLEASE REMEMBER THAT NOT ALL PLANTS ARE READY AT THE SAME TIME!!! Please feel free to call or text me at (815) 521-9535 or email me at contrarymary@contrarymarysplants.com to place your order and pre-pay for pickup, or, if you have any questions! Don’t forget to take a look at our CUCUMBER page, SQUASH page, and EGGPLANT page; and of course, our ever-popular TOMATO page and Pepper pages!!!

Cannas

Canna Cannova Bronze Scarlet

A real hummingbird magnet, this canna does equally well in pots or in the ground. Both foliage and flowers are gorgeous!

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Coleus

Maaahvelous Coleus for sun AND shade! Traditionally coleus were pure shade plants, but the new generation of coleus take more sun and still thrive. I would still give them afternoon shade for best coloration (otherwise their gorgeous colors will be washed out). Didja know that hummingbirds ADORE coleus flowers? I always let at least some of mine bloom!

Coleus Chocolate Covered Cherry

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

(4 1/2″ pots)

Coleus Downtown Greenville

This Downtown series is a maaaahvelous medium vigor, compact growing series that are outstanding in containers.

Photos Courtesy of Penn State University.

Contrary Mary photo.

Coleus Downtown Santa Monica

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

Coleus Kingswood Torch

(4 1/2″ pots) One of my FAVORITE coleus, this big bodacious beauty REALLY stands out! A true stunner, he can grow up to 30” tall, but is easily controlled with pinching.

Coleus Mainstreet Alligator Alley

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

(4 1/2″ pots)

Coleus Mainstreet Fifth Avenue

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

Coleus Mainstreet Lombard

A great upright grower that gets about 20” tall, she is compact and just lovely!

Coleus Mainstreet Orchard Road

An upright coleus, this beauty gets about 18-20” tall and is a vigorous grower.

Coleus Mainstreet Rodeo Drive

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

(4 1/2″ pots) ($5.95 each)

Coleus Mainstreet Sunset Boulevard

Another FAVE and big fella that can get up to 30” tall and wide (but easily controlled by pinching). That is just ONE plant in a container on my patio in the picture!

Coleus Stained Glasswork Golden Gate

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

Coleus Stained Glassworks Golden Gate (my pic)

(4 1/2″ pots)

Coleus Under the Sea Barracuda

As you may or may not know, I adore all things coleus! Well the Under the sea series is my current favorite coleus series, so ya know that’s saying something! Look, just look at that texture! And the colors! Ever changing and fascinating !!! Ahhhhhhh……..

A great compact grower!

Coleus Under the Sea Electric Coral

Another Fab entry in a remarkable series! Compact growers that are perfect for containers and play very well with others!

Coleus Under the Sea ‘Sea Monkey Apricot’

She is a fancy little cheerful sprite that stays compact and bright all season!Another wee wonder!

Coleus Jupiter (my picture) — Coleus Chocolate Covered Cherry (my pic)

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Dahlias

I decided to try my hand at offering Dahlias this year cuz they are blooming machines! They bloom late spring thru fall and attract SCADS of pollinators including bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. All perform equally well in containers and in the ground. Try ‘em you’ll love ‘em!

Dahlia Hypnotica Candy Corn

New in 2025

The hypnotica series of Dahlias bloom from May thru October with huge double flowers! They get about 18” tall and are perfect in containers.

Photo courtesy of Penn State University.

Dahlia Hypnotica Red Velvet

A bright and vivid Fully double dahlia that gets about 16” tall….highly rated also!

Photo Courtesy of Penn State University.

Dahlia Hypnotica Rose Bicolor

This sweetie has soft pink petals with a bright and cheery yellow centers….GLOWS in the garden and in containers! She also gets about 14-16” tall and makes a fantastic cut flower (if you can pry them away from the butterflies and hummers!)

Dahlia Hypnotica Tequila Sunrise

A HOT double flowered beauty with HUGE yellow and orange-red fiery blooms, this one also is a great cut flower and will bring you joy all season!

Dahlia Venti Pink Burst

New in 2025

A brand spanking limited availability new Beauty, she boasts a mounding upright habit and blooms from May thru October! Just think of all the pollinators you shall attract…..

Photo courtesy of Mast Young Plants

Geranium

Geranium Citronella

Also called the Mosquito Plant, but not cuz it attracts mosquitos, au contraire, but cuz he repels them with his natural lemon scent!

Geranium Patriot Salmon

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

Geranium Platinum

This fancy leaf geranium is a real stunner! Gorgeous foliage with the added benefit of sweet vivid pink flowers! Best grown with a little bit of shade during the hot afternoon, but very easy care (and the hummers love their delicate flowers too). VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES!

Geranium Red Happy Thought

Another fancy leaf cutie, this one blooms a vivid red! Another one with Limited quantities!

Geranium Wilhelm Langguth (Brocade Geranium)

Lantana

Lantanas are another amazing annual that bloom all summer thru fall, attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and pollinators like mad, are drought tolerant, and are perfect for containers! A low care plant that are also ideal in mixed containers…..

Lantana Bandolista Coconut

New in 2025

This Lantana achieved OUTSTANDING ratings at Penn State University trial gardens in 2023! She gets about 14” tall, has a sprawling habit, and is awesome in baskets and containers. Did I mention how hummers and butterflies adore lantana as much as we do?!

Photo Courtesy of Penn State University..

Lantana Bandolista Mango

New in 2025

This one was remarkable in the Penn State University trial gardens, a 4.92 (out of 5.0)…a sweet color combination!

Lantana Banolista Red Chili

New in 2025

!Ay Calamba, this beauty will certainly spice up your planters! The flowers open red and then mature with shades of yellow and orange. She got a 4.88 (out of 5.0) rating at Penn State trial gardens; practically perfect!

Lantana Lucky Pot O Gold

Another favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies, this is a bloomin’ machine!

Lantana Lucky Sunrise Rose

I just adore Lantanas as they never seem to take a breath and are true ever-bloomin’ workhorses! And did I mention how much the pollinators adore them??!

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

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Petunias

Remember in the old days when we used to have to buy FLATS of petunias to make any impact? Well welcome to the 21st Century where just a few plants can amaze and astound! I have tried most of the following varieties both in containers and in the ground, and I’m here to say you will concur with my assessment At how Fab they are once you try them! In fact, I always tell my Plantheads to be careful not to put TOO many in one container or you will crowd them out. And the colors and textures…..ahhhhhhhh!

The newbies are also self-cleaning which means their spent flowers drop off on their own and don’t need to be deadheaded to continue to bloom. What’s not to love?! They do need some sun, but not necessarily all day. I have successfully grown them on the north side against my house that gets very bright light but no hot sun and they bloom and thrive all season. Now your only dilemma is how many varieties you NEED…..!

Petunia Amazonas Plum Cockatoo

Just look at this beautiful ruffley fluffily unique flower!She is semi-trailing, bushy, and superb!

Petunia Amore King of Hearts

New in 2025

A flower fit for a King (or Queen) and aptly named! Huge flowers stand out on this prolific bloomer with a mounded, trailing, compact habit. Oooh la, la!

Photo courtesy Penn State University

Petunia Banana Candy

I just adore this cutie! She gets about 12” tall and 24” wide and has huge flowers! Highly highly rated and has a sweet little reddish throat and bright clear yellow flowers. A very strong grower perfect for baskets, containers, or in the ground. Yummy!

Petunia Capella Hello Yellow

I adore this color…..a clear deep yellow that goes with anything! Bright and cheerful, the blooms are HUMUNGOUS!

Petunia Cascadia Hint of Lime

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

4 1/2″ pots

Petunia Cascadia Indian Summer

This is just one plant! A huge bloomer and stupendous grower, this petunia has ever changing color from mango to yellow to pinkish to salmon to peachy. One of my absolute faves! Like a sunset in a pot!!! A magnificent trailer great for pots or in the ground (or in a cool stump like mine is!).

4 1/2″ pots

Petunia Crazytunia Blackberry Jam

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

(4 1/2″ pots) Mounding, compact with huge flowers that are dark purple, bicolor pink and white. Every bloom unique!

Petunia Crazytunia Black & White

Just look at this stunner! A very unusual huge flowered petunia that gets about 8” tall with a mounding and trailing habit. Betcha you’ve never seen one like this! Pair her with Crazytunia Black Mamba for a knockout combo!

Petunia Crazytunia Black Mamba

(4 1/2″ pots) The BEST black petunia! Very limited availability.

Petunia Cascadia Chili Red

A real stunner, this petunia adds pop to wherever you put her! Huge blooms also!

4 1/2″ pots

Petunia Crazytunia Cosmic Purple

This one’s Far Out, Man! A strong grower that gets about 10” tall and mounds and spreads. And just LOOK at the vivid color combo…..

4 1/2″ pots

Petunia Crazytunia Frisky Purple

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

Petunia Crazytunia Moonstruck

This is a very unique color combo!

4 1/2″ pots

Petunia Crazytunia Pink Flamingo

This is truly an attention getter! Bright clear pink flowers have a yellow starburst center; blooms are humongous and vigorous! Perfect for containers, hanging baskets, or anywhere you need flowers to make you smile!

Petunia Dekko Maxx Pink

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

Petunia Easy Wave Silver

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

4 1/2″ pots

Petunia Funhouse Black Widow

New in 2025

Petunia Funhouse Peach Melba

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

4 1/2″ pots

A slightly smaller flowered variety, this beauty makes up for it in the number and uniqueness of blooms that it produces!

Petunia Painted Love Purple

This bi-colored petunia is adorable! Extremely highly rated, bold coloring, showy, and a mounding habit makes this one another ‘gotta-have”!

Petunia Origami Pinkerbelle

Garden fairies swoon at this one! She looks as if she has her party dress on, with semi double two tone blooms with a mounding tight habit.

Petunia Splash Dance Calypso Cherry

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

4 1/2″ pots

Petunia Spashdance Magenta Mambo

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

Petunia Splashdance Moonwalk

Petunia Splashdance Rumba Rose

Petunia Splashdance Sparkle Red

New in 2025

Yes, I do adore speckly freckly creatures! The Splashdance series has HUGE speckled flowers that spread and bloom and bloom and will make you dance with joy!

Petunia Splashdance Violet Vogue

Petunia Superhero Fiona Flash

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

(4 1/2″ pots)

Petunia Superhero Miss Marvelous

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

(4 1/2″ pots)

Petunia Superhero Suzy Storm

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

(4 1/2″ pots)

Petunia Sweet Sunshine Double Magenta Sky

This is the first double petunia in the sky pattern…..glorious freckles on a double cascading petunia!

Petunia Surfinia Heavenly Blackberry and Cream

A mounding semi-trailing grower, this newbie has velvety two toned flowers that are creamy yellow with an intensely dark throat. A smaller flowered variety that will continue to amaze and astound all season! Nice….

Photos Courtesy of Penn State University.

Petunia Tea Purple Green Edge

A vigorous trailing petunia that is self cleaning, early (and continuous flowering), with great rain and heat tolerance. And just look at the unusual color combo on her….GREEN edges (kind of a boring name though!).

Petunia Hippy Chick Violet (my pic) — Petunia Mainstage Glacier Sky

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Rex Begonias

These are probably my FAVORITE plants! They do need somewhat specific conditions….bright light or filtered morning light, NO hot sun, not kept wet. If those conditions are met they are stunning! These are against the north side of my house; lotsa bright light and only a teeny bit of evening sun. I have the varieties listed below but all may not be available. Sometimes they do not overwinter well in the greenhouse and they are not ready for sale. Feel free to email or text me in the spring to find out how they are coming along and which varieties are available!

Rex Begonia Escargot

Rex Begonia Fireworks

Rex Begonia Misty Island

Rex Begonia Rum Painkiller

Rex Begonia Shadowking Black Cherry

Rex Begonia Shadowking Lava Red

Rex Begonia Shadowking Rose Frost

Rex Begonia Shadowking Strawberry Sherbet

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Salvia

Salvia Black & Blue

– a MUST for hummingbirds!

Salvia Hummingbird Falls

New in 2025

A low growing, spreading salvia that is COVERED with hummingbird attracting flowers….a STUNNER in baskets, pots or in the ground. You may have to direct traffic when the Charm (of hummers) find it!

Salvia Sallyfun Snow White

New in 2025

Salvia Tanami Red

New in 2025

Verbena

Verbenas are truly a maaaahvelous group of plants that attract butterflies by the score; hummers and pollinators equally adore them! They have pretty foliage and the flowers are sweetly scented (I think vanilla-ish but others describe it as fruity and citrusy). A very low care high performing annual!

Verbena Lanai Green Apple

New in 2025

A very unusual color for a verbena that compliments anything you pair her with! A nice trailing habit and she blooms her little heart out ALL season!

Verbena Lanai Upright Watercolor

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

Verbena Rose

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

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Zinnias

I cannot say enough about how wonderful Zinnias are…..EVERYONE should grow them! They do need sun (but not necessarily all day) and are pollinators MAGNETS! I always plant a large patch of them by our gate by the patio and we can sit under our gazebo to enjoy them. Every day in the late spring thru fall I have hummingbirds come and fight over them morning and evening (those wee Beasties are truly territorial!). Then they come and buzz us (I like to think they are thanking me and not warning us to stay away from THEIR flowers!) During the day we have scads of varieties of butterflies that enjoy them. I should have most of the varieties below available in different container sizes. Please feel free to email or text me in the spring to confirm any you are interested in, or just come on in when we are open to see what’s available!

Zinnia Envy

– These unusual Zinnias will compliment any colors! Chartreuse to green, with both double and semi double flowers that are 4″ across, she stands about 30″ tall and beckons pollinators to your garden!

Zinnia Zesty Fuschia

Zinnia Queen Lime Blush

Zinnia Polar Bear

(Various pot sizes)– 30-36″ tall – Icy white huge blooms with hints of green. Attracts pollinators including hummers like crazy!

Zinnia Redman Super Cactus

Zinnia Zahara Raspberry Ripple

A shorter more compact variety (up to 18” tall) that are great in containers and in the landscape. Highly powdery mildew resistant also!

Zinnia Zesty Scarlet

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Other Annuals

Calibrachao Minifamous New Double Lemon

SORRY NOT AVAILABLE FOR 2025

Cardinal Vine

a “Gotta-have” for hummers!

Cassia Popcorn

New For 2025

I will have a VERY limited amount of these tropical wonders so no snoozing or there will be loozin’! These are a tender variety of the native Cassia with HUGE yellow flowers that smell like buttered popcorn (yes they really do!) Foliage is cut leaf and attractive; pollinators ADORE this one also! The picture is of one I am overwintering in my greenhouse so not the best picture, sorry!