There are many flowers that start with S that are suitable for a wide range of gardens. From short options such as sand phlox to giant flowers like sunflowers, this list has a little something for everyone.
To learn more about the various flowers available for your garden, make sure to check out our list of “Flower Names A to Z”.
Flowers That Start With S
1. Saffron
- Scientific Name: Crocus sativus
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Keep soil somewhat moist
- Size: 6-10 inches (15-25 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -20°F (-28°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Yellow, gold, purple, lavender
Saffron isn’t known to be grown in the wild but was instead developed over several centuries by selective breeding. The flower is typically grown for its stamen to be harvested and used as a spice in cooking. The spice is sold in small amounts for steep prices.
2. Sage
- Scientific Name: Salvia nemorosa
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil moist
- Size: 1.5-3 feet (45-91 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -30°F (-34°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Pink, purple, lavender
Sage is in the mint family and is often used in cooking, but they grow beautiful flowers that work well in flower beds.
3. Sand Phlox
- Scientific Name: Phlox bifida
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil moist
- Size: 3-6 inches (7-15 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -30°F (-34°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Blue, purple, lavender, white
Sand phlox is a short, self-seeding variety that lays low to the ground and forms a mat as it grows.
4. Scarlet Buckeye
- Scientific Name: Aesculus pavia
- Sun: Partial shade
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Size: 15-25 feet (4-7 meters)
- Lowest Temperature: -30°F (-34°C)
- Toxicity: High, can be fatal if eaten
- Colors: Red, burgundy, orange
Scarlet buckeye is a small tree that grows large clusters of flowers in the spring. It prefers moist soil, so it’s best to be planted by water.
5. Scented Geranium
- Scientific Name: Pelargonium
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Size: 1-3 feet (30-91 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: 30°F (-1.1°C)
- Toxicity: Low, poisonous to humans and animals
- Colors: Pink, red, burgundy, orange, purple, white
Scented geranium has beautiful flowers, but most people grow it for its scent. Simply touching it will give off a sweet smell.
6. Sea Holly
- Scientific Name: Eryngium planum
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil dry
- Size: 2-3 feet (60-91 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -20°F (-28°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Blue
Sea holly doesn’t require much water, even though the name suggests otherwise. It’s perfect for landscapes that can’t be watered often.
7. Sea Lavender
- Scientific Name: Limonium platyphyllum
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil moist
- Size: 2-2.5 feet (60-76 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -40°F (-40°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Blue, purple, lavender
Sea lavender is another drought-tolerant plant that sounds like it needs water. However, this flower does prefer the soil to stay moist when possible.
8. Sea Thrift
- Scientific Name: Armeria maritima
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade, dappled sunlight
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil dry
- Size: 6-12 inches (15-30 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -30°F (-34°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Pink, white
Sea thrift is a drought-tolerant flower that thrives in poor soils, including those that are sandy or rocky.
9. Shasta Daisy
- Scientific Name: Leucanthemum x superbum
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil moist
- Size: 1-4 feet (30-121 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -30°F (-34°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Yellow, gold, white
Shasta daisies are a classic flower that has been used in flower beds for many years. They prefer to be watered, but they’re quite drought tolerant.
10. Shining Blue Star
- Scientific Name: Amsonia illustris
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Size: 2-3 feet (60-91 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -20°F (-28°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Blue, white
The shining blue star is typically found along rocky streams where plenty of water is available. The plant grows in clumps that make the pale blue petals really stand out.
11. Shooting Stars
- Scientific Name: Primula media, Dodecatheon meadia
- Sun: Partial shade
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Size: 1-2 feet (30-60 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -30°F (-34°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Pink, purple, lavender, white
Shooting stars are small wildflowers that prefer moist soils and some shade. The flowers bloom in the spring and the plant goes dormant in the middle of the summer.
12. Showy Milkweed
- Scientific Name: Asclepias speciosa
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil dry or moist
- Size: 1-3 feet (30-91 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -40°F (-40°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Pink, white
Showy milkweed is a great flower to grow for butterflies. They produce nectar for adult butterflies and the leaves will be eaten by caterpillars.
13. Siberian Larkspur
- Scientific Name: Delphinium grandiflorum “Blue Butterfly”
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Size: 1-1.5 feet (30-45 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -40°F (-40°C)
- Toxicity: Medium, will cause digestive issues if eaten
- Colors: Blue
Siberian larkspur is tolerant more tolerant to heat than other larkspur varieties. It’s typically grown as an annual since its lifespan is only three years.
14. Snapdragon
- Scientific Name: Antirrhinum majus
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Size: 0.5-3 feet (15-91 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: 0°F (-17.7°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Pink, orange, yellow, gold, purple, lavender, white
Snapdragons can’t tolerate drought well and need shade during the hottest parts of summer. They’ll grow well as a container plant since you can move them around as needed.
15. Sneezeweed
- Scientific Name: Helenium
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Keep soil moist or wet
- Size: 1-3 feet (30-91 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -40°F (-40°C)
- Toxicity: Medium, digestive and respiratory issues if eaten
- Colors: Orange, yellow, gold
Sneezeweed looks a lot like coneflowers. They can tolerate soggy soils, so they’re good to plant around water if needed. They’re self-seeding and can become weedy.
16. Snow-in-Summer
- Scientific Name: Cerastium tomentosum
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil moist and occasionally dry
- Size: 6-12 inches (15-30 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -40°F (-40°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: White
Snow-in-summer earned its name from the small white flowers on the faded green foliage that are drought tolerant. They’re a unique addition to bright flower beds.
17. Snowdrop
- Scientific Name: Galanthus elwesii
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade, dappled sunlight
- Water: Keep soil moist or wet
- Size: 6-12 inches (15-30 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -30°F (-34°C)
- Toxicity: Low
- Colors: Green, white
Snowdrops look delicate with their bell-shaped flowers and how small they are, but they can handle cold winters and a variety of sunlight availability.
18. Soapwort
- Scientific Name: Saponaria officinalis
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Size: Up to 2 feet (60 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -50°F (-45.5°C)
- Toxicity: Low
- Colors: Pink, yellow, gold, white
Soapwort can tolerate some drought and can become weedy when it receives enough water. The plant contains saponin which can lather, which is how the flower got its name.
19. Sorrel
- Scientific Name: Oxalis
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade, dappled sunlight
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Size: 6-9 inches (15-22 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -20°F (-28°C)
- Toxicity: Low
- Colors: Pink, yellow, gold, purple, lavender, white
Sorrel is better known as the lucky clover. It grows in delicate clumps and develops small flowers.
20. Speedwell
- Scientific Name: Veronica
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil moist
- Size: 1-4 feet (30-121 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -40°F (-40°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Pink, blue, purple, lavender, white
Speedwell grows eye-catching spikes of small flowers that will bloom again if you cut them when they’re spent.
21. Spider Flower
- Scientific Name: Cleome houtteana
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil moist
- Size: 3-6 feet (0.91-1.8 meters)
- Lowest Temperature: 30°F (-1.1°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Pink, purple, lavender, white
The spider flower is tolerant to many conditions including heat, humidity, and drought, even though it prefers moist soil. It attracts several pollinators so it’s a good flower to put in your garden.
22. Stonecrop (Sedum)
- Scientific Name: Hylotelephium
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil dry
- Size: Up to 2.5 feet (76 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -40°F (-40°C)
- Toxicity: Low
- Colors: Pink, red, burgundy, purple, lavender
Stonecrop is a succulent flower that can withstand hot and dry conditions. It prefers very little water and will bring many varieties of pollinators to the garden.
23. Sundrop
- Scientific Name: Oenothera fruticosa
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Size: 14-18 inches (35-45 centimeters)
- Lowest Temperature: -30°F (-34°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Yellow, gold
Sundrops are tolerant to heat but they need moist soil. They have small yellow flowers and can tolerate some shade.
24. Sunflower
- Scientific Name: Helianthus
- Sun: Full sun, partial shade
- Water: Drought tolerant, keep soil moist
- Size: Up to 14 feet (4.2 meters) depending on variety
- Lowest Temperature: -10°F (-23.3°C)
- Toxicity: None
- Colors: Red, burgundy, orange, yellow, gold, white, cream, tan, variegated
The sunflower family has 150 different species, ranging from tiny to giant in size, and are available in a rainbow of warm colors.
25. Sweet Pea
- Scientific Name: Lathyrus
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: Keep soil moist
- Size: 4-9 feet (1-2.7 meters)
- Lowest Temperature: -40°F (-40°C)
- Toxicity: Low
- Colors: Pink, yellow, gold, white
The sweet pea is in the pea family and is a beautiful vining flower. Allowing it to sprawl on the ground can prevent erosion.
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