Like pruning, which refers to cutting back growth to maintain a tidy appearance, deadheading is a vital maintenance task that involves manually pinching off any spent blooms and seed heads. For many flowering plants, deadheading encourages repeat blooming, while also getting rid of the unsightly, fading flowers. Deadheading is not complicated once you know how it works, but it is an extra bit of garden maintenance that many horticulturists would rather skip if given the chance. Fortunately for the laid-back gardeners, there are several species of flowers that you won’t have to deadhead.

Plants like angelonia, cape mallow, astilbes, and a number of others will never need a hand when it comes to producing new blooms. These flowers are called “self-cleaning,” which simply means that they are able to shed old blooms and grow new ones without any outside interference. Naturally self-cleaning flowers grow in a range of climates, and many need very little care in order to thrive. That said, they may still need occasional pruning to keep them from running amok. 

Plants in the Cuphea genus grow best in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11. These flowers come in a range of stunning bright, fiery shades and unique shapes, so investing in few can net you an undemanding yet unique garden. Cupheas typically need regular watering, access to full sun, and well-draining soil, but don’t require deadheading to continue bloom production. Sadly, these plants can attract certain bugs, but there are many tricks to keep pests from destroying your cuphea.

Nemesia flowers come in almost any shade of the rainbow, and a number of hybrid cultivars, like ‘Sunsatia’ and ‘Aromance,’ let you enjoy those colors without significant maintenance. Nemesia grows in a range of climates, spreading from hardiness zone 2 to 11. They generally prefer full to partial sun and loose, rich soil. Nemesia flowers are self-cleaning and bloom continuously, so they’re a good option for filling your garden with an array of striking, low-maintenance blooms.

Million bells, occasionally called trailing petunia because of their visual similarities, is a member of the Calibrachoa genus and another hardy plant that comes in a vast array of different shades. Calibrachoa flowers are self-cleaning and require full sun and rich soil. Growing million bells as perennials in hardiness zones 7 to 11 is a straightforward process. In colder regions, you can grow these flowers as annuals — they look particularly appealing in a hanging basket or container.

If you prefer your flowers on the shrubby side, pick up a few cape mallow (Anisodontea capensis) seeds. Cape mallow is hardy through zones 8 to 11, and does best with dry, loose, well-draining soil and at least two to six hours of sun a day. It is drought and heat tolerant and will naturally shed any spent blooms. Cape mallow’s graceful, pale pink flowers offer an attractive way to decorate vertical space in the garden. They’ll thrive as a potted plant, especially if you opt for a smaller cultivar like ‘Slightly Strawberry.’

Browallia (Browallia speciosa), also known as amethyst or sapphire flower, is a South American native that’s hardy in zones 9 to 11. Its star-shaped blue or magenta flowers don’t require any deadheading, though it is okay to pinch back the ends to encourage thicker growth. This plant prefers morning sun and afternoon shade, along with loose, moist, rich soil. While browallia tolerates heat, it will quickly fade in dry conditions, so keep it well watered. With a container or hanging pot, it’s easy to adorn any part of your home with these intense blooms.  

Dwarf morning glory (Evolvulus glomeratus) is a quick growing, trouble-free ground cover that’s also self-cleaning. With well draining soil and full sun, this drought-tolerant plant will happily grow into a thick, sprawling mat of little green leaves and baby blue flowers. This makes it a great choice to overfill a flower pot or cover the more unsightly areas in your yard. These soft flowers aren’t very tough and need to be handled with care, but they are hardy in zones 8 to 11. 

Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a commonly grown wildflower in the United States, and for good reason. They are easy to care for, can grow in a range of soil conditions, and are resistant to drought, heat, and humidity. So, if you are in hardiness zones 3 to 8, the hardest part of filling your garden with vibrant echinacea is driving to the plant nursery. Spent coneflowers will rebloom after some time, spreading more seeds in the process. To give your coneflowers some friends, try planting it alongside these colorful wildflowers that grow in the garden.

Begonias are self-cleaning plants, so you won’t need to deadhead them to encourage new blooms. They grow as perennials in zones 10 through 11 and need moist soil and partial sun or deep shade to thrive. Begonias can be slightly toxic to humans and are very harmful to pets, so keep these unsuspectingly treacherous plants away from any children or furry friends. Note that some begonias are invasive; for example, clubed begonia is listed as invasive in Florida. 

Self-cleaning flowers tend to be relatively easy to take care of, and angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia) is no exception. It can withstand dry or moist soil and will thrive in zones 9 to 11 so long as it gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Angelonia has tiny flowers similar to those of a snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) in colors like blue, pink, and white. It produces new flowers throughout the growing season and grows especially well in a container. Plus, angelonia flowers are perfect for a sunny yard with pets.

Baptisia, commonly called false or wild indigo, is an herbaceous, flowering perennial native to the United States and hardy in zones 4 to 9. Most species have tall stems of round violet petals, though some cultivars come in colors like pink or yellow. There’s no reason to deadhead these flowers — the seed pods that remain once the blooms fade away can be quite eye catching in a garden. Be aware that baptisia is mildly toxic, and while not deadly to humans, should be kept out of reach of curious young hands.

Arachnophobes might want to skip this next entry: Cleome houtteana has spindly tendrils sticking out of its seed pods, earning it common names like spider flower or spider legs. If you don’t mind your flowers with a bit of extra texture, cleome is an easy and eye-catching flower to grow in hardiness zones 10 and 11. Hailing from South America, spider flowers are resistant to drought and heat and prefer a combination of full sun and moist, but well-draining soil. Cleome does not need to be deadheaded, unless you don’t want more spidery plants growing around your property.

Most cultivars of salvia, or sage, are generally low maintenance, but the many colorful varieties available in the ‘Rockin” series are especially easy to care for since they never need to be deadheaded. The plant produces a never-ending stream of flowers in rich shades like blue and magenta. Even if you do cut them back, these sage flowers will continue to bloom. Hardy in zones 9 to 11, these plants are sun-loving and drought tolerant. ‘Rockin” can also be grown as a perennial in warmer regions for a consistent display of flowers all year long.

The dozens of low maintenance varieties in the Sedum genus, generally referred to as stonecrop, make it a natural place to turn to when looking for a hardy and attractive plant. Several sedum cultivars, like ‘Tricolor’ and ‘Fulda Glow,’ are self-cleaning. Even those varieties that keep the spent blooms on their stems don’t really need deadheading, since the dried flowers provide fall interest. Sedum plants are hardy in zones 3 to 9, and will thrive in well-draining soil and with full access to the sun. Heat and drought tolerant, established sedum plants don’t need frequent watering.

Daiscia flowers do not need to be deadheaded; however, pinching stems encourages denser, bushier growth. Ultimately, like with many other flowers, whether or not you actually have to deadhead their spent blooms will depend on how manicured you want the plant to appear. These flowers are hardy in zones 8 through 11, where they need full sun, well-draining soil, and regular watering. These perennials look amazing in anything from a pot to a rock garden, and come in shades like orange, pink, and white. 

Astilbe japonica, also known as false goat’s beard, is a charming bushy plant with spiraling pink, red, or white flowers. Hardy in zones 4 to 9, astilbe prefers rich, moist, acidic or alkaline soil and more shade than sun. Deadheading is not necessary, and doing so will not encourage reblooming. These mid-sized plants would make an excellent addition to borders or walkways, and can also shine when kept in a container.

The ‘Gold Dust’ cultivar of Mecardonia, also called axilflower, makes for a luscious ground cover or container plant. These buttery yellow flowers are hardy in zones 10 and 11, though you can grow them as annuals in colder regions. The plant stands up well to heat and requires full sun and rich, well-draining soil that should be kept moist. Mecardonia flowers for about half a year, and while you can cut it back to keep the plant looking tidy, you can also let it grow free without ever worrying about deadheading.

Laurentia (Isotoma fluviatilis), also known as blue star creeper, is another ground cover with flowers that replace themselves as they grow and wilt. You may want to occasionally cut back laurentia if it starts to grow larger than you want it to, but note that doing so can stop it from spreading wide in the future. Blue star creeper grows in loamy to rocky sand throughout shady areas in hardiness zones 6 to 8. These delicate lavender flowers are surprisingly accepting of foot traffic; in fact, it can be a good way to encourage new growth.