June in the garden.

What to plant in June

• Chicory Cichorium intybus · vegetable · sow direct · zones 3 to 10

  Sown now, chicory has time to build a solid root before the cold arrives. The bitterness softens after frost, and the roots can be forced indoors for pale winter shoots.

• Florence fennel Foeniculum vulgare · vegetable · sow direct · zones 4 to 10

  Fennel bolts if it is sown too early or ever allowed to dry out. Sow it now into rich damp soil and earth up the swelling base to keep it white and sweet.

• Love-in-a-mist Nigella damascena · flower · sow direct · zones 1 to 9

  Scatter it where you want it and forget about it. The seed pods that follow the blue flowers are as good as the flowers, and they dry perfectly for winter.

• Holy Basil Ocimum tenuiflorum · herb · sow direct · zones 8 to 13

  Tougher and more perennial than sweet basil, and far happier in real heat and humidity. Pinch the flower spikes out regularly to keep the leaves coming.

• Summer Savory Satureja hortensis · herb · sow direct · zones 1 to 10

  The classic partner for any bean dish, and it happens to grow well right next to them. Sow it thinly on the surface and press it in, because it needs light to germinate.

• Hosta Hosta plantaginea · flower · plant out · zones 3 to 9

  The one hosta grown as much for scent as for leaf, with white trumpets that open in the evening. Plant it in shade, keep it damp, and stay ahead of the slugs.

• Pigeon Pea Cajanus cajan · vegetable · sow direct · zones 9 to 13

  Drought hardy, nitrogen fixing and it doubles as a windbreak for shorter crops. Sow it at the start of the rains and it will crop for two or three years.

• Bitter Melon Momordica charantia · climber · sow direct · zones 9 to 13

  Soak the seed overnight and give the vine a tall frame with plenty of air around it. Pick the fruit while it is still pale green, before the bitterness turns harsh.

• Winter Melon Benincasa hispida · vegetable · sow direct · zones 10 to 13

  The waxy skin means the fruit stores for months in a cool dark room. Give each plant several square meters, because the vines run a long way.

• Rocket Eruca vesicaria · vegetable · sow direct · zones 1 to 11

  Fast enough to fill any gap in a bed, ready in about a month. Keep it damp and cut it as a whole row, because heat and drought turn the leaves fiercely hot.

In flower in June

• Abal Palm Acoelorraphe wrightii

  Late spring to early summer · white, yellow

• African violet Saintpaulia ionantha

  Year round with proper care · purple, pink, white, blue

• African Violet Saintpaulia ionantha

  Year-round with good care · Pink, Purple, White, Blue, Red, Bicolor

• American beautyberry Callicarpa americana

  Late spring to early summer · pink, lavender

• Anise-scented fern Clausena anisata

  Spring to summer · white, cream

• Anthurium

  Year round in ideal conditions · red, pink, white

• Arugula Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa

  Late spring to early summer · white, yellow

• Asparagus fern Asparagus densiflorus

  Late spring to early summer · white, pink

• Baby Rubber Plant Peperomia obtusifolia

  Late spring to early summer · white, cream

• Bear's Paw Cotyledon tomentosa

  Late spring to early summer · orange, red, yellow

• Bearberry Cotoneaster Cotoneaster dammeri

  Late spring to early summer · white

• Begonia

  Spring to autumn · pink, red, white, yellow

• Blackberry Rubus

  Late spring to early summer · white, pink

• Browallia Browallia americana

  Late spring to early autumn · blue, violet, white

• Busy Lizzie Impatiens walleriana

  Spring to fall · Pink, Red, White, Purple, Orange, Bicolor

• Cactus

  Spring to summer · pink, yellow, white, red

• Calla Lily Zantedeschia aethiopica

  Late spring to early summer · white

• Catalpa

  Late spring to early summer · white, purple, yellow

• chili pepper Capsicum annuum var. annuum

  Mid spring to late summer · white

• Cilantro Coriandrum sativum

  Late spring to early summer · white, pale pink

• Clover Trifolium repens

  Late spring to early autumn · white

• Coconut Palm Cocos nucifera

  Year-round in tropical climates · yellow, white

• Coffee plant Coffea arabica

  Late spring to early summer · white

• Common Mallow Malva neglecta

  Late spring to early autumn · white, pink

• Common stock Matthiola incana

  Late spring to early summer · white, pink, purple, red, lavender

• Creeping Oxalis Oxalis corniculata

  Spring to autumn · yellow

• Creeping Spurge Euphorbia serpens

  Late spring to early autumn · white, green

• Crown of Thorns Euphorbia milii

  Year round · red, pink, yellow, white

• Daylily Hemerocallis

  Early to late summer · yellow, orange, red, pink, purple

• Delosperma

  Late spring to early autumn · pink, yellow, purple, white

• Donkey's Tail Sedum morganianum

  Late spring to early summer · pink, red

• Echeveria

  Late spring to summer · orange, red, yellow, pink

• Empress Tree Paulownia tomentosa

  Late spring to early summer · Pale Purple, White

• Fleabane Erigeron karvinskianus

  Spring through fall · white, pink, blush

• Foxglove Digitalis purpurea

  Late spring to mid summer · purple, pink, white, yellow

• Fuchsia

  Late spring through fall · pink, red, purple, white, orange

• Fukien Tea Carmona retusa

  Throughout the year in warm conditions · white

• Garlic Allium sativum

  Late spring to early summer · white, pink

• Gazania Gazania rigens

  Late spring to early autumn · yellow, orange, bronze, red

• Geranium Pelargonium x hortorum

  Late spring to autumn · red, pink, white, salmon

• Golden Barrel Cactus Echinocactus grusonii

  Late spring to early summer · yellow

• Hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

  Spring through fall · red, pink, orange, yellow, white

• Hindu Rope Plant Hoya carnosa

  Late spring to summer · pink, white

• Hydrangea

  Late spring to late summer · blue, pink, white, purple

• Jasmine Jasminum sambac

  Spring to autumn · white

• Kale Brassica oleracea

  Late spring to early summer of the second year · yellow

• Lady's Mantle Alchemilla mollis

  Late spring to early summer · chartreuse, yellow green

• Lantana Lantana camara

  Late spring through fall · yellow, orange, red, pink, white, purple, multicolored

• Lavender Lavandula

  Late spring to mid summer · purple, lavender, blue, white

• Mandevilla Mandevilla sanderi

  Late spring to autumn · pink, red, white

• Money Tree Pachira aquatica

  Rarely blooms indoors, but can flower in spring or summer in its natural habitat. · white, yellow

• Natal Plum Carissa macrocarpa

  Spring to summer · white

• New Zealand Flax Phormium tenax

  Late spring to summer · red, orange, yellow

• Oleander Nerium oleander

  Late spring to early autumn · pink, white, red, yellow

• Olive tree Olea europaea

  Late spring to early summer · white, cream

• Orange Rose Rosa cv.

  Late spring to early autumn · red, pink, white, yellow, orange

• Passion Fruit Passiflora edulis

  Spring to summer · white, purple

• Peace Lily Spathiphyllum wallisii

  Spring to early summer · white

• Pencil flower Acalypha sp.

  Spring to autumn · red, pink, cream

• Petunia Petunia × hybrida

  Late spring to late autumn · purple, pink, white, red, yellow, blue

• Pincushion Protea Leucospermum cordifolium

  Late spring to summer · orange, red, yellow

• Pink Splash variegated deadnettle Lamium maculatum

  Late spring to early summer · pink

• Pot Marigold Calendula officinalis

  Late spring to autumn · orange, yellow

• Purple Smokebush Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

  Late spring to early summer · pink, purple

• Rabbit's Foot Clover Trifolium arvense

  Late spring to early autumn · pink, grey

• Rosemary Salvia rosmarinus

  Spring to fall · Blue, Purple, White, Pink

• Sabal Palm Sabal palmetto

  Late spring to early summer · white, cream

• Salvia

  Late spring to early autumn · blue, purple, red, white, pink

• San Pedro cactus Echinopsis pachanoi

  Late spring to summer · white

• Sea Lavender Limonium perezii

  Late spring to early autumn · purple, white

• Self-heal Prunella vulgaris

  Late spring to early autumn · purple, violet, white

• Shamrock Oxalis

  Spring to summer · white, pink

• Silverberry Elaeagnus commutata

  Late spring to early summer · yellow

• Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus var. albus

  Late spring to early summer · pink, white

• Spider Plant Chlorophytum comosum var. variegatum

  Spring to summer · white

• Spider Plant Chlorophytum comosum

  Spring to summer · white

• Spineless Yucca Yucca elephantipes

  Late spring to early summer · white, cream

• Spotted spurge Chamaesyce maculata

  Late spring to early autumn · white, pink

• Spring Cabbage Brassica oleracea var. capitata

  Late spring to early summer · yellow

• Spring Onion Allium fistulosum

  Late spring to early summer · white

• Star of Bethlehem Ornithogalum thyrsoides

  Late spring to early summer · white

• Sweet Alyssum Lobularia maritima

  Spring through autumn · white, pink, purple

• Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum

  Late spring to early summer · white, cream

• Ti Plant Cordyline fruticosa

  Late spring to early summer · white, lavender

• Tomato Solanum lycopersicum

  Mid spring to late summer · yellow

• Variegated dogwood Cornus alba 'Elegantissima'

  Late spring to early summer · white

• Vinca Catharanthus roseus

  Late spring to first frost · pink, white, purple, red

• Vriesea

  Spring to summer · red, yellow, orange

• Wandflower Gaura lindheimeri

  Late spring to early autumn · white, pink

• Weigela Weigela florida

  Late spring to early summer · pink, red, white

• Windmill Palm Trachycarpus fortunei

  Late spring to early summer. · Yellow

• Yellow flag iris Iris pseudacorus

  Late spring to early summer · Yellow

• Yucca

  Late spring to summer · white, cream

• Zebra Haworthia Haworthia fasciata

  Late spring to early summer · white, pale pink

• Abelia

  Late spring to mid autumn · white, pink

• Ajuga Ajuga reptans

  Late spring to early summer · Blue, Purple

• Anthurium Anthurium andraeanum

  Spring through fall · Red, Pink, White, Green, Orange, Bicolor

• Autumn sage Salvia greggii

  Spring to fall · red, pink, white, purple

• Begonia Begonia × tuberhybrida

  Late spring to early autumn · red, pink, yellow, white, orange

• Bellflower Campanula spp.

  Late spring to early fall · Blue, Purple, White, Pink

• Black Medic Medicago lupulina

  Spring to fall · yellow

• Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta

  Early summer to mid-autumn · yellow, brown

• Bromeliad Bromeliaceae

  Varies, often spring to summer · Red, Pink, Orange, Yellow, Purple, Blue, White

• Calathea 'Cobra' Calathea zebrina

  Rarely blooms indoors · white, purple

• Canna Lily Canna indica

  Early summer to early autumn · red, orange, yellow, pink

• Carnation Dianthus caryophyllus

  Late spring through summer · red, pink, white, yellow, purple, bi-color

• Chinese Fan Palm Livistona chinensis

  Rarely blooms indoors, but may produce small flowers in summer if grown outdoors. · yellow, white

• Chinese Money Plant Pilea peperomioides

  Late spring to early summer · white, pink

• Clematis

  Late spring to early fall, depending on the group · Purple, Pink, White, Red, Blue, Yellow

• Columbine Aquilegia

  Late spring to early summer · Pink, Red, Yellow, White, Purple, Blue, Bicolor

• Common Purslane Portulaca oleracea

  Late spring to early autumn · yellow

• Coral Bells Heuchera

  Late spring to early summer · White, Pink, Red, Coral

• Cranesbill Geranium

  Late spring to early fall · Pink, Purple, Blue, White, Red

• Creeping Buttonweed Dichondra repens

  Late spring to summer · green, yellow

• Croton Codiaeum variegatum

  Late spring to early summer · white, yellow

• cucumber Cucumis sativus

  Mid to late summer · yellow

• Dandelion Taraxacum officinale

  Early spring to late autumn · yellow

• Dumb Cane Dieffenbachia seguine

  Rarely flowers indoors, but can bloom in late spring or summer. · green, white

• Elephant Ear Alocasia

  Rarely indoors, occasionally in summer. · white, cream, green

• Fairy Flax Linum tenuifolium

  Late spring to early autumn · blue, pink, white

• Fan Flower Scaevola aemula

  Late spring through fall · Blue, Purple, Pink, White

• Fancy-leaf Geranium Pelargonium zonale

  Late spring through fall · Red, Pink, White, Salmon, Purple

• Fig Ficus carica

  Late spring to early summer · green

• Forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica

  Mid to late spring · blue, white, pink

• Goutweed Aegopodium podagraria

  Early to mid summer · white

• Grape Vitis vinifera

  Late spring · green, yellow

• Ground ivy Glechoma hederacea

  Spring to early summer · Purple, Blue

• Holly Ilex

  Spring · White, Greenish-white, Yellowish

• Horned Violet Viola cornuta

  Spring to early summer · purple, blue, yellow, white

• Jewels of Opar Talinum paniculatum

  Summer to early autumn · pink, magenta

• Lavender Lavandula angustifolia

  Late spring to summer · Purple, Violet

• Lemon Citrus limon

  Spring to early summer · white

• Lily Lilium

  Early to late summer · white, pink, yellow, orange, red

• Linden tree Tilia

  Early to mid summer · yellow, white

• Moss Rose Portulaca grandiflora

  Late spring to fall · Pink, Red, Orange, Yellow, White, Salmon

• Orange Jessamine Murraya paniculata

  Intermittent throughout the year · white

• Pea Pisum sativum

  Late spring to early summer · white, purple, pink

• Peony Paeonia

  Late spring to early summer · Pink, Red, White, Yellow, Coral

• Peruvian lily Alstroemeria hybrida

  Late spring to fall · pink, red, orange, yellow, white, purple

• Pickerelweed Pontederia cordata

  Late spring to early autumn · blue, violet

• Prayer Plant Maranta leuconeura

  Spring to fall · White, Pink

• Purple Shamrock Oxalis triangularis

  Late spring to early autumn · Pink, White

• Rhododendron

  Mid to late spring · pink, purple, red, white, yellow

• Sandbur Cenchrus echinatus

  Summer to early autumn · green, yellow

• Schefflera

  Rarely blooms indoors, but can flower in summer in ideal conditions. · white, red, pink

• Siberian Iris Iris sibirica

  Late spring to early summer · Blue, Purple, White, Pink

• Siebold's Hosta Hosta sieboldiana

  Early to mid summer · lavender, white

• Spineless Yucca Yucca filamentosa

  Early to mid summer · white, cream

• Strawberry Fragaria × ananassa

  Mid to late spring · white

• Sweet Pea Lathyrus odoratus

  Late spring to early summer · Pink, Purple, Red, Blue, White, Bicolor

• Swiss cheese plant Monstera adansonii var. adansonii

  Rarely indoors, usually late spring · white, cream

• Trumpet Pitcher Plant Sarracenia

  Mid to late spring · yellow, red, maroon

• Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia

  Early to mid summer · green, white

• Weeping Willow Salix babylonica

  Spring · Yellowish-green

• Wild Carrot Daucus carota subsp. carota

  Late spring to early autumn · white

• Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca

  Late spring to early summer · white

• Yellow Pea Lotus ceroides

  Late spring to early summer · yellow

In fruit in June

• Coconut Palm Cocos nucifera

  Year-round · culinary fruit

• Mulberry Morus

  Late spring to summer · edible fruit

• Pea Pisum sativum

  Late spring to early summer

• Rhipsalis

  Summer

• Strawberry Fragaria × ananassa

  Late spring to summer · culinary fruit

• Creeping Spurge Euphorbia serpens
• Red Maple Acer rubrum

  Late spring to early summer

• Spotted spurge Chamaesyce maculata

  Summer to autumn

• Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca

  Summer · edible landscaping

June south of the equator

The same month, six months on in the seasons: what to plant in June in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the southern half of South America.

• Garden Cress Lepidium sativum · herb · start indoors · zones 1 to 13

  The fastest thing you can grow indoors, giving peppery leaves in about ten days. A saucer, some damp paper and a warm windowsill is the whole method.

• Amaryllis Hippeastrum reginae · bulb · plant bulbs · zones 1 to 13

  Pot the bulb with its shoulders above the compost and keep it warm and bright. About six weeks later you get a flower stem the thickness of your thumb.

• Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum · vegetable · start indoors · zones 1 to 13

  Sown thickly in a tray it makes pink stemmed microgreens in under two weeks. Use hulled groats and rinse them well, because they go slimy if you skip that.

• Medlar Mespilus germanica · tree · plant out · zones 5 to 9

  An old fashioned tree that needs no pollination partner and almost no pruning. The fruit is picked hard and then left to soften indoors before it is worth eating.

• Endive Cichorium endivia · vegetable · sow direct · zones 7 to 10

  A hardy winter salad that copes with cold and short days. Cover a plant with an upturned pot for ten days before picking and the heart blanches sweet and pale.

• Willow Salix viminalis · shrub · plant out · zones 2 to 9

  Push a bare cut stem straight into damp ground and it roots without any help at all. Cut it back to the stump each year for a fresh crop of straight whips.

• Butternut Squash Cucurbita moschata · vegetable · sow direct · zones 9 to 13

  It handles heat and humidity better than other squash and resists vine borers. Let the fruit harden on the plant, then cure it in the sun for a week before storing.

• Rice Oryza sativa · grass · sow direct · zones 10 to 13

  Transplant seedlings into flooded ground once they are about 20 centimeters tall. Keep the water shallow while they establish, then let it deepen as they grow.

• Sugarcane Saccharum officinarum · grass · plant out · zones 9 to 13

  Lay stem cuttings horizontally in a shallow trench with two or three buds each. It is hungry and thirsty, and it will crop again from the same stools for years.

Other months

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