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You might feel like wilting after a few minutes in the hot July sun, but your garden doesn't have to. Even in the Southwest, where temperatures regularly hit triple digits, it can look lush and bloom all summer. Just as there are evergreens and frost-resistant plants, there are full-sun plants that not only tolerate the heat but thrive in it. In fact, many annuals and perennials are heat-tolerant plants. Annuals' punchy colors will boost your home's curb appeal even during the hottest months, while perennials will bring their beauty to your yard year after year, so a mix of the two is ideal for landscaping.
The key to caring for full-sun plants is sticking to the right watering schedule. In fact, poorly timed or insufficient watering is the most common mistake, says Paris Lalicata, a gardening expert with more than 10 years of experience who's currently working in community education at The Sill. "When plants are getting full sun conditions, they are using a lot of water because they are getting a lot of light energy to create food, and water is part of that process. They can also get warmed up temperature wise by the sun, which makes them use water even more to prevent themselves from overheating (transpiration)," explains Lalicata, who maintains a private garden of 200-plus plants in the northeastern U.S. "Usually, it's ideal to water them in the early morning-evening to prevent water from evaporating." Be especially mindful of perennials, since they require even more water to strengthen their root systems, which is essential if you want them to bloom again next year. Before you plant any new perennials, make sure they can survive the winter in your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone.
If you want to grow full-sun plants indoors, you don't have a lot of placement options. "Generally, the only window that provides 'full sun' indoors is a clear, unobstructed, south-facing window," Lalicata explains. "If you do not have the means to provide full sun conditions in your home, then you should highly consider incorporating a grow light over your plant." A grow light is a fine replacement for natural light, especially in the winter months, she says, adding that modern grow lights are designed to stimulate plant growth and mimic sunlight. You do need to measure your grow light to test how bright it is, though. Full-sun plants like to get 800 to 1000 foot-candles (yes, that's the unit of measurement for light intensity), an amount similar to direct sunlight.
Outdoors, however, you've got lots of options. Just remember that heat-tolerant plants dry out more quickly in pots (including window boxes and hanging baskets) than they do in in-ground flower beds. Porous materials like as terra cotta or coco fiber matting also dry out faster than less permeable containers made of plastic or composite materials. As your plants thrive and mature, they'll also drink more water faster. In extreme heat, you may need to water your containers twice a day.
Read on to find the best full-sun plants and flowers for your garden.
Mandevilla
This beautiful vining plant keeps its brilliant color all summer long. Mandevilla comes in white, pink, red, and coral, and brightens up any deck, patio, or planting bed with its trumpet-shaped flowers. It's usually treated as an annual, but you can bring it indoors for winter—just be warned, it tends to drop leaves and be messy.
Fan Flower
The profuse blossoms of this low-growing annual look like tiny fans. Available in white, pink, and purple, this full-sun flower stands up to heat and drought like a champ. Plant it as edging along walkways, in containers, and in window boxes.
Sweet Potato Vine
This handsome annual vine with its burgundy, chartreuse, or variegated leaves adds a punch to a mixed container. Just remember to give it plenty of room to spread.
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Catmint
Catmint is a perennial that, once established, doesn't mind heat, poor soil, or drought. With silvery-green foliage that has a minty scent and spikes of purple flowers that pollinators love, it's a must-have in any garden.
Bidens
Cheery, daisy-like flowers in bright colors, such as orange and yellow, grow on this plant even at the height of summer. Plus, you don't have to deadhead it to keep the flowers coming.
Russian Sage
Russian sage is a handsome perennial with striking spikes of purple flowers that last for weeks. Bonus: Deer and rabbits leave it alone.
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Daylily
If you want a perennial that survives on neglect, opt for the daylily. This sturdy plant tolerates most soil types, and it needs almost zero care. Each flower lasts for just a day—hence the name—but there are many on each stalk! It comes in all heights and in every color you can imagine, with single or double petals.
Lavender
This Mediterranean native is no stranger to heat and drought. It actually prefers sandy, rocky soils and doesn't like to stay too wet. There are many varieties of lavender, so make sure to choose the type that will grow best in your USDA Plant Hardiness zone.
Dichondra
Silvery-green foliage and a dense, creeping nature make this annual a spectacular filler for pots and window boxes. Plant it alone or in a mixed container.
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Salvia
Perennial salvia is a hardy, reliable performer, and pollinators love it. It comes in pinks, blues, and purples, and is typically avoided by deer and rabbits.
Angelonia
Also called summer snapdragon, this striking annual has bright spikes of pink, purple, or white blooms that last all season. Layer the delicate-looking but super-tough plant in beds or containers as an upright accent.
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Petunia
This old-fashioned annual blooms and blooms for reliable season-long color. New varieties don't need to be deadheaded to keep blossoming, and spread to fill in an area quickly. Petunias look especially smashing in hanging baskets and window boxes.
Coneflower
This cheery perennial comes in every shade of the rainbow. A coneflower is a pollinator fave, plus the seedheads provide winter food for birds.
Calibrachoa
This one might resemble a petunia, but it's an entirely different plant. Best used in baskets or window boxes for maximum effect, this annual comes in amazing colors—ranging from hot pink to lemon yellow to vibrant orange and everything in between—with single or double petals.
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Caladium
Pretty heart-shaped leaves with splashes of pink, green, and white make this foliage plant a stunner. Plant a caladium in its own container or within the landscape. It can survive winters in warm climates, or you can pot it and bring it indoors as a houseplant for winter in cold climates.
Moss Rose
This low-growing annual—which is also called portulaca—has thick, fleshy leaves that retain water, so it's drought hardy. Quite the beauty, it has bright flowers in shades of hot pink, yellow, red, orange, and white.
Globe Amaranth
Heat, humidity, drought: This tough annual takes it all in stride! The round blooms of a globe amaranth offer an interesting contrast to other plants, and it's an ideal edging plant along a walkway.
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Hibiscus
Native to tropical regions, hibiscus adds an exotic flair to any container. Available in an array of bright, saturated colors—from deepest red to pink, orange, and yellow—some types are perennial, others annual. Read the tag to be sure what you're buying.
Cuphea
Also known as the cigar plant or firecracker plant, this is a favorite of hummingbirds. A cuphea plant is annual in most USDA hardiness zones, but perennial in some. Plant it in well-draining soil with medium moisture.
