Ever feel like the summer sun is cooking your flowers? Me too! That’s why I hunted down 47 plants that can take the heat.
I’ll share my finds so you can have a beautiful garden without the stress.
Best Flowers for Full Sun and Heat Tolerance
1. Pentas
Pentas have become a staple in my garden. These tough, heat-tolerant plants are perfect for container growing and attract a variety of pollinators. I love watching bees, hummingbirds, and sunbirds flock to their nectar-rich blooms.
2. Lantana
In my experience, Lantana is a true survivor. This common tropical flower blooms year-round in bright colors like red, yellow, orange, white, and pink. It thrives in neglect and heat, making it perfect for busy moms like me.
3. Plumbago
I adore the sky-blue flowers of Plumbago. This African native shrub has a vine-like growth and requires minimal care. In the right climate, it flowers almost year-round, adding a beautiful touch to my garden.
4. Moonflower
The Moonflower has become my evening garden’s star. Its large, fragrant white flowers open at dusk, resembling morning glories. In my subtropical garden, it flowers year-round, but you can grow it as an annual in cooler regions.
5. Hibiscus
Hibiscus is a low-maintenance favorite in my container garden. Available in various colors, it’s suitable for both temperate and warm climates. I love how easily it grows in pots, adding tropical flair to my patio.
6. Moss Rose (Portulaca)
Moss Rose, with its needle-like foliage and bright, small flowers, is perfect for my hanging baskets and window boxes. It’s a versatile plant that thrives in both tropical and temperate zones.
7. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)
I’ve found Blanket Flower to be incredibly heat-resistant and drought-tolerant. Part of the sunflower family, its attractive blooms make excellent cut flowers for my indoor arrangements.
8. King’s Mantle (Bush Clock Vine)
This African native is a prolific year-round bloomer in my garden. Its shades of violet, purple, and yellow add a vibrant touch to my full-sun areas.
9. Mandevilla
Mandevilla has become my go-to for fast-growing, heat-resistant climbers. Its heavy blooms in pink, white, or red are a show-stopper. In cooler climates, I recommend growing it as an annual.
10. Bottlebrush
The unique, brush-like flowers of Bottlebrush bloom year-round in my garden. If you’re in a cooler zone, bring it indoors before the first frost to overwinter.
11. Marigold
Marigolds are sun-lovers that I can’t get enough of. Available as annuals or perennials, they’re heavy bloomers in full sun. I use them to add pops of color throughout my garden.
12. Angelonia (Summer Snapdragon)
Angelonia has earned its place in my heat-resistant annual collection. I love the variety of colors available – blue, green, orange, pink, red, white, and yellow.
13. Canna Lily
Canna Lilies add a tropical touch to my garden. They require warmth, full sun, and moist soil. With varieties ranging from 1 to 8 feet tall, they make a striking statement.
14. Desert Rose (Adenium)
I’ve had success growing Desert Rose as a bonsai. It’s perfect for frost-free zones and produces beautiful tubular flowers. In temperate zones, I keep it as a houseplant.
15. Cockscomb (Celosia)
Celosia’s unusual flower shape always catches visitors’ eyes. It’s great for container growing and I treat it as an annual in my region.
16. Petunia
Petunias are my go-to sun and heat-loving annuals. In warmer climates, they’re perennial. Their popularity and versatility make them a staple in my garden design.
17. Texas Bluebonnets
As a nod to my Texan roots, I always include Texas Bluebonnets in my container gardens. They’re excellent for adding a touch of state pride.
18. Princess Flower
I love the contrast of Princess Flower’s deep purple blossoms against its velvety green foliage. It can be grown as a perennial or annual, adding elegance to any garden.
19. Salvia
Both annual and perennial Salvia species have a place in my garden. The annuals work particularly well in my container arrangements, with their deep purple, blue, orange, and red blooms.
20. Ground Orchids
Ground Orchids bring a touch of exotic beauty to my garden. Their deep colorful clusters range from pink to yellow, and I often grow them as annuals.
21. Diamond Frost Euphorbia
This tender perennial is a staple in my garden, often planted as an annual. Its white blooms last all season long, thriving in sun but also flowering in partial shade.
22. Bolivian Begonia
I love the bronze foliage species for full sun areas. The bright fiery red flowers are perfect for my containers and hanging baskets.
23. Million Bells (Calibrachoa)
Million Bells are a continuous bloomer in my garden. I grow them as annuals in all zones, enjoying their various shades in full sun to part shade.
24. Bidens
The stunning red and gold blooms of Bidens always grab attention in my container arrangements. They’re a real showstopper.
25. Sun Patients
Sun Patients are versatile performers in my garden, growing well in containers, full sun, and partial shade. I’m particularly fond of the bright orange flower varieties.
26. Sweet Alyssum
I’ve had great success with heat and sun-tolerant varieties like Snow Princess. They bloom non-stop all summer, adding a delicate touch to my garden.
27. Sunflower
Sunflowers are a summer favorite in my full-sun spots. For containers, I prefer varieties like Lemon Queen and Saltation Flame.
28. Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena)
Globe Amaranth’s lollipop-like flowers in various shades are a hit with butterflies in my garden.
29. Spider Flower (Cleome)
I find Spider Flower easy to grow in warm, full-sun locations. I prefer thornless varieties like Senorita Rosalita for easier handling.
30. Rose
Roses do wonderfully in containers on my patio and balcony. I ensure they get 5-6 hours of full sun daily and maintain good air circulation.
31. Bougainvillea
In my frost-free climate, Bougainvillea flowers year-round. I place them where they receive 5-6 hours of direct sunlight and water when the soil is dry.
32. Yellow Bell Flower (Tecoma)
Yellow Bell Flower thrives in my warm, frost-free climate. I love its tubular blooms in pink, red, orange, and yellow, growing it both as a climbing vine and a border plant.
33. Bleeding Heart Vine
For the Bleeding Heart Vine to flower well in my garden, I ensure it gets direct sun. Its clusters of star-shaped flowers bloom beautifully during spring and summer.
34. Oleander
Oleander is a tough ornamental shrub in my garden, producing large clusters of pink, red, yellow, or white blooms year-round.
35. Arabian Jasmine
As the state flower of the Philippines, Arabian Jasmine holds a special place in my garden. Its fragrant white blossoms that fade to pink bloom year-round in my warm climate.
36. Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
Vinca is one of the most productive bloomers in my garden. It tolerates heat and scorching summer sun, and is fairly drought-tolerant.
37. Gazania
I love Gazania for its cheerful flowers with bold petals. The bright colors with contrasting stripes and markings always catch the eye.
38. Black-Eyed Susan
Black-Eyed Susans grow tall on strong stems in my garden, their dark brown or black centers creating a striking contrast.
39. Zinnia
Zinnias are a favorite in my cut flower garden. Their round, full blooms come in various colors and sizes, from tiny buttons to dinner plate-sized blooms.
40. Mexican Sunflower
Late summer in my garden is marked by the vibrant orange flowers of Mexican Sunflower. Their distinct scent attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
41. Cosmos
Cosmos add a graceful touch to my garden with their feathery foliage and flowers in shades of pink, purple, and white.
42. Nasturtium
I love Nasturtium for its warm-colored, edible flowers and unique trumpet shape. The rounded leaves add an interesting texture to my garden beds.
43. Bowen Mullins
Bowen Mullins, with their soft fuzzy leaves and tall spires of yellow flowers, are bee magnets in my garden.
44. Mexican Heather
The delicate purple blooms and small, glossy leaves of Mexican Heather are perfect for adding color to my borders and container gardens.
45. Snapdragon
Snapdragons are popular in my garden and flower arrangements. Their tall, showy flowers in various colors and unique dragon mouth shape always delight visitors.
46. Dusty Miller
While not a flowering plant, I include Dusty Miller for its silvery-gray foliage that provides beautiful contrast in my borders and arrangements. It’s a tough plant, tolerating temperatures up to 100°F (38°C).
47. Sneezeweed
Sneezeweed is an easy-to-grow perennial wildflower in my garden. Its daisy-like flowers in orange, yellow, and red bloom in late summer and fall, extending the garden’s color season.