Hi there, Elizabeth and Julie here. Summer is on the horizon and we are excited to share the best plants for sunny spots!
Oklahoma City (zone 7a), where Elizabeth lives, is very hot, humid and breezy in the summer, with not much rain. Here are Elizabeth’s faves:
Thriller - Chinese Fan Palm
I am slightly obsessed with the Chinese fan palm as a perfect thriller for a sunny spot. These bad boys can take all the sun and heat you can give them. Chinese fan palms are my go-to for spaces that require a larger impact plant because of their substantial size. Another reason to adore this plant is the fact that its leaves are tough and won't tear in our Oklahoma winds. Love the tropical vibe - we use it a lot in our clients' poolside planters. The large plant in the picture above is an example of a Chinese fan palm.
Filler - Sunpatiens
My favorite filler for sunny spots is the stunning sunpatiens plant! They come in many colors; white, rose, salmon, orange, blush pink, lavender, and red to name a few and each plant has an incredible number of blooms. The leaves on the plant are a pretty dark green and some varieties have a nice variegated leaf. These low maintenance plants don't need deadheading. They thrive in sun, heat and humidity, which is 100% perfect for our Oklahoma summers! They do require plenty of water however; I give mine a drink every morning. In both Oklahoma City and Kansas City, I recommend using these in places that get morning sun only. You can see an example of gorgeous blush pink sunpatiens in the picture above. How fabulous are those blooms!
Spiller - Dichondra Silver Falls
Dichondra silver falls is my favorite for sunny spots because of its silver color. I use at least 2 different leaf colors in each container garden design so this beauty takes care of the silver color. It really stands out against a dark planter. This plant thrives in heat and sun. Love, love, love the cascading habit.
In Kansas City (zone 5b), where Julie lives, summers are hot and humid. Check out Julie’s faves below:
Thriller - Mandevilla / Dipladenia
I love planting mandevilla or a dipladenia as a thriller. Dipladenia is actually a member of the mandevilla family. They are very similar except the dipladenia leaves are smaller and the plant is more shrub like. These tropical, vining plants have dark green leaves and trumpet shaped blooms. I love training the vines up a trellis. They continue to bloom and thrive in the summer heat. They come in red, white and hot pink. They are such fun plants to use around a pool or on a deck in the summer. Talk about bringing the tropics to your backyard!
Filler - Diamond Frost Euphorbia
This beauty is my favorite sun loving go-to filler. This wispy heat loving annual has dainty white flowers. It is drought tolerant and does amazingly well in full sun to part sun. Another reason to love this annual is there is no need to deadhead the flowers, the spent flowers fall off naturally and it looks amazing all summer long in a planter.
Spiller - Mezoo
I love everything about this sun loving spiller; the light green color of the variegated leaves and the sweet hot pink or red flowers. I love how it is drought tolerant, thrives in full sun and is a trailing succulent. Super hardy and strong! It thrives in Kansas City's hot and humid summer.
If you are not familiar with these plants, they are just a google search away. Hopefully you can find them at your local garden center this summer. You won't be sorry!
P.S. - Looking for info about shade loving summer plants? Check this out.