Heat Tolerant Plants – Keeping Gardens Alive

Nothing can resist heat in mid-summer! The dog days of summer can take the fire out of your garden, fading brilliant colors and leaving lush, healthy foliage looking dull and listless. Fortunately, there are plenty of plants available that thrive in the heat, defying it and allowing you to create a landscape that will stand out beautifully during the hottest season of the year. Here are some heat tolerant plants that are the last redoubt in nature’s fight against scourging temperatures.

Angel’s trumpet is a plant whose name comes from the shape of its flowers. In full bloom, a good-size angel’s trumpet is absolutely arresting. The hanging flowers are indeed trumpet-shape and can reach more than 30 cm long, depending on variety.

The next on the list are the agave species, more than 300. Only some of them are fit to be grown in containers due to the large dimensions they can reach at full maturity. They fight heat bravely while giving your garden or terrace a distinct appearance thanks to the diverse forms agave grows into, depending on the species.

Black-eyed Susan is a sturdy and easy to grow plant. This early-summer-blooming flower brightens gardens. Cutting encourages them to bloom again late in the season. It is ideal to adorn balconies and terraces.

Angelonia is an adaptable flower which is sometimes called summer snapdragon. Its spikes of purple, white, or pink flowers appear all summer long, no matter how high the mercury rises, drawing pollinators.

Mealycup sage or Victoria blue is another heat resistant plant with adorable flowers, native to Mexico and Texas. A perennial plant, Mealycup sage grows tall, densely packed flowers, blooms that vary from deep violet to white, and cuplike calyxes are covered with white hairs that often have a blue or violet tinge.

Bamboo is a decorative plant that always bring extra elegance to your garden, symbolizing wealth, health and love in Asian cultures. It can be grown in large containers, too, to enliven every corner of your home or serving as a perfect natural screen on the terrace. While resisting heat, bamboo prefers a moist soil.

Another heat resistant plant is Lewisia, native to North America, with rich diversely colored flowers that bloom from April till early fall.

Last, but not least, Canna is a decorative plant, that can be grown either in pots or in the garden. It is a perfect choice for creating a lush, tropical look, canna offers large leaves and glowing flowers in shades of red, orange, yellow, and pink.

Sources: Southernliving.com, Bhg.com, Waysidegardens.com