24 Best Full Sun Perennials for Your Garden
These beauties can take the heat all summer long.
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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, full-sun perennials not only tolerate the heat but thrive in it. In fact, many perennials are made for full sun.
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The key to caring for full-sun perennials is sticking to the right watering schedule. In fact, poorly timed or insufficient watering is the most common mistake people make with them, 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.” Full-sun perennials 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 perennials 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. Read on to find the best full-sun perennials to plant in your garden for the summer.
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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.
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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 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 out. Please note that this plant is only a perennial in Plant Hardiness Zones 9 to 11.
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.
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.
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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. This vine is only a perennial in warm climates, so check your USDA Hardiness Zone.
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.
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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. These flowers can only be grown as perennials in warmer climates.
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 perennial (in warm climates only) comes in amazing colors—ranging from hot pink to lemon yellow to vibrant orange and everything in between—with single or double petals.
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.
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.
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Pentas
Able to handle the heat because it's native to Africa, this annual has starry blooms that come in an array of colors, such as pink, white, lavender, and red. Fun fact: Butterflies love it. It’s important to note that Pentases are only perennials in warm climates.
Ageratum
This hardy perennial, also called floss flower because of its cute fringed petals, blooms all season without any need for deadheading. Bonus: Pollinators love ageratum!
Penstemon
Another hummingbird favorite, this perennial, also called beardtongue, has tubular flowers in pink, red, or purple tones and pretty foliage with a burgundy tint. Some types self-sow, so you’ll have more plants in coming years.
Begonia
Begonias come in an array of colors and sizes, and some tolerate full sun, while others prefer mostly shade. (Read the plant tag or description to make sure what type you have.) Able to thrive equally well in pots or beds, this perennial will take the heat, but it needs to be strong and healthy—so keep it watered, especially during the hottest periods of the summer.
Stonecrop
This succulent is tolerant of dry and hot conditions, which is why it's a popular choice for rock gardens. It’s a great alternative to grass or other types of ground cover if you’re looking for a solution for troublesome areas in your yard. Some types have small flowers, but the real show is thanks to the plant’s intricate shapes and varieties. Be sure to read the plant description because there are both annual and perennial types.
Liatris
When it comes to hardiness, this purple stalk is fierce! It requires full sunlight to bloom best, so plant this perennial in cottage garden borders or as an accent in beds. (Butterflies love it!)
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