The Best Hot Weather Plants for Your Yard

Planting heat-tolerant annuals ensures that your borders bloom all season long.

When most people think of hot weather plants, the first thing that comes to mind is the cactus. Fortunately, that is just one of thousands of plants that are well suited for hot weather. In places like Florida, Georgia, and other southern states, summer temperatures can easily sit above 90 degrees. Many plants cannot handle this much heat for an extended amount of time. This makes a huge difference when picking the right plants for your climate. Here are few hardy hot weather plants that will still give you great variety in your landscaping without dying in the heat.

Tithonia rotundifolia

(Mexican sunflower)
30 in. to 8 ft., varies with cultivar
Orange, yellow
Notes: Shrublike in growth. Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Rain; rich soil (yields floppy stems)

 

 

 

 

 

Amaranthus
(amaranth)
18 in. to 6 ft., varies with species
Red, orange, gold, green, purple
Notes: Resents transplanting. Direct-seed.
Can't Tolerate: Wet soil; shade

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celosia spicata
(wheat celosia)
2 ft. to 4 ft., varies with cultivar
Red, pink, purple
Notes: Good cut flower, fresh or dried.
Can't Tolerate: Cold soil; cold water

 

Cleome hassleriana
(spider flower)
3 ft. to 5 ft.
Rose, pink, purple, white
Notes: Easy to grow from seed; self-sows.
Can't Tolerate: No problems

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eschscholzia californica
(California poppy)
6 in. to 15 in.
Red, pink, orange, yellow, cream
Notes: Resents transplanting. Sow seed; deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil; wet soil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lantana
1 ft. to 6 ft., varies with species
Red, pink, orange, cream, lilac, purple, white, and bicolors
Notes: Buy transplants. Berries are toxic; look for nonfruiting varieties.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil; night temps below 60˚F

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Nicotiana
(flowering tobacco)
8 in. to 5 ft., varies with species
Rose, pink, green, purple, white
Notes: Easy to grow from seed. Some types fragrant; some will self-sow.
Can't Tolerate: Wet stems and leaves (water from below)

 

Petunia
6 in. to 24 in., varies with cultivar
All colors
Notes: Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Humidity; frequent rain

 

French Marigold

Tagetes
6 in. to 4 ft., varies with species
Maroon, orange, yellow, cream
Notes: Easy to start from seed. Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil

 

 

 

 

 

Verbena peruviana (Peruvian verbena)
3 in. to 6 in.
Red, pink, white
Notes: Good as groundcover and on slopes; performs in partial shade.
Can't Tolerate: Wet soil

 

 

Zinnia elegans
(common zinnia)
4 in. to 4 ft., varies with cultivar
All colors except blue
Notes: Easy to grow from seed. Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Wet soil; poor air circulation