5 Heat Tolerant Container Plants

Spring blooms are petering out and we are headed into the hottest months of summer. Are your outdoor container arrangements prepared to take the heat?

Here are five colorful varieties that can handle the hot and dry conditions that often accompany the summer months.

1) Cannas

Cannas love heat and humidity. They are a tropical native that will thrive and produce blooms when other plants have given way to the heat. They have bright blossoms and can have stunning variegated foliage. Old Farmer’s Almanac states that cannas can grow up to six feet high, but dwarf varieties reach only 3 feet. Plant a canna toward the back or middle of a container for a stunning focal point.

2) Salvia

According to Better Homes and Gardens, salvia likes full sun and is drought tolerant. The plant can grow up to three feet high and produces tall colorful flower spikes in shades of red, blue and purple depending on the variety. As an added bonus salvia can attract birds and butterflies.  This plant isn’t demanding and will consistently produce blooms throughout the summer.

3) Hibiscus

Calloway’s Nursery suggests the ‘Luna’ Hibiscus for use in the Texas summer heat. The hibiscus is a tall bushy plant with large bright flowers. A hibiscus is an excellent solo act in a large container. Calloway’s Nursery informs that this variety can tolerate moist soils as well as drought, once it is established. This characteristic leaves plenty of room watering error without damaging the plant.

4) Lantana

Lantana loves the sun and will bloom prolifically throughout the summer until the first frost. Varieties come in red, pink, purple, white, orange, yellow, and various combinations. The Clemson Cooperative Extension suggests that there is a wide variety of growth habit among lantana from tall and bushy to low and trailing. Be sure you choose a variety that will work well in your container. They recommend ‘Patriot Cowboy’ for a compact variety that grows only one foot tall and one foot wide. ‘Alba’ is a suggested trailing species with white flowers. It would be ideal as an accent to flow over the sides of a container.

5) Solanum

Solanum is a vine with flowers that vary from deep blue to bright purple depending on the species. Better Homes and Gardens recommends solanum as an alternative to morning glories. Small compact varieties can be used as trailing plants in outdoor containers and larger varieties can be trained up trellises. Be aware that some solanum species produce fruits that are toxic.

These five plants will continue to grow and offer plenty of bright color throughout the summer. Plant them on their own in a large container or pair them with foliage plants such as coleus or ornamental grasses, which also thrive in the summer heat. Choosing the right plants will help you fight the battle against summer heat and drought and help you have beautiful outdoor containers until the cooler months in fall. What are your favorite heat tolerant plants? What other summer challenges do you face?

Photo “Canna Tropicanna” courtesy of pasiparkkila
Photo “Lantana sp.” courtesy of Enrique Dans
Photo “Solanum virginianum. Solcanaceae” courtesy of gailhampshire