Plants That Stand Up to the Heat
A number of plants can take the heat and attract hummingbirds and butterflies too. While it is not recommended to plant during this time of the year due to our tremendous heat, here are just a few plants to consider for early summer plantings that are showing off in the heat of this summer.
Pentas also known as Egyptian star flower or star flower is one of those exceptional plants. Pentas come in pink, white, lavender and red. Dwarf varieties may be grown in beds or in containers. Butterflies and humming birds like this plant. It requires good drainage but is not too fussy.
Purple coneflower or Echinechea purpurea stand up well to the heat. It grows in full sun and is drought tolerant. Propagated by division of clumps after 2-3 years or simply letting the flowers go to seed. Purple cone flower come in pink, yellow, white and orange with many new and unusual looking varieties.
Verbena is a trailing plant which performs well in containers/hanging baskets and come in colors of lavender, pink, white and red. It prefers good drainage and is a good plant for humming birds and butterflies too.
Some heat tolerant plants may be enjoyed not for their flowers but for their leaves or color.
Purple heart or Setcreasea pallida is one of those plants. The small white flowers are inconspicuous but the leaves are the star of the show. Leaves stay purple in full sun but have more green when in part sun. This plant is good for ground cover or containers. It will rot in soggy soils.
Society garlic or Tulbaghia violacea is a good looking plant with lavender colored flowers that form a loose umbrella. This plant looks good in containers and in landscapes. Prefers good drainage, full or part sun and bulbs are easy to divide.
Caladium is planted for their fancy leaves. They bloom in green, red, white, shades of pink and various combinations. Caladium is great in the front of a garden bed, for mass plantings and in containers. These plants can tolerate full sun to shade depending on the variety.
submitted by Karen Blackburn