Today’s yards seem to have fewer trees, leaving more sunny spots to mow—or to fill with beautiful plants. Let’s discover some awesome sun-loving plants that can handle the heat and still look stunning.
Purple Pixie® Loropetalum
With its dwarf size and weeping habit, Purple Pixie Loropetalum is just the plant we’ve been crying for. Use as a groundcover, hanging basket, or a window box. The showy pink flowers combined with rich purple foliage will move you to tears. It grows only 1 to 2 feet tall by 4 to 5 feet wide. Plant in USDA Zones 7 -10 in full sun to part shade.
Jubilation™ Gardenia
Who can resist the sweet southern scent of gardenias? Jubilation Gardenia is a compact shrub growing between 3-4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Enjoy the fragrant white blooms in the spring and a reblooming period through summer and into fall. Plant Jubilation™ in USDA zones 7-10, water as needed and shape after spring bloom.
Suntastic™ Peach Abelia
The name says it all! Suntastic Peach Abelia’s vibrant variegated foliage glows in the sun, bringing a splash of color with little water needed. These effortlessly manageable shrubs maintain a compact form, growing only 2–3′ high x 3–5′ wide, and needing less pruning than traditional varieties with their sometimes leggy branches. The Suntastic series of Abelia grow in USDA Zones 6a – 10b in full sun.
