By now most of us are sick of the sticky, humid summer heat, especially plants and flowers. If your landscape is baking in the sun, consider adding plants and flowers that are heat and drought tolerant. Local landscapers share their top picks.
Ascot Rainbow Euphorbia
“When you really need to pull out all the stops — phenomenal foliage and flowers that demand all eyes — your choice must be 'Ascot Rainbow' Euphorbia. Highly ornamental gray leaves have a striking yellow edge. Clusters of flowers with variegated cream, lime and red appear in spring and last well into fall. In the cooler months, the foliage at the ends of the stems becomes flushed with shades of red, pink and orange. The Euphorbia is fantastic in containers or where high impact color is needed and grows 20" wide and tall.” Ann Lapides, Sugar Creek Gardens.
Helleborus Ivory Prince
“Helleborus Ivory Prince is a shade-loving perennial, deer resistant and also prefers to be somewhat on the dry side in between waterings.” David Sherwood, Sherwood Forest.
Lantana
“Even though we treat Lantana as an annual here in the St. Louis area, I can't think of a better attention getter that loves the sun more. Lantana is great for patio containers or massed for color in sunny annual beds. Hummingbirds and butterflies will flock to the eye-catching bloom. The Lantana is a must for most of my clients.” Jason Todd, Landscape St. Louis.
May Night Salvia
“In general, stick to natives for the best chance of surviving an area's typical heat/water patterns. Specifically, in this case, the May Night Salvia is tried and true. It is a nice, long blooming purple perennial that can take the heat.” Eric Ringhofer, Green Guys. Photo courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder John Smelser.
Pink Velour
“Pink Velour is one of our favorite crapemyrtle. It has wonderful crimson buds that open to burgundy-wine foliage that turns purple-green to green at maturity before giving way to bright pink blooms from July to September. Pink Velour also features great fall color.” Daniel Mee, Frisella Nursery.
Calgary Carpet Junipers
“Calgary Carpet Junipers, as a drought tolerant planting, are a great low-growing evergreen for that low look that fronts other deciduous or even other taller evergreen plants. They are a great plant for those out of the way areas where watering or irrigation is not always available such as subdivision cul-de-sacs, hillsides, etc.” Bob Graeler, Chesterfield Valley Nursery.
