Pretty Blooms for the Hot Months
by Amanda Moon
It appears we have officially hit the doldrums of the summer months.
I almost thought we were going to escape it this year. Oh well…
With the heat index now hovering around 101, it seems a good time
to ask which plants can take the heat, and brighten up our landscapes,
hazy skies and browning lawn. There are plenty actually!
Driving around town this month it’s hard to miss the bright yellow
blooms of the Esperanza (aka Yellow Bells, also in orange) and the
en masse red and orange colors of the Pride of Barbados. These large
growing perennials are always the first go-to for summer color, and
they rarely disappoint.
But they’re not the only options out there. From trees to ground
covers, many of our drought-tolerant stars are still blooming late into
the summer, and some are just getting going for the season.
Crape Myrtles are wonderful additions to any landscape that needs
a little summer pick-me-up. They’re fast growers, good for creating
privacy in a garden, and are quite drought-tolerant once established.
Crapes come in a wide selection of colors and sizes, from the white
blooming larger tree Natchez, to the smaller Red Rocket and Dyna-
mite. Let them grow naturally and they won’t let you down.
Cenizo Sage (aka Purple or Texas Sage) will burst into bloom any
time it rains, covering itself in purple flowers. That means any sum-
mer rain, like the bit we had a few weeks ago, will send these shrubs
into their full display no matter the temperatures. I like to have these
large beauties as specimens, letting them grow into their natural form.
Some of my top color choices for smaller beds and lower plantings
include Plumbago, Calylophus, Bat-faced Cuphea, 4-Nerve Daisy
and Lantana.
Blue Plumbago can’t be beat for its sky blue flowers. It’s not a tall
perennial, topping out at about 2 ½ feet, but can spread twice as wid
e if allowed. They bloom from spring to frost.
Bat-faced Cuphea will also grow to roughly the same dimensions
as Plumbago, but instead of bright blue flowers this unique plant
offers deep red and purple flowers shaped like little bats. This little
beauty also blooms all season long.
Calylophus and 4-Nerve Daisy are perfect for tight sunny spots.
heir yellow blooming wildflowers are evergreen, low-growing and
bloom most of the growing season. They can handle the heat and
drought, and deer won’t touch them.
Lantana is another fabulous summer blooming perennial. There are
several cultivars out now that don’t get quite as large as the traditional
varieties (New Gold, Dallas Red, Irene etc.), and new introductions
come out every spring. When planted in full sun, most lantanas will
bloom spring to frost with little outside intervention.
Just getting started for the season, Mexican Mint Marigold and its
relative Copper Canyon Daisy are great additions to any landscape.
Their golden daisy flowers can be seen from a distance and both are
quite deer-resistant. The Mint Marigold (or Texas Tarragon) works
well in medium beds and herb gardens and is a nice substitution
for French Tarragon, which struggles in our heat and humidity. Copper
Canyon is only about 3’ high, but can spread out wide so give it lots
of leg room.
The mistflowers are also just getting started as the hottest part of the
summer hits. My two favorites are Gregg’s and White Mistflowers.
Both are an integral part of any butterfly garden and will grow in full
to morning sun. Gregg’s is a shorter, traveling plant with purple
flowers atop spikes of foliage. It can be invasive but the butterflies
love it, so plant accordingly. White Mistflower, on the other hand,
is a large full shrub 4’ tall and 6’-8’ wide. It will cover itself in white
flowers from late summer into fall and attract every butterfly from
miles around.
Though our heat can be oppressive this time of year, there are still
some wonderful landscape plants that can bring summer joy even
on the hottest, driest days. Even if you only have room for one or
two, those small changes can brighten up an otherwise bloomless
summer landscape. Happy Gardening everyone!
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