Published on Organic Gardening (http://www.organicgardening.com)

14 Flowers That Take the Heat

If your perennial garden starts to fizzle as soon as hot weather arrives, then you need a plan to keep your beds blooming. Try interplanting your perennials with annuals that love hot weather. You can experiment each season until you find combinations that suit you, your garden, and your climate.

Since all of these plants are annuals or frost-sensitive perennials, no zone information is given. Some of these plants perform better in certain conditions, however, so check under "Can't Tolerate" for specific dislikes. All need full sun to flower well. Keep in mind that some of these plants can be aggressive self-sowers or may be listed as invasive in warmer regions. Check with your local Cooperative Extension office or the USDA Web site http://plants.usda.gov/ for a list of plants that are invasive in your area.



Amaranth is beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Amaranthus
(amaranth)
18 in. to 6 ft., varies with species
Red, orange, gold, green, purple
Notes: Resents transplanting. Direct-seed.
Can't Tolerate: Wet soil; shade


 

 

Amaranth is beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Celosia spicata
(wheat celosia)
2 ft. to 4 ft., varies with cultivar
Red, pink, purple
Notes: Good cut flower, fresh or dried.
Can't Tolerate: Cold soil; cold water



 

 

Cleome is beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Cleome hassleriana
(spider flower)
3 ft. to 5 ft.
Rose, pink, purple, white
Notes: Easy to grow from seed; self-sows.
Can't Tolerate: No problems

 

 

Cosmos are beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Cosmos bipinnatus
2 ft. to 5 ft., varies with cultivar
Crimson, pink, white
Notes: Easy to grow from seed; self-sows.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil (yields few flowers)

Cosmos sulphureus
1 ft. to 4 ft., varies with cultivar
Scarlet, orange, yellow
Notes: Easy to grow from seed; self-sows.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil (yields few flowers)
 



 

 

California poppies beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Eschscholzia californica
(California poppy)
6 in. to 15 in.
Red, pink, orange, yellow, cream
Notes: Resents transplanting. Sow seed; deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil; wet soil

 

 

Ganzias are beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Gazania hybrids
6 in. to 15 in., varies with cultivar
Red, pink, bronze, orange, yellow
Notes: Good for hot, windy spots.
Can't Tolerate: Rain; wet soil; humidity

 

 

Cypress vines can tolerate the heat of summer.Ipomoea quamoclit
(cypress vine)
6 ft. to 25 ft.
Scarlet
Notes: Resents transplanting. Easy to grow from seed; self-sows.
Can't Tolerate: No problems


 

 

Lantana can tolerate the heat of summer.Lantana
1 ft. to 6 ft., varies with species
Red, pink, orange, cream, lilac, purple, white, and bicolors
Notes: Buy transplants. Berries are toxic; look for nonfruiting varieties.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil; night temps below 60˚F
 


 

 

Nicotiana is beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Nicotiana
(flowering tobacco)
8 in. to 5 ft., varies with species
Rose, pink, green, purple, white
Notes: Easy to grow from seed. Some types fragrant; some will self-sow.
Can't Tolerate: Wet stems and leaves (water from below)

 

 

petunias are beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Petunia
6 in. to 24 in., varies with cultivar
All colors
Notes: Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Humidity; frequent rain

 

 

Portulaca is beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Portulaca
(rose moss)
4 in. to 8 in.
Red, magenta, pink, salmon, orange, yellow, white
Notes: Easy to grow from seed; rooted cuttings will overwinter.
Can't Tolerate: Humidity


 

 

Creeping zinnia is very lovely and can tolerate the heat of summer.Sanvitalia procumbens (creeping zinnia)
4 in. to 8 in.
Orange, yellow
Notes: Performs in partial shade, but plant close together for fullness.
Can't Tolerate: Poor drainage


 

 

Marigolds are beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Tagetes
(marigold)
6 in. to 4 ft., varies with species
Maroon, orange, yellow, cream
Notes: Easy to start from seed. Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Rich soil

 

 

The Mexican Sunflower is beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Tithonia rotundifolia (Mexican sunflower)
30 in. to 8 ft., varies with cultivar
Orange, yellow
Notes: Shrublike in growth. Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Rain; rich soil (yields floppy stems)


 

 

Verbena is beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Verbena peruviana (Peruvian verbena)
3 in. to 6 in.
Red, pink, white
Notes: Good as groundcover and on slopes; performs in partial shade.
Can't Tolerate: Wet soil

Verbena tenuisecta (moss verbena)
8 in. to 12 in.
Pink, lavender, purple, white
Notes: Shear plants to 2 in. tall if they become leggy.
Can't Tolerate: Poor drainage

 

 

Zinnias are beautiful and can tolerate the heat of summer.Zinnia elegans
(common zinnia)
4 in. to 4 ft., varies with cultivar
All colors except blue
Notes: Easy to grow from seed. Deadhead for continuous bloom.
Can't Tolerate: Wet soil; poor air circulation
 

Interested in Edible Flowers? Find out which are safe to eat.

 

 

 

 

 

Source URL: http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/14-flowers-take-heat

Links:
[1] http://plants.usda.gov/
[2] http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/transplanting
[3] http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/determine-your-soils-temperature
[4] http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/your-soil-ready
[5] http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/marigold
[6] http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/zinnias
[7] http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/edible-flowers