If you need something that can thrive in a hot, dry spot, consider these North American plants.
The South Garden at Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessen , Delaware , has been nicknamed the “ pizza oven ” by those who be given it . It sit around in full sun , and its antique brick walls and tract radiate a pot of high temperature . Yet this garden looks fresh and appeal throughout the seasons , thanks to a colorful palette of North American natives that are perfectly adjust to wave in this hot , bright spot . Visitors who are invigorate to imbed these beautiful , border - worthy selections will also be helping to feed the local wildlife that depend on their gardens for pasturage and shelter . Here are some of the spring and summer stars that brighten the South Garden .
1. ‘Pica Bella’ purple coneflower
Name : Echinacea purpurea‘Pica Bella ’
Zones:3 - 8
Size:18 to 36 in tall , and 1 to 2 feet wide
condition : Full Lord’s Day to fond shade ; dry to average , well - drained soil
Native range : Central and southeastern United States ( unbent species )
‘ Pica Bella ’ purple coneflowerwas a standout in Mt. Cuba Center ’s trial garden . It is disease and pest resistive , and its vibrant blooms draw bee and butterflies from June through September . With a long season of interest and a tidy form that requires no staking , this plant can do a plenty of gravid lifting in a design . case-by-case plants last for many years , peculiarly when divided every 3 years to keep them in prime health .
2. ‘Valerie Finnis’ artemisia
Name : Artemisia ludoviciana‘Valerie Finnis ’
Zones:5 - 10
Size:18 to 24 inch tall and all-embracing
Conditions : Full sun ; ironic to medium , well - debilitate soil
aboriginal range : Throughout North America
When given its preferred conditions — arenaceous dirt , full sun , and temperate humidity—‘Valerie Finnis ’ artemisiawill raise an abundance of coolheaded white foliage that gives any garden a Mediterranean feel . employ it to add a soft incandescence at the front of a bed . Be forewarned , though : This plant can be an fast-growing spreader ; tame it by pilfer or shear the flowers . set it in the sunniest , well - drained office in your garden because shade will wither it .
3. ‘Short and Sweet’ catchfly
Name : Silene carolinianassp.wherryi‘Short and Sweet ’
Zones:4 - 8
Size:4 to 8 in magniloquent , and 8 to 12 in wide of the mark
stipulation : Full sun to partial shade ; dry to moist , well - drain soil
Native range : Central , southern , and southeastern United States
‘ unforesightful and Sweet ’ catchflylives up to its name , making it the gross option for tone down a perimeter ’s edge . In May , it will be incubate in dianthus - like flowers , and the foliage remain attractive long after the blooms snuff it . Try raising it to middle level in a container , where it will appreciate the spare heat and drainage .
4. ‘Arizona Apricot’ blanket flower
Name : Gaillardia‘Arizona Apricot ’
Zones:4 - 9
Size:8 to 10 inches tall and 10 to 12 inches encompassing
Photo: Carol Collins
experimental condition : Full sun ; average to poor , well - drain land
Native range : westerly and northerly United States into Canada
‘ Arizona Apricot ’ blanket floweris another low grower , with nonstop blossom that shine like a sunrise . The key to keep this plant life is grooming — it responds well to rejuvenation pruning , and , if the flower are deadheaded when they start to fade , it may bloom well into winter . ‘ Arizona Apricot ’ will be happy in a spot with low humidity and well - drained soil . Be disposed to replace this short - lived perennial when it depart to slump , around 2 years after it is planted .
Photo: Carol Collins
5. ‘Dark Towers’ beardtongue
Name : Penstemon ‘ Dark Towers ’
Size:1 - 1/2 to 3 foundation tall , and 1 to 2 feet full
aboriginal compass : A cross of species from Dixie - cardinal and eastern United States and Canada
‘ Dark Towers ’ beardtongueoffers 3 seasons of vexation - spare interest . Rosettes of rich purple basal leaf persevere almost all wintertime . Then in late spring , 3 - invertebrate foot - tall , crimson carmine flower spike emerge , constellate with wan garden pink , jewel - like bloom that attract humblebee and hummingbirds . Once the flush are spent , its shiny red seedheads and thick , moody foliage front beautiful in the garden or in a nosegay .
6. ‘Carolina Moonlight’ baptisia
Name : Baptisia‘Carolina Moonlight ’
Size:3 to 4 feet tall and wide
condition : Full sun to fond shade ; average to dry out , well - drain dirt
Native ambit : A hybrid of coinage from southern United States
Baptisias ( Baptisiaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3 - 9 ) are airless - to - thoroughgoing garden plant . They are long survive , disease free , and deer resistant , and they thrive in poor soils due to their nitrogen - fixing radical nodule . Once established , they require little , if any , watering . ‘Carolina Moonlight’is a compact cultivar with a vase - shaped use that sends up spikes of buttery yellowish , pea - like flowers for about 3 weeks in late spring . Its nectar is a valuable early - season nutrient origin for bumblebee , perfectly time to provide nourishing meals for emerging queens .
7. Coast azalea
Name : Rhododendron atlanticum
Zones:6 - 8
Size:2 to 6 feet tall and wide
Conditions : Full sun to fond shade ; light , acidic , well - drain dirt
aboriginal range : Coastal easterly United States
You will want to plantcoast azaleaclose to a windowpane or a pose arena , where its cherubic leap fragrance can be enjoyed . This coastal plain native blooms and shed its spent bloom before the foliage fully emerge , commit it a great and tidy appearance when bloom sentence is done . Due to its thickset size , it will not require frequent pruning . flush colouration vary within the mintage and by cultivar and includes a range of whites , pinks , and yellows . For healthy works , not to mention a substantial flowered fragrance , give coast azaleas what they want : full Dominicus .
8. Turk’s cap lily
Name : genus Lilium superbum
Zones:5 - 8
Size:4 to 7 feet grandiloquent and 6 to 12 in wide
Conditions : Full sun to partial shade ; average to moist , well - drained filth
Native range : Eastern United States
Turk ’s hood lilytowers over the quietus of the garden , which is fortunate because its graceful , nodding blooming are best take in from below . Its height makes it well suitable to the back of a border , where in saltation its foliation will telescope upward , fork outward at the anthesis . This long - survive lily is easily propagate by fraction medulla oblongata , but it must be protected from cervid , rabbits , and rodents .
9. Giant coneflower
Name : Rudbeckia maxima
Size:5 to 7 invertebrate foot tall , and 3 to 4 feet all-inclusive
weather condition : Full Dominicus ; moist to dry out , well - drained land
aboriginal range : Central and southern United States
Nothing revel quite like a goldfinch bobbing up and down on the stem of agiant coneflower , knead to pry seed from its cone . you may invite charming avian guests into your garden by planting this prairie native , which get bloom that arrive with the heat of summertime and persist through July . This is a plant that necessitate full sunshine , high heat , and skimpy soils , and it may require staking in more fat condition . If the stalk are cut back when flowers fade , you might get a second , shorter - stem muckle of blooms . These plant are exclamation points in the garden , sure to see the attention of any garden visitor , be it human , bird , or insect .
10. Tiny Wine® Atlantic ninebark
Name : Physocarpus opulifolius‘SMPOTW ’
Conditions : Full sun to fond shade ; teetotal to medium , well - drained soil
Native orbit : cardinal and easterly North America ( straight species )
Photo: Carol Collins
The deep bronze leafage ofTiny Wine ® Atlantic ninebarkand its counterpoint ardent red barque add a grip sense of depth to a garden designing . This bush grows full and dense as it fills out and requires pruning maintenance to keep foliar disease at bay . No need to fleece it ; just prune out the 3 to 5 oldest cane in the shrub after it finish blooming . This will open up air circulation between the leaf , and the shrub will still look full and healthy .
Choose border-worthy native plants for your garden
Three members of Mt. Cuba Center ’s horticulture staff plan the South Garden ’s plant list and bed layouts over the course of more than 20 meeting . Here are some of their tips for pick out the right native plant for any bottom or border :
“ get with a tilt of native specie that will survive and thrive in your garden ’s finicky condition . Narrow the list down by imposing a color scheme , then opine about efflorescence times : What will be blossom together ? Will you have colour in each season ? ”
— Donna Wiley , formal gardens horticulturist
Photo: Carol Collins
“ retrieve that foliage colours will carry a purpose through the seasons . Let flowers be the icing on the bar . ”
— Vic Piatt , plantsman and garden manager
“ For a formal border , consider a blocked planting blueprint in which mathematical group of each industrial plant are massed together to create sheer swath of colour that shift throughout the season . It looks outstanding and also helps pollinator and other wildlife forage from their favorite plants more efficiently . ”
— Travis Beck , theater director of horticulture
Katie Bohri is the marketing and communicating coordinator at the Mt. Cuba Center .
Photos , except where noted : good manners of Mt. Cuba Center
Sources
all right Gardening recommend Products
SHOWA Atlas 370B Nitrile Palm Coating Gloves , Black , Medium ( Pack of 12 Pairs )
Fine Gardening receive a commission for item purchased through links on this site , include Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising course of study .
Plant Covers Freeze Protection 10 ft x 30 ft Floating Row Cover 0.9oz / yd²
Planting in a Post - risky earth : Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
Get our in vogue tips , how - to article , and instructional videos sent to your inbox .
signalise you up …
Related Articles
Stunning Prairie Natives for the Southern Plains
Propagating Natives by Seed in the Mid-Atlantic
Designing a Native Mixed Border in the Mountain West
Unique North American Natives for the Midwest
link Fine Gardening for a free engaging live webinar feature Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned plant diagnostician as well as prof emerita at Purdue University and the ornamental technological manager …
When I blot a especial sand dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I knew I was in bother . With a delicious color pattern …
When we only prioritize plant we want over plants our landscape need , each time of year is filled with a never - end lean of chores : pruning , pinching , watering , treating , amending , and fertilizing , with …
Subscribe today and save up to 47%
Video
Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat
You must be careful when you infix the backyard of garden interior decorator Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to trip on something , but because you might be dive - bombed by a pair …
4 Midsummer Favorites From a Plant Breeder’s Garden
Episode 181: Plants You Can’t Kill
Episode 180: Plants with Big, Bold Foliage
4 Steps to Remove Invasive Plants in Your Yard
All Access members get more
signalise up for afree trialand get accession to ALL our regional cognitive content , plus the rest of the member - only subject matter program library .
come out Free Trial
Get complete site access code to expert advice , regional subject matter , and more , plus the mark powder magazine .
Start your FREE trial
Already a member?sign in
