15 Best Plants and Shrubs That Thrive in Afternoon Sun
As an avid gardener, I’ve spent countless sunny afternoons experimenting with different plants to find those that can truly thrive under the intense afternoon sun. Through trial and error, I’ve discovered some of the best plants and shrubs that thrive in afternoon sun. In this post, I share low maintenance plants you can plant in full sun.
Finding the best plants for hot summer sun is like picking the perfect beach buddy. You need someone who loves basking in the rays, doesn’t complain about getting thirsty, and won’t wilt at the first sign of heat. So, here’s the lowdown on your new green best friends:
Understanding Sun Exposure and Light Levels
When it comes to gardening, understanding sun exposure and light levels is key. Here’s a quick rundown:
- Full Sunlight: At least six hours of direct sunlight per day. This is perfect for sun-loving plants.
- Part Sun/Part Shade: About 3-6 hours of direct sunlight per day. These plants often thrive with morning sun and afternoon shade.
- Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight per day, usually filtered through a tree canopy. Ideal for shade plants.
- Light Shade: Filtered sunlight, often found in areas with morning shade and afternoon sun.
Key Considerations for Plant Selection
- Sun Exposure: Match plants with the light conditions they prefer to ensure they thrive. Plant in full sun.
- Soil Type and Quality: Well-drained soil enriched with organic matter is essential for healthy plant growth.
- Watering Needs: Some plants love dry soil, while others need consistent moisture.
Top Plants and Shrubs for Afternoon Sun
1. Panicle Hydrangea
Panicle hydrangeas have been a delightful addition to my garden. Their stunning, cone-shaped flowers brighten up any space, and they handle the afternoon sun with grace.
- Sun Exposure: Part Sun- some varieties can also be planted in full sun.
- Soil Type: Well-drained soil
- Bloom Time: Late Spring to Early Fall
- Features: Large, showy blooms in colors ranging from white to pink.
- Care Tips: Regular watering is crucial, especially during dry periods.
2. Crepe Myrtle
Crepe Myrtle produces large clusters of crinkled, crepe-like flowers in colors such as pink, red, lavender, purple, and white from late spring through early autumn. The smooth bark, which peels to reveal various colors, and the oval leaves, which can turn brilliant shades of yellow, orange, or red in fall, add year-round visual interest.
Crepe myrtles are popular ornamental plants in gardens, parks, and streetscapes due to their aesthetic appeal and low maintenance needs.
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Soil Type: Adaptable to various soil types
- Bloom Time: Mid-Summer to Early Fall
- Features: Bright, colorful flowers in shades of pink, white, and red.
- Care Tips: Prune in late winter to encourage new growth.
3. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a spiky, green plant that is famous for its thick, juicy leaves filled with a soothing gel. This plant is often used for its healing properties. Plant Aloe Vera in full sun.
If you get a cut, sunburn, or minor burn, you can break open an aloe leaf and spread the gel on your skin to help it feel better and heal faster.
Aloe vera is easy to grow, doesn’t need much water, and likes sunny spots, making it a common plant in homes and gardens. It’s also used in lotions, drinks, and even some foods because it has vitamins and can be good for your health.
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Sun
- Soil Type: Dry, well-drained soil
- Features: Known for its medicinal properties and low maintenance.
- Care Tips: Minimal watering; perfect for hot spaces with little water.
4. Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
The snake plant, also known as “mother-in-law’s tongue,” is a cool, tough plant. The snake plant is a versatile, easy-care option that adds a touch of green to those tricky light conditions.
- Sun Exposure: Part Sun to Light Shade
- Soil Type: Well-drained soil
- Features: Tolerates a wide range of light conditions and is incredibly low maintenance.
- Care Tips: Water sparingly; great for foundation plantings.
5. Black-Eyed Susan
Black-eyed Susans bring a cheerful splash of color to my garden beds and are a magnet for butterflies and bees.
It’s a popular plant because it’s easy to grow and adds a splash of color to gardens from summer to fall. These flowers attract bees and butterflies, helping with pollination. They can grow in various conditions but prefer sunny spots and well-drained soil. The black-eyed Susan is also the state flower of Maryland, making it a symbol of beauty and resilience.
- Sun Exposure: Plan In Full Sun
- Soil Type: Well-drained soil
- Bloom Time: Summer Months
- Features: Bright yellow flowers that attract pollinators.
- Care Tips: Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming.
6. Wild Plum Tree
The wild plum tree, or American plum (Prunus americana), is a small, deciduous tree known for its tasty, edible plums, which can be enjoyed fresh or used in jams and pies. It has beautiful white or pink flowers in the spring, attracting bees and other pollinators, and providing food and habitat for birds and wildlife. Hardy and adaptable to various soil types and climates, the wild plum tree is easy to care for and adds visual appeal and ecological benefits to any garden or landscape.
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Soil Type: Well-drained, fertile soil
- Bloom Time: Early Spring
- Features: Fragrant white flowers and edible fruit.
- Care Tips: Regular watering during the growing season is essential.
7. Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’ (Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Autumn Fire’)
Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’ is a resilient and visually striking plant that adds a pop of color to late summer and fall gardens. This plant is a sun loving fellow, not a shade loving plant at all. Its ability to thrive in arid conditions makes it a perfect choice for low-maintenance landscapes.
- Sun Exposure: Plant In Full Sun
- Soil Type: Well-drained, arid soil
- Bloom Time: Late Summer to Fall
- Features: Easy-to-grow, low-maintenance succulent with rosy pink flowers that mature to salmon bronze and eventually deepen to a coppery red.
- Care Tips: Requires minimal watering; thrives in dry, arid climates.
8. Jade Plant
The jade plant is a popular, easy-to-care-for succulent that thrives in sunny areas. Many people even plant jade plants indoors.
Known for its thick, glossy, green leaves and tree-like appearance, it prefers bright, indirect sunlight and can even tolerate direct sun. It’s highly drought-tolerant, needing minimal watering, making it perfect for low-maintenance gardening. The jade plant is also believed to bring good luck and prosperity, often used as a decorative houseplant in homes and offices. Its ability to thrive in sunny spots and its attractive, sturdy foliage make it a great addi
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Sun
- Soil Type: Dry, well-drained soil
- Features: Low maintenance and great for rock gardens.
- Care Tips: Minimal watering; ideal for sunny spots.
9. Sonic Bloom Pink Weigela (Weigela florida ‘Bokrasopin’)
The Sonic Bloom Pink Weigela has become one of my favorite garden additions. It delivers a spectacular flower show from late spring to early summer, with continuous blooms until the fall frost, attracting hummingbirds all season long.
- Sun Exposure: Plant In Full Sun to Part Sun
- Soil Type: Well-drained soil
- Bloom Time: Late Spring to Fall Frost
- Features: Reblooming weigela with stunning pink flowers that are a hummingbird favorite.
- Size: Grows 4′ to 5′ tall and wide at maturity.
- Hardiness: Hardy in Zones 4-8.
10. Shrub Roses
Shrub roses have been a wonderful addition to my garden, offering versatility and stunning blooms with a delightful fragrance. They’re a staple in my foundation plantings and mixed borders.
- Sun Exposure: Plant in Full Sun
- Soil Type: Well-drained soil
- Bloom Time: Late Spring to Early Fall
- Features: Beautiful and versatile, shrub roses are perfect for foundation plantings, hedges, or mixed borders. Notable varieties include the white ‘Susan Williams-Ellis’ and pink ‘The Mayflower’, both of which have a rich rose fragrance.
- Size: Average size of 4-1/2′ tall and 3-1/2′ wide.
- Hardiness: Hardy in Zones 4-11.
11. Fairy Magnolia White
The Fairy Magnolia White is a charming addition to my garden, providing beautiful, fragrant blooms and a compact growth habit that works well as a hedge or small tree. I love white perennial flowers especially fragrant blooms.
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Soil Type: Well-drained soil
- Bloom Time: Early to Late Spring
- Features: This sun-loving magnolia cousin produces fragrant blooms along branches covered with glossy evergreen leaves. It has a compact, bushy habit that makes it a stunning hedge, or it can be grown as a small tree by removing the lower branches.
- Size: Grows 9′ to 12′ tall and 5′ to 7′ wide.
- Hardiness: Hardy in Zones 7b-11.
12. Perfume Princess Daphne
Perfume Princess Daphne has been a delightful evergreen addition, filling my garden with its rich fragrance and beautiful blooms from mid-winter to spring. Its evergreen leaves provide year-round interest, making it a garden favorite.
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Soil Type: Acid, well-drained soil
- Bloom Time: Midwinter to Spring
- Features: Renowned for its rich fragrance, Perfume Princess Daphne offers an earlier, longer flowering window. Evergreen leaves keep it attractive all winter long.
- Size: Grows 4′ tall and 3′ wide.
- Hardiness: Hardy in Zones 7-9.
13. Sunjoy Todo® Barberry (Berberis x)
Sunjoy Todo® Barberry is an excellent choice for low hedging or mass plantings. Its deep purple foliage and bright red berries add vibrant color to the landscape, and it’s deer-resistant to boot!
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun
- Soil Type: Well-drained soil
- Features: Semi-evergreen with deep purple foliage, small yellow flowers, and bright red berries in fall. Non-invasive and deer-resistant.
- Size: Grows 18-24” tall and wide.
- Hardiness: Hardy in Zones 6-8.
14. Euonymus “Emerald ‘N Gold”
Euonymus “Emerald ‘N Gold” brings year-round color and cheer to any garden. Its changing leaf color from vibrant green and gold to brilliant reddish-pink adds a dynamic visual interest to the winter landscape.
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Soil Type: Well-drained soil
- Features: Evergreen shrub with vibrantly green leaves edged in gold, turning brilliant reddish-pink in fall and winter. Spreads by rooting stems.
- Size: Grows up to 4 feet tall and wide.
- Hardiness: Hardy in Zones 5-9.
15. Boxwood
Boxwood is a classic choice for any garden, offering year-round greenery and a versatile, formal look. Its dense foliage makes it perfect for creating hedges or shaping into topiaries. While it can tolerate full sun, providing some afternoon shade in hot climates can help prevent leaf burn.
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
- Soil Type: Well-drained soil
- Bloom Time: Spring (Inconspicuous)
- Features: Dense, evergreen shrub with small, glossy leaves. Ideal for hedging and topiary.
- Care Tips: Regular pruning to maintain shape; prefers slightly acidic soil.
Tips for Success
- Proper Care: Always follow the plant tag for detailed information on light, water, and soil requirements.
- Soil Quality: Amend your soil with organic matter to improve drainage and nutrient content.
- Watering: Adjust your watering schedule based on the plant’s needs and the soil type.
- Mulching: Helps retain moisture and keep roots cool during the hottest part of the day.
- Positioning: Place taller plants strategically to provide afternoon shade for smaller, more delicate plants.
Gardening is all about experimenting and finding the right balance. By understanding the light patterns and soil requirements in your garden, you can select the best plants and shrubs that will not only survive but thrive in afternoon sun. Whether you’re aiming for vibrant flowers, evergreen shrubs, or low-maintenance plants, there’s a wide range of options to create a beautiful, resilient garden. Happy planting!
