Summer heat is here in the Midwest, so we thought we’d let resident plant and flower expert and Business Logistics Manager Tracy Stone share some of her favorite heat-resistant plants. These are varieties we use on our commercial properties around Kansas City.

These are in no particular order, but pepper a few into your landscape for some ultra heat-resistance in your landscape with these low-maintenance beauties. 

Prepare your garden for the temps to come by choosing flowers that are super tolerant of extreme heat, harsh sunlight and dry soil. 

1. SEDUM

Sedum comes in a variety of colors and styles.   It’s a dessert plant so it can go long periods without water.  It provides color all year round as it blooms late summer and is brilliant all fall.

Sedum – Lime zinger

Sedum – AUTUMN JOY

2. WALKERS CATMINT

Part sun to full sun, This is one of the most hearty of the natives.  It does great in poor soil and because it’s a native it doesn’t require much water.  Blooms late spring to fall. 

3. LITTLE BLUE STEM GRASS

This beautiful blue grass is drought tolerant and tolerant of poor soil.   Provides Fall and Winter interest as it seeds and turns red to brown.

4. DAYLILY

Blooms Mid-Summer the green leaves provides a great color and structure in beds.  It’s a native plant that comes in many colors like Ruby and orange . While it needs sun to have to bloom it does great In part sun.

5. NANDINA FIRE POWER

Nandina Fire Power aka Heavenly Bamboo Shrub.  This one of my favorite shrubs because of its winter color.  It starts out green in the Spring and Summer then turns bright red in the Fall and Winter dropping its leaves in late February.

6. ECHINACEA /CONE FLOWERS

While our native is Echinacea Purpurea, they are drought tolerant and don’t need great soil.  The newer hybrids offer other colors then purple.  Many like Cheyenne Spirit bloom all season instead of just June and July

7. ANNUALS

Top two favorites that are drought tolerant, Coleus and Begonias, come in a variety of colors. These both love shade or sun. 

COLEUS

8. MILLENIUM ONION

Ornamental Onions are the ornamental variety of onions or chives. Like chives, they have great purple round blooms that are striking in landscape designs.

9. CORAL BELLS (Heuchera)

This is a wonderful shade-loving plant that comes in many shades from oranges to reds and bright greens. It’s great plant that can line the edge of a bed.

10. HOSTAS

You can never really go wrong this popular, hearty plant.   They come in a variety of sizes and colors, like part sun to shade and keep their green colors through the fall.