What Plants Do Well in Partial Sunlight & Hot Temperatures?

Annuals

• Annuals or bedding plants live for only one growing season, but many bloom or have colorful foliage for months. Most annuals grow best in sunny sites with moist, well-drained soil, but a few tolerate heat and partial shade, such as dusty miller (Senecio cineraria). This annual grows to 10 inches tall with a 12-inch spread and is grown for its silvery gray foliage. Helioptrope thrives in partial shade and tolerates heat. This 18- to 36-inch-tall plant blooms in summer with clusters of white, blue and purple flowers.

Perennials

• Perennials live for at least three years -- some for many more -- although most die back to the ground over the winter. Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), a wildflower, grows well in partial shade and tolerates high temperatures. This 3-foot-tall perennial blooms with orange-red and yellow flowers that attract pollinators. It grows best in well-draining soil. Phlox (Phlox paniculata) thrives in moist, well-drained soil and partial shade. This summer-bloomer produces white, blue and pink flowers and grows from 2 to 3 feet tall.

Ground Covers

• Ground covers fill in empty sites, preventing weed growth, erosion and runoff with their roots and foliage. Carpet bugle or ajuga (Ajuga reptans) tolerates heat and thrives in partial to full shade. This evergreen spreads quickly and blooms with blue-purple flowers atop 6-inch stems. It grows best in sandy soil and thrives in moist sites. For even more color, plant showy sedum (Sedum spectabile). This deciduous ground cover grows to 18 inches tall with a similar spread and blooms in late summer with clusters of dark pink flowers. It prefers afternoon shade and well-drained, sandy soil.

Shrubs

• Shrubs form boundaries within the landscape and add privacy to your yard. For hot sites, plant aucuba (Aucuba japonica), an evergreen that thrives in partial shade and tolerates high temperatures. This shrub has glossy, tough foliage and grows to 10 feet tall with a 6-foot spread. Winter sun can damage the aucuba. The creeping gardenia (Gardenia augusta “Radicans”) is also sensitive to winter sun. This evergreen grows to 2 feet tall with a 4-foot spread and is prized for its white, aromatic summer flowers. Creeping gardenias grow best in acidic, moist soil and partially shaded to sunny sites.

Trees

• Trees form focal points in the landscape. They shade the garden in summer and block wind and sound. The red maple (Acer rubrum) thrives in shady sites and tolerates a variety of site conditions, including heat. This deciduous tree grows to 60 feet tall and turns yellow, orange and red in fall. It tolerates wet soil and air pollution. Another deciduous tree, the sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), also grows well in partial shade and heat. This North American native has a thick trunk and grows up to 100 feet tall. It has attractive white bark and an airy, open canopy.