Hot sun is tough on plants in general, but when it comes to selecting shrubs, there are some that really perform well and some that don’t. It’s important to choose wisely.
It may be obvious, but the reason that sun exposure is a big consideration is that if there are no trees or buildings in the “plantable” space, that condition equals high sun exposure. If the notion of planting a shrub that is well suited for shade or partial shade – holly, hydrangea, honeysuckle, euonymous, weigela, yews, mahonia, etc, – it’s going to struggle and you’re going to be disappointed.
When choosing, consider “can’t miss” classics such as the ones below, then narrow the list to the ones that fit the available space in terms of height and width. It’s wise to pay attention to the plant care tag as well as the (T) tall, (M) medium, (S) short and (V) variable notes next to these choices.
Viburnums (V) Can’t go wrong with this group of plants and there are at least a dozen choices.
Dogwoods (V) Just tough plants!
Chokecherry (T) Really low maintenance and a good screening plant.
Burning Bush (T) Loves the sun and rewards you with great fall color.
Lilac (T) An old standard, great blooms, but can have a few pest problems.
Chokeberry (M) Recently popular because of the fruit and color.
Beautyberry (M) Loves sun and shade and has vivid fall color.
Blue Mist Spirea (S) Low maintenance and great blue flowers. Simple pruning needed in spring.
Butterfly Bush (M-T) Tough plant and yes, it attracts butterflies.
Ninebark (M) Tough plant with attractive foliage.
Winterberry (S-M) Deciduous holly with bright orange berries.
Staghorn Sumac (T) Tough to kill, bright red foliage in fall.
Cotoneaster (M) Great green foliage, colorful fruit, generally few pests.
Coralberry (M) Soft foliage, prune to lessen flopping.
Flowering Quince (M) Red flowers before the foliage in spring.
