Top 15+ low-maintenance plants that thrive in full sun (even in the heat)
Careful plant selection is the secret to growing beautiful fuss-free gardens.
We all want to spend more time enjoying our gardens and less time maintaining them. The first step to cultivating a fuss-free garden is selecting the appropriate plants. These low-maintenance garden beauties require less pruning, deadheading, and pest management to keep them looking good. Some are selected for their compact forms, which require little to no pruning to maintain a well-manicured appearance. Others tolerate challenging growing conditions, like heat and drought, or were bred to overcome common problems such as heavy soil. They thrive in full sun, providing stunning color and texture to beds and borders without all the work.
It is important to note that even low-maintenance plants do require some maintenance, especially during the establishment phase. Provide supplemental irrigation as needed during the first year after planting to develop a robust root system. Plants that require rich soil benefit from annual fertilizer applications, typically in spring. Many herbaceous perennials benefit from cutting back in late winter before new growth emerges.
01 of 15
Bells of Fire™ Tecoma
- Botanical Name: Tecoma stans 'TEC6010916'
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Rich, medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline (5.5-8.5)
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 8 to 11
This compact tecoma brings tropical flair to gardens and containers with showy foliage and trumpet-shaped blooms that open all season long. The red-orange blossoms attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators and are self-cleaning so there’s no need to deadhead spent blooms. Foliage remains evergreen in frost-free areas.
02 of 15
Butterfly Milkweed
- Botanical Name: Asclepia tuberosa
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Average, dry to medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Mildly acidic to alkaline (5.5-7.5)
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
This easy-to-grow member of the milkweed family is extremely versatile, performing equally well in poor, dry soil and loamy garden beds, so long as they drain well. The aptly named plant is a butterfly magnet, serves as a larval host to monarch butterflies, and attracts numerous other pollinators. A drought tolerant plant perfect for exposed sunny sites, xeriscape gardens, or anywhere you want a pop of vibrant color.
03 of 15
Tickseed
- Botanical Name: Coreopsis spp. and hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Average to lean, dry to medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Slightly Acidic (5.5-6.5)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Coreopsis is an essential plant for butterfly and wildlife gardens. Yellow, nectar-rich blooms support butterflies, bees, and other pollinators while tiny seeds provide an important food source for songbirds. The genus includes a great diversity of plant types, with both annual and perennial varieties performing well in the garden. Species range in size from the foot-tall ear-leaved tickseed (C. auriculata) to tall coreopsis (C. tripteris), which reaches heights up to 9 feet!
04 of 15
Phenomenal™ Lavender
- Botanical Name: Lavandula hybrid 'Niko'
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Dry to medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline (6.5-8.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
A lavender tailor-made for Southern gardens, Phenomenal® lavender stands up to summer humidity, clay soil, and disease-causing organisms without sacrificing style. Plants look simply stunning in the garden, with silvery foliage and heaven-scented blooms abuzz with pollinators. Phenomenal® lavender blooms earlier than other varieties and has good heat and cold tolerance.
05 of 15
Yarrow
- Botanical Name: Achillea spp. and hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Dry to medium, well-draining, lean
- Soil pH: Acid (
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Yarrow adds lush texture and color to planting beds with soft, lacy foliage and large, flat-topped flowerheads. Plants flower in shades of yellow, red, pink, or white and are always buzzing with pollinators. This fuss-free group of plants tolerates challenging growing conditions, including heat, drought, and humidity and the gorgeous foliage is unbothered by deer and rabbits. Take care to provide well-draining soil and avoid overwatering.
06 of 15
Rose Verbena
- Botanical Name: Verbena canadensis
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Average, dry to medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (5.8-7.2)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
Rose verbena is a spreading native perennial that performs well as a groundcover or border plant in pollinator plantings, coastal gardens, and containers. Pink to purple blooms open over a long season, coloring the garden from late spring through fall to the delight of butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. This hard-working plant tolerates heat, drought, salt, and humidity, and provides good soil stabilization on slopes.
07 of 15
Salvia
- Botanical Name: Salvia spp. and hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Average, dry to medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Adaptable (6.0-8.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
Salvia is a large group of plants that includes many US natives adored for their abundant blooms. The many species and varieties available flower in a rainbow of colors and are wonderful for attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, bumblebees, and other pollinators. Salvias thrive in summer heat and tolerate drought and salt, making them quite adaptable to coastal gardens.
08 of 15
Mini Touch™ Holly
- Botanical Name: Ilex crenata 'BLHO2'
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Average, medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to neutral (5.0-7.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Growing just two feet tall and wide, this dwarf Japanese holly is perfect for containers or edging garden beds. Plants require little pruning to maintain a dense, mounded form, making an ideal, easy-care border. The small, dark green foliage adds lovely texture to plantings and is unbothered by pests.
09 of 15
Blanket Flower
- Botanical Name: Gaillardia x grandiflora
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Average, dry to medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline (5.5-8.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
Developed from a cross between native annual and perennial species, hybrid blanket flowers are not particularly long-lived, but they make up for such shortcomings with an abundance of blooms. Flowering non-stop summer-through fall in showy combinations of yellow, orange, and red, blanket flower provides a good source of nectar to native bees and butterflies, while the small seeds are eaten by finches. Provide good drainage to enhance winter survival.
10 of 15
Canna
- Botanical Name: Canna hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Rich, moist, well-draining
- Soil pH: Slightly acidic (6.0-6.5)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
Cannas add tropical flair to gardens and container plantings with bold, colorful foliage and showy blooms. This adaptable plant tolerates drought, occasional wet soil, heat, and humidity, making it a real problem-solver in hard to plant areas. Once established, cannas require very little care to keep them flowering mid-summer through fall. Their main requirement is good-drainage, particularly during winter.
11 of 15
Showy Stonecrop
- Botanical Name: Hylotelephium spectabile
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Average to lean, dry to medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Adaptable (6.0-8.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Stonecrops or sedums are succulent perennials adored for their large pollinator-friendly flowerheads that open in showy pink, purple, and rose-red hues. Plants flower late in the season, providing an important source of nectar to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Stonecrops are known for their heat and drought tolerance. Pinch or cut back the stems in spring to encourage better branching.
12 of 15
Night Light® Hinoki Cypress
- Botanical Name: Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Conschlecht'
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Average, medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acid to alkaline soil (5.0 to 8.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
Hinoki cypress plants add gorgeous texture to landscape plantings with flattened sprays of scale-like leaves that have a fern-like appearance. Night Light® is a handsome, compact variety, producing radiant golden foliage that takes on bronze and chartreuse hues in winter. The plant grows as a dense mound with no pruning. Plant as an accent or low informal hedge. Night Light® Hinoki cypress also performs well in containers, even in exposed sights.
13 of 15
Arkansas Amsonia
- Botanical Name: Amsonia hubrichtii
- Sun Exposure: Full sun top part shade
- Soil Type: Average, medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Mildly acidic to neutral (6.2-7.0)
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 5 to 8
With feathery, threadlike foliage and a dense mounding habit, Arkansas amsonia adds gorgeous texture to gardens all season long. As a bonus, the foliage turns a brilliant golden hue in autumn. While you’ll want to grow this native perennial for its foliage alone, it also produces attractive star-shaped blue flowers in spring to the delight of foraging butterflies. Plants are deer-resistant and tolerate drought and poor soil, including clay or sand.
14 of 15
Beebalm
- Botanical Name: Monarda spp.
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Rich, medium to moist
- Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.2)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Despite its name, beebalm is adored by hummingbirds and butterflies as well as a diversity of bee species. This native perennial thrives in full sun, where the foliage is less susceptible to downy mildew. Several species are native to North America, flowering in vibrant red, purple, and pink hues. While plants can stand up to four feet tall, numerous smaller hybrids are commercially available. Plants tolerate a range of soils and are unbothered by rabbits or deer.
15 of 15
Juniper
- Botanical Name: Juniperus spp. and cltvs.
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Average, medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to Alkaline (5.0 to 8.5)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Junipers are tough adaptable plants that thrive with little care, yet they bring long-lasting structure and color to the garden. Varieties range in form from low and spreading to upright and pyramidal. Foliage also varies considerably, with lush green, golden yellow, and steel blue varieties available. Given these options, there is a juniper for just about any landscape application, including groundcovers, specimens, foundation plantings, windbreaks, and screen.
