Plants That Don't Mind The Heat

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia 'Dynamite')

We had a string of really hot days last week, as high as 104. Yesterday and today have been perfect with temperatures in the mid to high 70s and no humidity. Hot weather returns tomorrow for a 3-day run. I hate it but these plants don't seem to mind -

Of course there are the heat-loving crape myrtles. Incredibly beautiful trees and they thrived in the south - here they seem to do rather well although not as fast growing.  'Dynamite' starts blooming in mid-August for me. 'Catawba', a purple variety planted next to the back deck, usually blooms earlier but it was late this year.

'Catawba' 

One of my favorites is 'Lunar Magic' which I grow in a pot. The deep burgundy foliage perfectly contrasts with the white blooms. 

'Lunar Magic'

One of my favorite small trees - the Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) - 

Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel' in a pot outside our front window. We have one in the ground in the back garden. Both have just started to bloom -

The blooms are really huge -

The only canna I grow is 'Panache'. It is now in a pot after placing it in a different spot in the ground every year and failing to find a place that I liked. In the pot, it has bloomed better than ever so that is where it will stay. I bring it into the garage during the winter months.

Canna 'Panache'

Also in a pot is 'Little Miss Figgy' with several figs on it. I don't know how to tell when these are ready to pick -

'Little Miss Figgy'

Russian Sage (Perovskia) - these got much larger than I expected although I love them. I'm debating on moving them next year and perhaps try to find a smaller variety -

Mandevilla 'Sun Parsol Giant Crimson' - this was given to me at the end of the season at the garden center, a huge plant from Monrovia that didn't sell (I'm sure the price had something to do with it). I have never been able to over-winter a mandevilla until now. This time I put a grow light in the garage and lo and behold, it made it. I then planted it this spring by the mailbox in my still-struggling attempt to find a vine to cover it. It has grown nicely but just now beginning to bloom -

Mandevilla 'Sun Parsol Giant Crimson'

Over by the garage bin is Sumac 'Tiger Eyes' in a pot with ornamental grass 'Karl Foerster' behind it. To the back left is Canadian Hemlock 'Emerald Fountain' (Tsuga canadensis 'Monler') and to the right is Catalpa 'Aurea' -

Sumac, Nicotiana, 'Essex' Rose, Phormium 'Rainbow Queen' under 'Wolf Eyes' Dogwood

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy