They’re not big and showy, but do have an eye-catching, natural appeal.
Plants grow in the range of eight to 24 inches tall and wide, and have excellent drought and heat tolerance.
Dusty miller is outstanding in borders, mixed beds, and containers as well as rockeries and waterwise gardens – and the foliage is stellar for illuminating moon gardens!
Hardy in Zones 8 to 11.
‘Silver Lace’ Dusty Miller
‘Silver Lace’ is a highly decorative cultivar with delicate, lace-like foliage.
You can find seeds in packets of 100 available at Burpee.
Learn to grow dusty miller here.
9. Euphorbia
Tough and resilient, euphorbia (Euphorbia spp.) species are popular for their uniquely colored foliage, including glaucus green, gold, maroon, plum, and orangey red and colorful blooms (bracts) of bright chartreuse, coral, green, rosy pink, white, or acid yellow.
Plants sizes vary depending on the species and cultivar and range from eight to 72 inches, with most types in bloom from early spring to early summer.
They feature excellent heat and drought tolerance and the milky latex sap keeps pesky herbivores away.
Use euphorbia to add distinctive color to mixed beds, containers, and naturalized or xeric gardens.
‘Miner’s Merlot’ Euphorbia
‘Miner’s Merlot’ is an E. amygdaloides hybrid that has fantastic wine red foliage with chartreuse bracts. It grows up to 24 inches tall and is suitable for cultivation in Zones 6 to 9.
You can find ‘Miner’s Merlot’ available from Nature Hills Nursery.
Read our guide to growing euphorbia.
10. Kangaroo Paws
For hot, dry heat, kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos spp.) bear upright stems with clusters of tubular buds in hot shades of orange, red, and yellow, with a long blooming period from late spring to fall.
Native to Australia, these highly drought tolerant plants grow six to 72 to inches tall and spread up to 48 inches, making an attractive and effective barrier or border, and in containers, rockeries, and xeric gardens.
Hardy in Zones 10 and 11.
11. Lantana
A tropical gem that hails from Central and South America plus parts of Africa, lantana (Lantana spp.) is characterized by its attractive clusters of multi-hued florets, including shades of apricot, cerise, coral, orange, scarlet, pink, purple, white, and yellow.
Tough and durable, lantana forms handsome mounds, with the stems growing up to 60 inches long and spreading up to 24 inches, and the nectar-rich blooms drawing in bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
These plants flourish in hot sun and dry conditions and make a robust choice for low barriers, containers, ground covers, or any xeric setting.
Lantana is hardy in Zones 7 to 11.
Bandana ‘Cherry’ Lantana
‘Cherry’ is a cultivar in the Bandana® series featuring multicolored pink, purple, and yellow flowers. Cultivars in this series feature flowers that are larger than the species plants.
You can find Bandana® ‘Cherry’ available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Check out our lantana growing guide to learn more.
12. Lavender
Beloved for their heavenly scent, lavender plants feature spikes of beautiful rose, pink, or purple florets that bloom in early to midsummer, depending on the variety.
The low, shrubby plants are ideal for low barriers, beds, and containers or in rockeries and herb or xeric gardens, with the sweet flowers attracting a variety of beneficial pollinating insects.
In areas with hot, dry heat, lavandin cultivars like those in the Phenomenal series (L. x intermedia) give the best performance while the French (L. dentata), Portuguese (L. latifolia), and Spanish (L. stoechas) varieties are better equipped to handle humidity.
Phenomenal ‘Niko’ Lavender
Phenomenal ‘Niko’ is available in one-quart and one-gallon containers at Nature Hills Nursery.
‘Lavish Purple’ Spanish Lavender
And Spanish ‘Lavish Purple’ plants are available at Burpee.
For more suggestions, check out the best lavenders for hot climates. Need growing advice? Find our guide to growing lavender here.
13. Obedient Plant
Another native plant found throughout North America, obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) bears tall, terminal spikes of tubular, snapdragon-like blossoms in pretty pastel shades of pale pink, mauve, and creamy white.
The buds open from late summer to mid-autumn and attract birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
These fast-spreading plants are highly versatile and low maintenance, tolerating wet soil, poor drainage, and humidity.
Growing in the range of 24 to 48 inches tall and wide, obedient plants make a sound choice for late color in cottage gardens, meadows, and creek, pond, or woodland margins.
Hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
‘Vivid’ Obedient Plant
‘Vivid’ has vibrant lavender blooms and tops out at about 24 inches tall.
You can find ‘Vivid’ available at Nature Hills.
14. Pavonia
A North American native, pavonia (Pavonia lasiopetala) produces masses of sweet and simple, bright pink hibiscus-like blossoms from mid-spring through summer and into fall.
Each flower lasts just a day, but buds are constantly being set for a continuous and long-lasting display.
A semi-woody shrub that grows 24 to 48 inches tall and wide, selectively snip the stems throughout the growing season to keep plants compact and producing new buds.
Happy in intense sun and arid conditions, pavonia adds colorful beauty to low barriers, foundations, planters, or any low water setting, and attracts bees and butterflies.
Hardy in Zones 8 to 11.
15. Salvia
Highly drought and heat tolerant once established, salvia (Salvia) varieties bear multiple upright racemes of bell-shaped or tubular blooms in brilliant shades of blue, mauve, pink, purple, scarlet, white, or yellow.
Another months-long performer, salvia is native to Asia and the Americas, blooming from late spring to fall and attracting a host of pollinators to beds, containers, rockeries, plus cottage, cutting, and naturalized gardens.
Common sage (S. officinalis) is a popular Salvia species and is delightful in gravel, herb, and rock gardens.
Hardy in Zones 9 to 11, a wide range of salvia cultivars offer a variety of characteristics for various settings.
Some are good for hot, arid conditions while others are better suited for heat and humidity.
Evolution Salvia
‘Evolution’ is a hybrid cultivar with deep purple flowers that works in heat, sun, and humidity.
It is available in one-gallon pots at Nature Hills Nursery.
Learn more about growing salvia here.
16. Strawflower
A wild plant indigenous to Australian grasslands, strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum) features daisy-like blooms with multiple rows of stiff, papery petals in colors of orange, pink, purple, white, and yellow with matching or contrasting centers.
Growing 15 to 36 inches tall and spreading up to 24 inches, they have a long blooming season of early summer through to fall, extended by consistent deadheading, and attract many types of pollinators.
Strawflowers make a bright addition to beds, borders, containers, and rock or naturalized gardens and feature good heat and drought resistance once established.
Plants are hardy in Zones 8 to 11, and are grown as annuals elsewhere.
‘Bright Rose’ Strawflowers
‘Bright Rose’ features hot pink petals surrounding a yellow center, for a colorful display.
You can find ‘Bright Rose’ seeds in a variety of packet sizes available via Eden Brothers.
Check out our strawflower growing guide!
17. Trumpet Vine
Native to the southeastern US, trumpet vines or trumpet creepers (Campsis radicans) are vigorous growers covered in flared bugle-like flowers during summer.
A favorite of hummingbirds, these sun-loving vines are heat and drought tolerant and can reach a mature size of 25 to 40 feet long with a spread of five to 10 feet.
For the best displays, they need a strong and sturdy support to grow on such as an arbor, fence, or trellis.
Trumpet Vine
Prune freely as needed to keep its rather aggressive growth habit in check. Hardy in Zones 4 to 9.
Bare root plants are available at Nature Hills.
18. Verbena
Garden verbena (V. x hybrida) refers to cultivars of Verbena species native to the Americas and have mounding, trailing, or upright habits covered with clusters of starry florets in sumptuous shades of apricot, blue, mauve, mango, pink, red, white, and bicolors.
