These annuals can take the heat
Creating beautiful plantings in window boxes and containers? Easy. Keeping the plants beautiful when summer temperatures soar? That can be a bit tricky.
Luckily, some annuals can beat this summer slump. If you have containers that bake in full sun, here are a few strong performers that won’t let you down when the going gets tough:
Egyptian star flower (Pentas). Big, showy clusters of small, star-shaped flowers top dark-green foliage that doesn’t fade in the summer sunlight. This annual comes in your choice of pink, red, lavender, magenta or white flowers. Butterflies and hummingbirds adore the blossoms, adding to the pleasure.
The plants grow 12 to 18 inches tall.
Flowering vinca (Catharanthus). Spent flowers drop off on their own, so no dead-heading is needed to keep these plants looking spectacular throughout the summer. I love the glossygreen foliage and the simple five-petaled flowers.
Most varieties grow about a foot tall. Bloom colors include pink, white, red, rose, lavender and now — thanks to the All-America Selections winner Jams ’N Jellies — deep purple.
In the unlikely event of a cool, wet summer, the Cora vinca series has proven to be particularly adept at fending off disease.
Melampodium. Bright yellow flowers cover these bushy plants. As with vinca, the flowers drop off as they shrivel, eliminating the need for constant trimming. Bright-green foliage is seldom bothered by any pest or disease.
The size of these bushy plants varies, but most varieties sold as annual bedding plants grow about a foot tall.
Lantana. If you love butterflies, fill containers near your patio or deck with lantanas so you can enjoy the near constant parade of butterflies that come to visit the flowers.
The abundant clusters bloom in many bright colors and color combinations. Most plants are bushy and upright, but there are also some cascading varieties that look great spilling over the side of a container.
Lantana is impervious to pests and diseases. Once you purchase your plants, you might want to overwinter lantanas indoors for a head start next spring.
Angelonia. Sometimes called summer snapdragon, angelonia has spikes of two-lipped flowers that resemble its namesake. But unlike snapdragons, angelonias can take the heat.
They come in a range of heights, so check tags before you buy. Color choices include lavender, orchid, pink, purple, violet and white, along with some two-toned flowers.
The spikes make long-lasting cut flowers in bouquets. Another plus: deer ignore angelonias.
What else can stand the heat: Ornamental pepper, zinnia, gazania, moss rose, purslane and euphorbia, to name a few.