Hot Plants for Bold Color All Summer Long

Hot Plants for Bold Color All Summer Long


Celebrate summer with bold, tropical plants that love the heat and offer exotic flowers from today all the way to frost. Here are some of our favorites! 
By Justin Hancock

HibisQs Hibiscus

HibisQs Hibiscus

Offering a seemingly endless supply of brilliant blooms, our exclusive collection of HibisQs tropical hibiscus is a definitely a winner. Grow it by itself and let it be the star of the show in a container garden, or combine with upright grasses (such as purple fountain grass) or white angelonia or euphorbia for an incredible ensemble. Naturally tidy HibisQs hibiscus grows about 3 feet tall and wide and flowers best in full sun.

Curcuma

Curcuma

Looking a little like an outer space hybrid of a tulip and a pinecone, is a stunning type of ginger that’s sure to delight you. Being from the tropics, it loves it when temperatures soar and it can show off its bold pink or white flowers. The summertime blooms are a beautiful accent to the rich green leaves. This beauty makes a statement all on its but also pairs beautifully with SunPatiens and ferns. Grow it in a little afternoon shade. It reaches about 3 feet tall and wide. 


Heliconia

Heliconia

If you want your landscaping to stand out from the crowd this summer, you’ll definitely want to include heliconia. A fun tropical plant related to bananas, it offers lush, canna-like foliage and spikes of bold orange flowers blushed with yellow and pink. The blooms make for long-lasting cut flowers and appear without pause all summer long. This heliconia grows only 3 feet tall and wide, making it a perfect pick for growing in containers. It grows best in a little afternoon shade and evenly moist soil. Heliconia is a perfect accent for tropical hibiscus.
Mandevilla

Mandevilla

Easy care and elegant, mounding mandevilla shows off an incredible number of red, pink, or white flowers on a tidy plant that's perfect for hot, sunny tabletops. All you need to do is keep it watered and it will reward you with fabulous, jewel-tone blooms that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Aloha Lily

Aloha Lily

Take one look at aloha lily (Eucomis) and you’ll see why it’s also sometimes called pineapple lily: The spikes of fragrant, lavender-purple flowers are topped by a tuft of leaves! It creates a fun, contemporary look that works especially well if you decorate with modern style. Mix aloha lily with other tropicals to create a beautiful show that won’t sputter out in heat. Aloha lily grows about 18 inches tall and 12 inches wide.
Kangaroo Paw

Kangaroo Paw

You might be familiar with kangaroo paw from flower arrangements because florists love the long-lasting exotic blooms. But it’s also a wonderful heat-tolerant plant for adding a dash of color and interest to sunny decks and patios. Featuring architectural sword-like leaves and fuzzy, paw-shaped flowers on top of 3-foot-tall stems, Kangaroo paw is a showstopper in containers or planted in the landscape. It’s the perfect partner for hibiscus, as well as annuals such as lantana. Look for it to blooms in shades of red, orange, pink, and white.


Celosia

Celosia

Celosia is a bold flower that loves the hot sun. Put it on your deck, patio, or balcony and enjoy the nonstop bloom display. One of our favorite features about celosia is that it attracts butterflies. The blooms also dry well, making them useful for dried-floral crafts such as wreaths, swags, and potpourri.