Colorful plants can thrive in intense heat (but may need some shade)
Kahili ginger loves intense heat and can take some cold. Debbie Arrington
Nobody looks good at 115 degrees. But there are several perennials that thrive in triple-digit temperatures. All they need is some afternoon shade.
You might think that Sahara-like temperatures are only fit for cacti. (Desert plants don’t like this much heat either.) Sacramento’s hottest day ever has me considering what flowers can still bloom in ultra-high heat.
Instead of desolate desert landscapes, our current heatwave has me dreaming about tropical places; a jungle may be incredibly hot, but it’s lush.
My own backyard jungle is holding its own during this heatwave, thanks to afternoon shade and deep watering. Some perennials are even blooming profusely.
My current jungle stars are the kahili ginger and hardy hibiscus. These plants don’t only withstand intense heat, but chilly winter nights that may dip below 30 degrees.
Kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum), native to the southern Himalayas, needs a kiss of cold to bloom. It gets that in Sacramento, producing huge yellow flower stalks in late August. With long red stamens, the feathery flowers get their nickname from the Hawaiian royal standard that symbolized power. The stalks are 6 foot tall, topped with the distinctive blooms. Worldwide, it’s the most cultivated of all ginger varieties.
Hardy hibiscus looks like its tropical Hawaiian cousin but can withstand sub-freezing cold as well as triple-digit heat. The long canes (6 to 8 feet) die back in winter as the plant goes dormant.
New cultivars stay more compact; only 3 to 4 feet tall. On shorter canes, these cultivars bear bigger blooms, often 8 inches across. They’re hardy in Zones 4 through Sacramento’s Zone 9. My favorites are two hot pinks: Peppermint Schnapps and Brandy Punch.
According to perennial specialist Proven Winners, other heat-loving perennials include sedum, caladium, euphorbia, gaillardia, coneflowers, salvia and lantana. Most can tolerate full sun, but do better in Sacramento with a little afternoon shade.
Look around in your own garden. What’s thriving in this heat? You may consider growing more of that plant in summers to come.
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Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series
FALL
Dec. 9: Soggy soil and what to do about it
Dec. 2: Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come
Nov. 25: It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying
Nov. 18: What to do with all those fallen leaves?
Nov. 11: Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden
Nov. 4: Plant a pea patch for you and your garden
Oct. 27: As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers
Oct. 20: Change is in the autumn air
Oct. 13: We don't talk (enough) about beets
Oct. 6: Fava beans do double duty
Sept. 30: Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?
Sept. 23: How to prolong the fall tomato harvest
SUMMER
Sept. 16: Time to shut it down?
Sept. 9: How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch
Sept. 2: Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning
Aug. 26: To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?
Aug. 19: Put worms to work for you
Aug. 12: Grow food while saving water
Aug. 5: Enhance your food with edible flowers
July 29: Why won't my tomatoes turn red?
July 22: A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty
July 15: Does this plant need water?
July 8: Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions
July 1: How to grow summer salad greens
June 24: Weird stuff that's perfectly normal
SPRING
June 17: Help pollinators help your garden
June 10: Battling early-season tomato pests
June 3: Make your own compost
May 27: Where are the bees when you need them?
May 20: How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days
May 13: Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can
May 6: Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success
April 29: What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?
April 22: Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)
April 15: Grow culinary herbs in containers
April 8: When to plant summer vegetables
April 1: Don't be fooled by these garden myths
March 25: Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth
WINTER
March 18: Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space
March 11: Ways to win the fight against weeds
March 4: Potatoes from the garden
Feb. 25: Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Feb. 18: How to squeeze more food into less space
Feb. 11: When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
Feb. 4: Starting in seed starting
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Garden checklist for week of Dec. 14
Rain is due midweek, but there should be some partly sunny breaks between rain clouds, especially Thursday. Make the most of those opportunities and show your garden some TLC.
* Brighten the holidays with winter bloomers such as poinsettias, amaryllis, calendulas, Iceland poppies, pansies and primroses.
* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location. Water thoroughly. After the holidays, feed your plants monthly so they’ll bloom again next December.
* Rake and remove dead leaves and stems from dormant perennials.
* Rake and compost leaves from trees, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Clear gutters and storm drains.
* Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Plant bulbs at two-week intervals to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* Seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies, violas and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while they’re dormant.
* Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing for the winter.
* Bare-root season begins. Plant bare-root berries, kiwifruit, grapes, artichokes, horseradish and rhubarb.
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