If you’re unsure of the type of shrub that will thrive in full sun, read on to discover the best options. These sun-loving shrubs can range from a variety of species that produce colorful blooms to evergreen plants with beautiful foliage throughout the year. Other varieties feature berries, flowering spikes, interesting bark and branching patterns. You’ll be glad you selected these beauties. And don’t forget to explore the many varieties of Cistus genus and Abbotswood.
Abbotswood
Abbotswood is a perennial plant native to North America and Europe. Its flower-filled branches reach 3 feet in height and are covered in white flowers from early summer to late fall. Its foliage is small, pinnate, and dark blue-green. It doesn’t require much maintenance. This plant has been used as a hedge, and its foliage is hardy and very low-maintenance.
‘Abbotswood’ is a bushy, deciduous shrub that is native to southern Canada. It produces clusters of white flowers, each about 1.5 inches across. Unlike many shrubs, it tolerates a variety of soil conditions, including acidic and alkaline soils. Abbotswood is also very tolerant of urban pollution, and will thrive in an inner city setting.
Potentilla Abbotswood is a great choice for a garden or patio. It blooms in the middle of spring and summer, giving your garden or patio a beautiful display of color. From a distance, the plant resembles a mound of snow. In summer, it will bloom consistently until frost. These shrubs are easy to care for and will bloom for months. However, you should keep in mind that they will drop their leaves in winter.
Weigela florida
The continuous blooms of Weigela Florida make this plant a great choice for full-sun gardens. Although it is a hardy shrub that can tolerate zone five and high traffic, it does require pruning to prevent scraggly growth. A healthy shrub will be six to nine feet tall and nine to twelve feet wide, and will typically die back each year, either naturally or due to winter injury. The shrub is native to Japan, but can be grown in any part of the world.
The best time to prune your Weigelas is right after blooming to prevent the loss of bloom buds that are necessary for the following year’s flowering. ‘My Monet Sunset’ is a favorite because of its striking foliage in spring, as well as the abundant pink blossoms in June. It grows up to 24 inches tall and wide and is suited for containers. It is hardy in USDA zones four to eight and thrives in full sun to partial shade.
You can prune your Weigela bushes to shape and size by removing old wood. During the winter months, look for the oldest woody branches, which should be at least an inch thick. Remove these branches from the base to make way for new growth. Be sure not to prune the shrub too deeply, or else you risk causing it to die. Pruning in increments will help you keep your Weigela shrub healthy.
Dogwood
Among the easiest to care for shrubs, the Dogwood is a favorite in many climates. They are drought-tolerant once established and prefer moist soil. Dogwoods can tolerate full sun to partial shade, and they are often found growing along the edges of ponds and water bodies. Dogwoods are generally small, but they make a spectacular architectural display. They are often grown in containers, so you can plant a dogwood in a large pot for ease of care.
This tree is native to the U.S. and produces attractive flowers in the spring and early summer. These blooms last for several weeks, and then give way to lush, green leaves. As one of the most popular flowering trees in the U.S., the Dogwood offers a spectacular four-season display of beauty. The bracts, or flowers, appear in the spring and are very fragrant. Depending on the variety, dogwoods may also produce berries. In autumn, dogwoods turn red and stay vibrant through winter.
If you don’t want to transplant an entire Dogwood tree, you can transplant a sucker from an existing dogwood. Although this is less work, the roots of a dogwood are shallower, which makes it easier to access them. A few weeks before transplanting, you can find a volunteer dogwood tree in your yard. Thrifty Fun describes transferring suckers from a mature dogwood tree to a new location. Once you’ve got it in the desired location, you just need to add some potting soil and water to it.
Cistus genus
The Cistus genus includes a variety of flowering shrubs that are excellent ground covers and can be planted in containers or a sunny bank. These shrubs are native to North Africa, Turkey, and southern Europe, where they are adapted to dry, stony soils. The leaves are long, shiny, and dark green. The flowers are yellow, but some have a reddish-brown stamen, which gives them a distinctive appearance. The foliage is dark green and attractive, and some Cistus species can tolerate alkaline soils.
The Cistus genus is widely available. Cistus are native to rocky areas of the Mediterranean. They are hardy in most regions of the Northwest, but in colder areas, they may be a little tender. While many cultivars of Cistus do thrive in full sun, there are several species with varying lifespans. Some cultivars are hardy enough to survive in the Northwest, but their plant quality decreases considerably after four to five years. Popular flowering Cistus become sparse and leggy after four years, and can make terrible specimens in the landscape.
Another Cistus variety that will thrive in full sun is ‘Anne Palmer’. It grows to about 46 inches tall and 8 feet wide, and is a good choice for dry areas. This shrub is compact and dense, with leaves that are gray-green. Its flower heads are small and white, with a gold spot in the center. Cistus ‘Bennett’s White’ also has beautiful white flowers.
Hydrangeas
There are a number of benefits to planting hydrangeas in your garden. Not only do they grow fast and easily, but they are also very hardy. Aside from being native, they also bloom in the early summer and fall. Some varieties even grow into trees. Hydrangeas are particularly tolerant of full sun and thrive in a variety of soils. If you’re planning to plant a hydrangea in your yard, consider the following tips.
A mature hydrangea requires little care. However, you should avoid overfeeding it, as this can burn its roots. Don’t overwater hydrangeas, either; too much nitrogen can lead to more foliage and fewer flowers. Instead, topdressing the soil with well-rotted compost or manure is a good idea. Manure provides nutrients and improves soil moisture retention.
The hydrangea is a popular flowering shrub that grows well in full sun and part shade. They’re an attractive choice in a mass or singly. They’ll bloom all year round, but if you don’t like the idea of keeping them around, you can plant some ferns around the area. The oakleaf variety is a good option. It’s bold and has a rough texture. It adds visual strength to a shrub border or woodland planting.
The Little Lamb is a hydrangea that grows six to eight feet tall and wide. Its large flower clusters are blue or pink in color, and bloom throughout the fall. Its flowers are held tight to the stems, making it look like a lamb’s fleece. Its leaves are dark green and resemble a sheep’s fleece. If you’re growing this shrub in full sun, you should make sure the soil is well-drained and free of weeds.
Lilacs
In order to plant lilacs, you need to dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the roots of the tree. When planting, dig the hole a few inches deeper than the lilac’s pot. After planting, be sure to backfill it with potting soil and add some compost. Water thoroughly. Lilacs need plenty of moisture to thrive, so they should be watered regularly during their first couple of years. In dry weather, they can be irrigated more frequently.
Once planted, lilacs require little maintenance. The plant requires six hours of direct sunlight each day. Lilacs are not happy with high humidity or too much rain, so it’s important to plant them in a location where there’s adequate rainfall. Water the plant regularly when young, but you should only water it when there is no rain. Lilacs are drought-tolerant once established.
The most common lilac has a distinctive fragrance and is suitable for cooler climates. Some varieties will thrive as far south as Zone 9 in the U.S., while others will only grow to a few feet tall. The cutleaf lilac is a fragrant pale lavender variety, while the ‘Miss Kim’ is a graceful shrub that produces large purple blossoms in the early summer. Compact lilacs are suitable for city landscapes or containers, and ‘Baby Kim’ is a low-growing dwarf variety with rounded leaves.