5 heat-seeking plants that actually love hot weather

Not everything is wilting in the heatwave

It’s hot, it’s muggy and you’re starting to wilt – much like a flower from lack of water. Although, come to think of it, some plants thrive under super-hot conditions.

While we’re desperate for shade and gasping for a glass of something cold and refreshing as temperatures soar, their floral displays and leafy tips soak up the rays – and far from feeling thirsty, these heat tolerant perennials can cope with a dry spell.

Wondering which plants can thrive in the heat? Make room for these low-maintenance sun-worshippers…

1. Princess Flower

This purple beauty might sound like a bit of a diva, but don’t be fooled by her name. The Princess Flower (aka lasiandra) blooms throughout the year, and butterflies will be enthralled by this exotic shrub as much as we are. She can survive a bit of a summer drought but sufficient moisture will keep her petals blooming beautifully.

2. Pentas

These pink clusters relish the sun’s rays and the hotter it gets, the better. Also known as Egyptian stars because of the star shaped flowers, they’re magnets for pollinators, butterflies and hummingbirds. Native to Africa, Arabia and Madagascar, they can handle full on sun, are easy to propagate, and the blooms come in an array of pretty colours. What’s not to love?

3. Stonecrop

We’re suckers for succulents – and you don’t need to live in sunny California to open up your world to these little babies. Their pink and yellow blooms will feel right at home in your rock garden, they don’t mind poor soil conditions, and they can survive the cold as well as thriving in the heat. A reliable favourite to give an exotic feel to your planting prowess.

4. Liatris

With their showy lilac spikes and tall stalks, you can really go to town with these wild flowers, which need lots of sun. Even better, you can create a cottage garden border in the smallest of green patches with liatris – and these hardy beauties will attract wildlife and butterflies, who will give them all the loving care they deserve.

5. Blanket Flower

Vibrant and oh-so vase worthy, these bright, daisy-like flowers hail from the USA and Mexico, and their fiery red and orange petals are used to facing a blazing sun. Also known as gaillardia, they’re one of the easiest flowers to grow, can self-seed, sprawl and blanket your garden with little planning or effort – and provide butterflies and bees with the perfect habitat to go wild for their brilliant blooms.

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