Plants for a Hot Wall

So you have a hot south facing wall. What will go there besides yucca and a statue? A little planning can turn a hot spot into a thriving spot...

Achillea ageratifolia
Item # 10010 		Achillea ageratifolia
Greek Yarrow

each $4.99
3 to 6 $4.79
7 or more $4.59
Helianthus maximiliana 'Lemon Yellow'
Item # 55954 		Helianthus maximiliana 'Lemon Yellow'
Lemon Yellow Maximilian’s Sunflower

each $8.49
3 to 6 $8.29
7 or more $7.99
  • Topic: Plant Selection
  • Author: By Cindy Bellinger
  • Keywords: hot, south facing
  • Date: January 1996

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So you have a hot south facing wall. What will go there besides yucca and a statue? Not that anything is wrong with yucca and statues. But a little planning can turn a hot spot into a thriving spot—with or without yucca and statues.

All the plants listed below love the hot sun. These aren’t the only ones. Ask our staff for suggestions. Consider bringing in a photo of the space to get even more detailed help.

Soil Mixture

There’s a good chance that most of the south facing walls around here are seated in clay soil. Take some time to amend it. Mix 1/3 of the clay you dig out with 2/3 Soil Mender® Blend Plus compost. This gives clay-loving plants a good start to establish before the roots begin traveling into the clay.

Design Elements

While you’re at it, think of the area in layers. With a wall you can take advantage of its verticalness and install tall, long stalked plants for either support or an interesting backdrop.

Tall plants

  • Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea), 2-5’, Zones 5-9
  • Red Yucca, leaves 3-4’; arching flower stems 4-5’, Zone 5
  • Torch Lily (Kniphofia hybrid), 30”, Zones 5-8
  • Maximillian Sunflower, 2-8’, Zones 4-9

Shrubs

  • Yukon Bell Pyracantha, 6-10’, Zone 5.
  • Woods Rose, 3-5’, Zone 3.
  • New Mexico Privet (Forestiera neomexicana) 15’, Zone 4.
  • Scotch Bloom, 3-4’, Zone 6.
  • Lilac (Syringa spp.), 10’, all zones.
  • Apache Plume (Falugia paradoxa), Zones 5-8.

In front of these taller plants is the intermediate area. This is a good place for graceful, long stemmed perennial flowers.

Medium height plants

  • ‘Blue Queen’ Blue Sage (Salvia x superba), 24”, Zones 4-9.
  • Texas Bush Sage (Salvia greggii ‘Wild Thing’, ‘Furman’s Red’)
  • Golden Fleece Dwarf Goldenrod, 15”, Zones 4-9.
  • Licorice Mint Hyssop (Agastache rupestris), 36”, Zones 5-9.
  • Miniature Hollyhocks, 24”, Zones 5-9.
  • Giant Four O’Clock, 18”, mounds, Zones 4-5.

Next is the lower level. This is where plants will fill in along at ground level.

Low-growing plants

  • Ruby Glow Sedum , 8”, Zones 3-10.
  • Goblin Blanket Flower (Gaillardia grandiflora ‘Goblin’), 12”, Zones 3-9.
  • Prairie Skullcap (Scutellaria resinosa), 10”, Zones 4-8.
  • Greek Yarrow (Achillea ageratifolia), 4-6”, Zone 5.
  • Silver Brocade Sage, 8”, Zones 3-9.
  • Poppy Mallow, 8”, Zones 4-5.

It’s not impossible to find plants to grow in glaring hot regions around our houses. It just takes a little bit of poking around the nursery and some experimenting to see what works. In the end you’ll create an exciting area that includes the yucca and statues.