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Flowers That Love Hot Summers: Top Ten Picks

By: Angela Judd | May 18, 2025

Looking for flowers that will survive a hot summer like the ones we get in Arizona? Some blooms are made for it. These heat-tolerant annuals bring color, life, and joy to the garden, even during the hottest days of summer.

The key is choosing the right varieties and planting them at the right time. Many traditional summer flowers struggle in extreme heat, especially in hot-climate regions like the low desert of Arizona.

These are my go-to flowers for hot summers. They’re tough, reliable, and bloom beautifully even as the temperatures climb. Every photo in this post is from my own summer garden here in Arizona. I’ve included planting tips and timing tailored specifically for low-desert gardeners.

Want help growing flowers all year long? My Flower Planting Guide includes timing, spacing, and growing tips for each season so you’ll always know what to plant and when—no matter the weather.

Flowers that Love The Heat #1 Zinnias: (Zinnia elegans)

A hand reaches toward blooming zinnias—flowers that love hot summers—in a garden, surrounded by green foliage and wooden stakes, with a blurred background. — Zinnias

How to plant zinnias

Plant in full to part sun in soil amended with compost
Zinnias do best when started from seed or transplanted into the garden when very young.
Does not require additional feeding

When to plant zinnias

Start seeds indoors from February through May for an early start
Plant from seed or transplant outside from March through July
Blooms from April to November

Tips for growing zinnias

Needs regular watering
Leaves do not like getting wet; they will burn
Remove spent flowers to encourage production

Good to know

Easy to grow
Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects
Makes an excellent cut flower
Try several different varieties

This article provides additional information on how to grow zinnias.

Flowers that Love Hot Summers #2: Globe Amaranth (Gomphrena globose)

Close-up of several light pink and white globe amaranth flowers with green leaves, set against a blurred background. These are perfect flowers that love hot summers, thriving in bright sunshine and adding color to your garden. — Globe amaranth

How to plant globe amaranth

Plant in full sun to part sun
Plant globe amaranth from seed or starts
Space rows 6″-12″ apart

When to plant globe amaranth

Start indoors from seed from January through May
Plant transplants outside from March through the middle of July
Blooms from April to October

Tips for growing globe amaranth

Grows well in containers
Very heat tolerant
Tolerates full sun, drought, and neglect

Good to know

Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects
Good for dried arrangements
Once dried, it remains the same color

This article provides additional information on how to grow gomphrena.

The Perpetual Annual Flower Planting Calendar, available in my shop, helps you learn when to plant flowers in the low desert of Arizona and whether to plant seeds or transplants.

Flowers that Love Hot Summers #3: Vinca (Periwinkle)

A cluster of white flowers that love hot summers, with dark green leaves growing in a garden bed, sunlight highlighting the vibrant plants.

How to plant vinca

Plant in areas with full sun to shade
Space plants 12″-15″ apart
Vinca is typically planted from transplant

When to plant vinca

Start seeds indoors from January through May
Plant transplants outside from March through July
Blooms from April through October

Tips for growing vinca

Pinch blooms for fuller plants
Needs regular water
If plant dries out, water it well and it may recover

Good to know

Reseeds easily
Plant trailing varieties in containers
Abundant blooms
Tolerates neglect

This article provides additional information on how to grow vinca.

Flowers that Love Hot Summers #4: Sunflowers

Yellow wildflowers and red-leaved plants, known as flowers that love hot summers, grow in a sunlit garden with a blurred fence and greenery in the background.

How to plant sunflowers

Space small blooms 6″ apart, the largest blooms need 3′
Likes full sun
Sow sunflower seeds directly into the soil

When to plant sunflowers

Plant seeds outside from February through August
Blooms from April through October

Tips for growing sunflowers

Tolerates poor soil, but better soil = better blooms
Smaller-sized blooms can be grown in containers
Look for branching varieties and single-stem varieties

Good to know

Makes a great trellis for other plants
Attracts birds and other wildlife
Edible seeds
Excellent cut flower

This article provides additional information on growing sunflowers.

Hot Summer Flower #5: Lisianthus

Close-up of a field with light pink flowers and green buds in the foreground—flowers that love hot summers—with yellow blooms blurred in the background under a clear sky.

How to plant Lisianthus

Buy transplants or plugs; seeds can be very challenging to grow from.
Likes full sun; afternoon shade is ok in hot climates

When to plant Lisianthus

Plant transplants outside from February through May
Flowers from May through November

Tips for growing lisianthus

Tall plants may need support
After the first flush of blooms, cut the stems back all the way to the rosette.
Planting it early in the season gives lisianthus plenty of time to become established before the summer heat in hot climate areas.

Good to know

Lisianthus prefers moist but not soggy soil.
Lisianthus benefits from rich soil and regular feeding from a flower fertilizer.
Shorter varieties can be grown in containers

This article provides additional information on growing lisianthus.

Heat-Loving Flower #6: Blue Salvia

Purple lavender flowers in bloom, known as flowers that love hot summers, are illuminated by sunlight in a garden with green foliage and a blurred wooden background.

How to plant blue salvia

Plant in flower beds and containers, and along borders
Plant from transplants

When to plant blue salvia

Start seeds indoors from July through August and January through March
Plant transplants outside from September 15 through October and again from March through May
Blooms from April through December

Tips for growing blue salvia

Let blue salvia dry out between waterings
Cut back spent blooms to encourage more blooms

Good to know

Drought tolerant
Blooms all summer long
Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds
Reseeds easily
Dies back in frost but often returns – cut back in spring

Hot Summer Flower #7: Red Salvia

Red tubular flowers on green leafy stems thrive in a mulched garden bed, surrounded by other plants. These are perfect flowers that love hot summers, adding vibrant color and energy to your landscape.

How to plant red salvia

Red Salvia prefers afternoon shade in the heat of the summer
Plant in flower beds and containers, and along borders
Plant from transplants

When to plant red salvia

Start seeds indoors from August through September and January through March
Plant transplants outside from September 15 through October and March through May
Blooms from April through December

Tips for growing red salvia

Let red salvia dry out a little between waterings
Cut back spent blooms to encourage branching and more blooms

Good to know

Drought tolerant
Blooms all summer long
Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds
Reseeds easily
Dies back in frost but often returns – cut back in spring

Hot Summer Flower #8: Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

Cluster of brown and yellow daisy-like flowers in focus with green leaves and purple flowers blurred in the background—perfect for gardens featuring flowers that love hot summers.

How to plant rudbeckia

Prefers afternoon shade
Blooms all summer long
Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds
Reseeds easily
Dies back in the frost but often returns – cut back in spring

When to plant rudbeckia

Start seeds indoors from August through January
Plant seeds or transplants outside from October through March
Blooms June through October

Tips for growing rudbeckia

Deadhead often during the season to encourage blooms
Leave blooms on the plant and the end of the season to reseed, or remove spent blooms if you don’t want the plant to spread
Shorter varieties grow well in containers

Good to know

Avoid overhead watering to prevent mildew
Thin seedlings to about a foot apart

This article provides additional information on how to grow rudbeckia.

Heat-Loving Flower #9: Angelonia (Summer Snapdragon)

A planter box with blooming purple, pink, and white angelonia flowers—perfect for those seeking flowers that love hot summers—set in front of patio chairs.

How to plant angelonia

Typically planted from transplant
Prefers hot, sunny summer locations
Likes moist, well-drained soil
Plant in flowerbeds, borders, and containers
Allow 1′-2′ between plants

When to plant angelonia

Plant transplants outside after the danger of frost has passed (March – July)
Blooms all summer long
Possible to grow year-round

Tips for growing angelonia

Grows well in containers
Likes occasional feedings with an all-purpose fertilizer
Cut back dead or dying stems to encourage blooms
Cover if there is a danger of frost

Good to know

Tolerates brief dry spells
Flowers all summer long
Attracts butterflies and bees
Low-maintenance
It comes in several colors
It can be grown from seeds or cuttings

Heat-Loving Flower #10: Four O’Clocks

Orange flowers and green leaves thrive in a garden bed under sunlight, surrounded by other plants and mulch—perfect examples of flowers that love hot summers.

How to plant four o’clocks

Does best started from seed
Tolerates full sun, also grows in partial shade
Excellent border flower, and in containers

When to plant four o’clocks

Plant seeds outside from March through June
Blooms from July through November

Tips for growing four o’clocks

Feeding throughout the growing season will encourage more blooms, but isn’t necessary
Reseeds easily and comes back year after year
Collect and save seeds

Good to know

May attract squash bugs
All parts of the plant (including seeds) are toxic

This article shares more information about how to grow four o’clocks.

Looking for more ideas? Other hot weather-tolerant bloomers include:

Summer Balsam, Basil, Begonia, Celosia, Coleus, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Dahlias, Desert Marigold, Desert Milkweed, Gaillardia, Impatiens, Mexican Hat, Portulaca, Purslane, Sage, Statice, Strawflower, Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower), Verbena, Wild Hyssop

10 Flowers that love the heat of summer - and how to grow them -FLOWERS FOR ARIZONA SUMMERS – WHEN AND WHAT TO PLANT — Coreopsis

Cosmos in Arizona Summer garden — Coreopsis

Are you ready to plant summer flowers? Check out what to plant in June in Arizona, including heat-tolerant flowers for more ideas.

Want more ideas for summer gardening in hot climates?

If you’re looking to add even more beauty and resilience to your garden, these resources will help you choose the right flowers and vegetables—and give you the tools to help them thrive in the heat:

Whether you’re planting heat-tolerant flowers, choosing vegetables that thrive in hot summers, or getting your garden ready for triple-digit days, these posts are full of tips to help you grow confidently—even in extreme heat.