Top 5 Shrubs for the Heat

My two abelias have let me down and I’m so sad. We’ve had 3 digit heat here in zone 8b and my plants get all day sun. Just too much for them, I guess. I’m thinking I better stick with natives,

Your full sun isn't close to houston full sun. No rain for 5 weeks. None of this works here

9a 104 degrees and 85 humidity?

Will limelight hydrangea take full sun? I moved to zone 9a in FL. I've only had terrible hydrangea experiences in zone 7 with endless summers and dont want to get burned again :)

Does anyone know what the pink ball flowers are? I saw white balls earlier.

Thank you

Looking at your channel, but live in California Central Valley between Merced and Sacramento. Using your zone system, what would our zone number be?

Can you name some that are common to find in most nurseries, Home Depots and Lowes..

Hi Jim I went to add the Mahonia to my list and just double checked the zones and they're stating zone 7-9.

Just found your videos and they are great! I’m in Dallas area with black gumbo clay. How do these shrubs do in this soil or do I need to amend it? Thanks for any info

Great info!

I got one. For heat. Carolina Safire.

I need help my garden burns I am in Killeen tx 76542 is 100 plus and I love gardening my zinnias are burn !! Ido t have srubs I love your garden I don't have shade in my yard

Thanks for putting the hardiness in you chapter titles. most of those plants will not grow in my climate .. but it's nice to find some that do.

Where should a man in the triangle find some V. Nudum and C. Parqui??

Because of the viburnum borer catapiller, I stay away from viburnum in the Midwest.

Great suggestions for the hot, southern summers

This is a helpful channel as I’m in Nashville woods, also 7b, but with deer pressure.
My soft caress mahonia has really browned, can they be cut back and resprout?

I find the best for summer heat and sun are nandina, ligustrum (privet), loropetalum, and china girl hollies.

Have you heard of the griselinia littoralis used in the U.S.?

Hi Jim. If you have a side yard, approximately 20 ft wide and you want to plant one beautiful plant for some privacy for the backyard, which would you plant? You have so many great ideas! Thought you were the most knowledgable person to ask. Thank you for all you do!

bougainvilla! It seems to thrive best on hot reflective walls in full sun

Great information as always! Thank you Jim!

I planted 3 abelia after watching another of your videos. They have grown quite a lot in just a couple of months already. I’m very pleased with them and appreciate your videos so much!

What perennials can you recommend that are deer resistant? Are Viburnum deer resistant? That's one of my favorites that you mentioned in this video. Zone 8b, South Carolina. Thanks!

Very nice …but I have to say I’m jealous of your heat Zone lol. I’m in hardiness Zone 9a In central Florida but it’s heat Zone 10. Our Limelight Hydrangeas are all currently crispy brown since the end of July, even with only 3 to 5 hours of direct morning Sun 😞

I planted a clethra late last summer here in central MS zone 8b. Am still waiting on flowers. When should I expect it to bloom? Interestingly I have a pieris planted Feb 2021 that is currently putting on flower spikes.

I have the cestrum in my garden and it definitely can take the full sun and humidity without any problem. It is kind of awesome that it can be over 6ft tall and not require kid gloves for care

Gorgeous shrubs. Thanks for letting us know which ones are truly tolerant of high heat in the Southeast. Do the blooms of all Mahonia varieties have the same fragrance? I only have 'Soft Caress' at this time, but plan to have more varieties.

Just found your channel Jim! Thrilled to find someone who gets southern heat. We garden in zone 7A. It’s been a long hot summer. Revamping my landscape for next year based on your recommendations. Thank you. Your yard is gorgeous.

I love the variegated abelia. I live near Richmond, VA (7a). Do you know if a variegated abelia will be an evergreen in my zone? I believe in cooler zones they can be a simi evergreen but I don’t know where the cooler zone starts for them and if 7a falls into that area or not. Thanks for all of the amazing videos.

Great info! Im in 9b with long hot summers.

Thanks for showing some that work in zone 6!

I was surprised you didn't mention nandina. I have several varieties and love them all!

My variegated Abelias aren’t doing as well as yours. Mine seem small and woody. Now a lot of leaf structure. What could be wrong? Zone 8b full sun. Thanks

I thought beauty berry was native to japan named after their queen

I have many of these plants and can attest that not only do they survive our weeks of 90+ degree temps in south central Pennsylvania (Z6), they also make it through our winters, when we have overnights below freezing for weeks on end, and even single digit. My Sunshine Ligustrum is in full sun all day, near a street, hasn't been touched since I planted it, and doing great. I've had Abelias in north-facing deep shade and 90% sun with no problems. They flower but it's really the foliage I go for. The Marvel Mahonia is doing great in mostly shade with moisture, but the flower cluster was so big it broke off from the weight! Several Viburnums doing well in sun/shade. The Callicarpa at my old house got the most attention of anything in my front yard because of the iridescent purple berries. After the birds finished them off in late winter I cut it almost to the ground. Have Clethra in full sun and mostly shade. Another one not mentioned in this video but bulletproof and no maintenance where I live is Nandina.

Jim, that Night Lights Chamaecyparis is beautiful, and it's hardy in my zone, but I've never ever seen it in garden centers. Was that shrub hard to find in your area, or did you buy it from a specialty nursery? Yellow foliage shrubs are among my favorites because they really seem to brighten an area in the landscape. Have a great Labor Day weekend! ~Margie

Number 1 is amazing. I wish I had them, beautiful?

Always so much good stuff. Your channel is like an encyclopedia of plants. If I could only start to actually retain some of the information. In time I guess. Beautiful as always and certainly one of the most active gardens around - always bees, butterflies and birds.

Is there a dwarf variety of sunshine legustrum?

There are almost too many Abelia choices. I just finished as article covering 90 cultivars and we then found 2 more from Europe. Alot of the better, non-invasive (sterile or seedless) ones are nearly impossible find in the retail market but they are coming.

Would all these plants do well in large pots?

I've found that in South Carolina the best time to plant is October or march

I love these abelia shrubs but have still not got one. I'm a sucker for anything variegated and this dwarf one could be the one. I'm gonna go looking for this one tomorrow !

I have a gardening question for your next Q&A session: I recently had a soil test done for my perennial border. Phosphorus level is very high (105 ppm) and the Potassium level is low (21 ppm). Nitrogen is not tested. How do I fertilize?

Helped me figure out why some of my shrubs are doing well while others aren't. In 6b, 7a and my 1st year Encores are barely hanging on in this 90 plus heat! Thanks for all the info you provide!

What happened to your Chinese Fringe tree? Thought it might make this list...

I love the Sunshine Ligustrum, and if I lose one more Pittosporum Tenufolium, Silver Sheen, I will change them out. 😥 Thank you! 💚