Best Full Sun Plants for Alabama

Full sun in Alabama is a little different from full sun in many other parts of the country.

Our plants aren't just dealing with sunlight. They're dealing with long, hot summers, high humidity, periods of drought, sudden heavy rain, and temperatures that can stay in the 90s for days at a time.

That means a plant labeled "full sun" isn't automatically a great choice for a Birmingham landscape.

At Andy’s Garden Center, we look for plants that don't just tolerate sunshine—they can handle an Alabama summer.

Here are some of our favorite full sun plants for Birmingham and Central Alabama landscapes.

1. Crape Myrtle

It's hard to make a list of Alabama sun-loving plants without including crape myrtles.

They thrive in our heat and produce colorful flowers throughout summer when many other plants are starting to struggle.

Depending on the variety, crape myrtles can range from compact shrubs to large flowering trees, so choosing the right size is extremely important.

Best location: Full sun.

The more sun they receive, the better they generally bloom.

And one important reminder: you don't need to cut the tops off your crape myrtles every year. Choosing a variety that fits the space will allow the tree to develop its natural shape without severe pruning.

2. Panicle Hydrangeas

People often think of hydrangeas as shade plants, but panicle hydrangeas can handle considerably more sun than many other types.

Varieties such as Limelight and other panicle hydrangeas produce large flower clusters during summer and can make beautiful specimens or flowering hedges.

Best location: Full sun to partial sun.

In particularly hot locations, some protection from the strongest late-afternoon sun can still be beneficial.

3. Abelia

Abelia is one of our favorite shrubs for Alabama landscapes.

It handles heat well, has a long season of interest, and produces small flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Newer varieties come in different sizes and foliage colors, making abelia useful in everything from foundation plantings to mixed borders.

Best location: Full sun to partial shade.

You'll generally get the best flowering and foliage color with plenty of sunlight.

4. Loropetalum

Loropetalum can provide beautiful burgundy or purple foliage along with bright pink flowers.

It's tough enough for Alabama summers and works well as an accent, hedge, foundation shrub, or larger screening plant depending on the variety.

But there's one thing we always tell customers:

Check the mature size.

Some loropetalums stay relatively compact. Others can become enormous.

Best location: Full sun to partial shade.

Planting the right variety in the right space can save you years of unnecessary pruning.

5. Distylium

Distylium has become extremely popular in Birmingham landscapes, and there's a good reason for it.

These evergreen shrubs handle heat and humidity well and generally require less maintenance than many traditional foundation shrubs.

Different varieties range from low-growing selections to substantially larger shrubs.

Best location: Full sun to partial shade.

Distylium is an excellent option if you want year-round greenery without constantly trimming your shrubs into boxes.

6. Yaupon Holly

If you want a tough Alabama plant, it's hard to beat yaupon holly.

It's native to the Southeast, evergreen, heat tolerant, and adaptable to a wide range of landscape conditions.

There are dwarf varieties for foundation beds and larger forms that can be used as screening plants or small trees.

Best location: Full sun to partial shade.

Once established, yaupon holly is also fairly drought tolerant.

7. Juniper

Junipers love sunshine and can be extremely tough once established.

Depending on the variety, they can be used as low-growing groundcovers, spreading shrubs, upright accents, or larger evergreen specimens.

Their evergreen foliage also provides year-round structure in the landscape.

Best location: Full sun.

The key with junipers is drainage. They don't want to sit in wet Alabama clay, so avoid low areas where water collects.

8. Lantana

When Alabama summer arrives, lantana really gets going.

This heat-loving plant produces clusters of colorful flowers throughout summer and is a magnet for butterflies and other pollinators.

Once established, lantana is also quite tolerant of dry conditions.

Best location: Full sun.

In our area, some lantana varieties can return year after year, while others may be treated more like seasonal color depending on the variety and winter conditions.

9. Salvia

Salvia is another excellent choice for hot, sunny landscapes.

Its upright flower spikes provide color for an extended period and attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

There are many different types of salvia, ranging from seasonal varieties to hardy perennials.

Best location: Full sun.

Good drainage will help keep salvia happy, especially during periods of heavy Alabama rain.

10. Coneflower

Coneflowers are tough perennials that fit beautifully into sunny Alabama landscapes.

Once established, they tolerate heat and periods of drought well while producing flowers that attract pollinators.

Leaving some of the spent seed heads later in the season can also provide food for birds.

Best location: Full sun.

Coneflowers work especially well in pollinator gardens, mixed perennial beds, and more naturalistic landscapes.

11. Black-Eyed Susan

Few plants say summer quite like black-eyed Susans.

Their bright yellow flowers stand up well to Alabama heat and bring a big burst of color to sunny beds.

They're also excellent pollinator plants and pair beautifully with ornamental grasses, coneflowers, and salvia.

Best location: Full sun.

Once established, they're relatively easy to grow in many Alabama landscapes.

12. Little Bluestem

Little bluestem is one of our favorite native ornamental grasses.

During the growing season, its upright foliage adds texture and movement. As temperatures cool, the foliage can develop beautiful shades of copper, orange, and red.

It's also extremely tough once established.

Best location: Full sun.

Little bluestem is an excellent option for native gardens, pollinator landscapes, and areas where you want something attractive without a tremendous amount of maintenance.

13. Muhly Grass

If you've ever seen a mass planting of pink muhly grass glowing in the fall sun, you probably remember it.

For much of the year, muhly grass forms an attractive mound of fine green foliage. Then fall arrives and clouds of airy pink flowers appear above the plant.

Best location: Full sun.

Muhly grass handles Alabama heat extremely well and looks especially impressive when several plants are grouped together.

14. Rosemary

Your sunny landscape doesn't have to be limited to ornamental plants.

Rosemary loves sunshine and can become a beautiful evergreen herb in a well-drained location.

It works in herb gardens, raised beds, containers, and even mixed landscape beds.

Best location: Full sun.

The biggest challenge for rosemary in Alabama usually isn't our heat—it's too much water.

Excellent drainage is important, particularly during wet winters.

15. Sedum

Sedums are a great option for hot, dry, sunny locations.

Their succulent foliage stores moisture, helping them tolerate periods of dry weather once established.

Depending on the type, sedums can be used as low-growing groundcovers or upright flowering perennials.

Best location: Full sun.

Like rosemary and juniper, good drainage is important.

16. Vitex

Vitex, sometimes called chaste tree, is a beautiful option for a hot, sunny landscape.

Its spikes of purple-blue flowers appear during summer and are extremely attractive to pollinators.

It can develop into a large shrub or small tree, so give it plenty of space.

Best location: Full sun.

Vitex is especially useful where you want summer flowers but need something capable of handling serious heat.

What Does "Full Sun" Actually Mean?

Generally, full sun means at least six hours of direct sunlight per day.

But in Alabama, we also pay attention to when those six hours occur.

Six hours of morning sun is very different from direct sunlight from noon until 6:00 p.m. in July.

A western-facing landscape bed next to a brick wall can become incredibly hot because the plants are receiving direct afternoon sun while also dealing with heat reflected from the house.

Those are the locations where choosing truly heat-tolerant plants becomes especially important.

Full Sun Doesn't Mean You Don't Have to Water

This is one of the biggest misconceptions we see.

A plant can love full sun and still need regular water while it's becoming established.

Newly planted trees, shrubs, and perennials haven't developed the extensive root systems that established plants have.

During their first Alabama summer, they may need considerably more attention.

Once established, many plants on this list can tolerate periods of dry weather much better—but drought tolerant doesn't mean drought proof.

Be Careful With Alabama Clay

Sunlight may be perfect, but the soil still matters.

Many sun-loving plants prefer well-drained soil.

If you plant rosemary, juniper, sedum, or another drainage-sensitive plant in a low spot filled with heavy Alabama clay, it may struggle even though it's receiving plenty of sun.

Before planting, pay attention to what happens after a heavy rain.

If water stands in the area for long periods, you'll need to choose plants that tolerate those conditions or improve the drainage.

For more information, check out our guide to Best Plants for Alabama Clay Soil.

Mulch Helps—But Don't Overdo It

A good layer of mulch is extremely helpful in sunny Alabama landscapes.

Mulch can help:

• Keep soil temperatures more consistent
• Reduce moisture loss
• Suppress weeds
• Protect roots during extreme temperatures
• Add organic matter as it breaks down

But more isn't always better.

A few inches is generally plenty. Avoid piling mulch against the trunks of trees and shrubs.

Don't Forget About Annuals

Some of the best performers in Alabama's summer heat are annuals and tropical plants.

If you want serious color from spring through fall, consider:

• Vinca
• Angelonia
• Pentas
• SunPatiens
• Zinnias
• Portulaca
• Scaevola
• Calibrachoa
• Mandevilla
• Hibiscus

These are excellent options for containers, hanging baskets, entrances, pool areas, and sunny landscape beds.

And when everything else looks tired in July and August, many of these plants are just hitting their stride.

Build a Landscape for All Four Seasons

A great full-sun landscape doesn't have to depend on one plant.

We like to create layers.

Start with trees and larger evergreen shrubs to provide structure. Add flowering shrubs and ornamental grasses for seasonal interest. Then use perennials and annuals to bring in additional color and texture.

This way, when one plant finishes blooming, something else is getting ready to put on a show.

Choose Plants That Can Handle Your Yard

Just because the tag says "full sun" doesn't mean the plant is automatically right for your landscape.

Before choosing a plant, consider:

• How many hours of direct sun the area receives
• Whether it receives morning or afternoon sun
• How hot the area becomes in summer
• Soil drainage
• Mature height and width
• How much watering you want to do
• Whether deer are a concern
• How much maintenance you want
• Whether you want evergreen foliage, flowers, or both

The goal isn't just to find a plant that survives the sun.

It's to find one that looks good in August.

Need Help With a Hot, Sunny Spot?

If you have a landscape bed that gets blasted by Alabama sun all summer, don't assume nothing will grow there.

You just need plants that are made for it.

Take a few pictures of the area you're working with and bring them with you. Let us know approximately how many hours of direct sun it receives and whether that sun is primarily in the morning or afternoon.

The team at Andy’s Garden Center in Vestavia Hills can help you choose trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, and seasonal color that make sense for your space.

We'd rather help you choose plants that thrive in an Alabama summer than sell you something that looks beautiful in April and miserable by July.

Andy’s Garden Center
3351 Morgan Drive
Vestavia Hills, AL 35216

Serving gardeners throughout Vestavia Hills, Birmingham, Mountain Brook, Homewood, Hoover, and surrounding Central Alabama communities.