Our Kerby’s Community asks some great questions on social media about plants for various situations, and we love to respond. The request we got this time was for recommendations of tropical plants that love the sun.
Of course! There are quite a few options.
For shrubs, Ixoras are stunning this time of year, plant them closely to form hedges. Bougainvillea is a classic shrub or vine that needs an aggressive amount of sun to thrive. Hibiscus is a fan favorite, available in so many varieties. We’re always a sucker for the Rose Mallows. Jatropha is a fun choice. And Princess Flowers are just gorgeous, blooming throughout the summer.
For flowering trees, you can’t overlook the classic Plumerias, they come in so many colors. Do note, they drop all their leaves in the winter in our zone. Crapes are semi-tropical since they can handle lower temperatures. Poincianas create a gorgeous orange-red canopy in the summer once established. And Jacaranda is another fan favorite due to its true purple flowers.
There are also various palm trees — Sago, Christmas, Foxtail, and Bismarck are some popular options.
And, of course, most tropical fruit trees require full sun. We recently posted a video on Starfruit, Sweetsop, and Papaya, but have covered many tropical fruit trees on our platforms. Visit our page or Instagram highlight for a compilation.
We love answering your plant questions!