Summer in Phoenix can be intense, with temperatures in the 100+ range. Amazingly, there are summer flowers that are resilient enough to still produce blooms in this heat. We’re sharing some of our favorite Phoenix summer flowers for year round color.
Let’s explore some summer flowers that are not just tough enough to survive but will bring a splash of color and life to your Phoenix, Arizona garden.
These blooms are perfect for beginner gardeners and seasoned green thumbs alike. So grab your gloves, and let’s dig in!
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The Best Phoenix Summer Flowers
Bougainvillea
Have you ever seen a plant that seems to explode with color? That’s bougainvillea for you. With its vivid bracts in shades of magenta, purple, red, or white, bougainvillea is a showstopper. It thrives in the Phoenix sun, basking in full sunlight and blooming profusely with minimal water.
These vibrant colored vines can take the heat on the sides of the interstate and they certainly can bring color to your backyard as well.
Bougainvillea is a vigorous grower, which can be trained to climb trellises or cascade over walls, making it a versatile choice for your Arizona garden. Plus, it’s drought-tolerant, so you can conserve water while enjoying a burst of color.
Think about where you might want a dramatic display—maybe along a fence or near a patio where you can admire it daily.
Where could you use a bold splash of color in your garden? Picture the bougainvillea brightening that space. Keep this one away from your pool area as it can be messy.
Cosmos
Cosmos are like the easygoing friends of the flower world—they’re beautiful, laid-back, and thrive with very little fuss. These delicate-looking flowers come in shades of pink, white, and purple, creating a light, airy feel in your garden. Mine self-seeded and I had a new group of cosmos still blooming in August.
Cosmos love the sun, so they’re perfect for an Arizona garden. They’ll grow tall and graceful, swaying in the breeze, and attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. Plant them in a sunny spot, give them occasional water, and watch them bloom from late spring through the end of summer.
Do you have a spot where you’d like to see butterflies fluttering about? Cosmos could be just the ticket. Butterflies love cosmos.
Desert Marigold
If you’re looking for a flower that’s native to Arizona and perfectly suited to the desert heat, desert marigold is your go-to. With its bright yellow flowers and silvery-green foliage, this plant is both stunning and tough as nails.
Desert marigolds are perennials that bloom throughout the summer and even into the fall, providing long-lasting color. They’re drought-tolerant and thrive in well-drained soil, making them ideal for low-maintenance Arizona gardening.
How could you incorporate native plants like desert marigold to create a garden that’s both beautiful and environmentally friendly? Saguaro cactus produce gorgeous white flowers in May through mid-June.
Four O’Clocks
Named for their charming habit of opening in the late afternoon, four o’clocks add a unique twist to your summer garden. These fragrant flowers come in various colors, including pink, yellow, white, and red, and they thrive in the hot, dry conditions of Phoenix.
Four o’clocks are hardy and can reseed themselves year after year, creating a perennial garden delight with minimal effort. They do well in garden beds and containers, making them a versatile addition to your summer flowers for Phoenix.
Do you enjoy spending your evenings in the garden? Imagine the delight of seeing your four o’clocks bloom as the sun begins to set. These flowers are perfect for a moon garden too.
Lantana
I have a love/hate relationship with lantana. They are so common here in the low desert they can almost seem boring, but they are such resilient plants.
Butterflies love the flowers and they bloom during the hot summer months, so there is much to love about lantana.
Lantana is a vibrant, sun-loving plant that’s a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds. With clusters of tiny flowers in a rainbow of colors—often yellow, orange, pink, and red—lantana is a bright and cheerful addition to any Arizona garden.
This plant is incredibly heat-tolerant and can withstand the toughest of summer days in Phoenix. It’s also drought-resistant, making it a smart choice for conserving water while keeping your garden lively and colorful.
Where in your garden could you create a pollinator-friendly garden? Consider lantana for a burst of color and life. Personally, I love the multi-color lantana and the butterflies love lantana as well.
Salvia
Salvia is a fantastic choice for adding vertical interest to your Arizona garden. With tall spikes of flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink, and red, salvia provides a striking contrast to lower-growing plants. As a bonus, hummingbirds love salvia. They are one of the first flowers the hummingbirds in our yard gravitate towards.
Salvia is not only beautiful but also a favorite among pollinators. It’s heat-tolerant and thrives in full sun, making it an ideal addition to your summer flowers for Phoenix. Plant salvia in the back of a border or in a sunny spot where it can stand tall and proud.
Could your garden use some vertical interest? Consider where salvia might add a pop of height and color. Plant these in the back of your garden to provide shade and contrast for shorter flowers.
Sunflowers
Nothing says summer quite like sunflowers. These tall, cheerful giants bring joy to any garden with their bright yellow blooms and large, round faces that seem to follow the sun throughout the day.
Sunflowers are incredibly easy to grow, making them perfect for beginners. They thrive in the full sun of Phoenix and can grow in a variety of soil types. Plant them in a spot where they have plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the sunny Arizona skies.
Do you have a sunny spot that could use a touch of whimsy? Sunflowers might be just what you need to brighten up your garden. When our kids were little this was one of their favorite flowers to grow. They are fun and cheerful.
Zinnias
Last but certainly not least, we have zinnias—one of the easiest and most rewarding annual flowers to grow in an Arizona garden. With their bright, cheerful blooms in every color of the rainbow, zinnias are a staple of summer gardens. Zinnias self seeded in my yard and so in August I had another group of flowers blooming.
Zinnias love the heat and are extremely drought-tolerant, making them perfect for Phoenix summers.
They’re also fantastic for cutting, so you can enjoy their vibrant colors indoors as well as in your garden.
Plant them in a sunny spot, and you’ll be rewarded with continuous blooms from late spring through the fall.
Could your garden use a pop of continuous color? Zinnias are a surefire way to brighten up any space. If you allow them to go to seed you are sure to have continuous blooms throughout the summer months.
Gardening in Arizona is a unique challenge, but with the right plants and a bit of care, your garden can be a vibrant oasis, even in the hottest months. So roll up your sleeves, grab your trowel, and let’s get planting! Your summer garden awaits.