Sun Exposure: Full Sun

When a plant is designated as full sun that means several things. Full sun is at least six hours of unobstructed sunshine. Anything less than that can qualify as part shade. Plants in too much shade that are adapted to sun behave in strange ways. They will often lean exorbitantly towards the direction of the most possible sun. They will not bloom very well and they will not grow nearly as dense becoming lanky and missing the natural beauty of a plant grown correctly. Most drought adapted/low water plants fit into this category.

Climate Adapted Plants for Gardeners in the PNW

Dierama pulcherrimum ‘Magenta Giant’

A fantastic Angel’s Fishing Rod that includes great cold hardiness and enormous 8′ wands that support hot magenta tubular flowers in early summer. Gray/blue foliage is evergreen and in this form is seldom disfigured by winter cold. Clump forming with leaves to 3′ tall and spreading slowly in rich, deep soil with regular summer water. Full, all day sun with little competition from other plants. The incredibly graceful wands arch over and dip and sway with the slightest breeze. We do this variety by division so it is not in great supply but if you’ve had Dieramas fail from cold or another reason this is the one you should grow. Do not cut back the foliage in autumn, rather cut out old and damaged leaves individually to tidy. Resents disturbance once established. By far the easiest and hardiest Angel’s Fishing Rod that we’ve grown. This is done by division so availability is limited.

Xera Plants Introduction.

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Plant type: Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun
Biome: Deer Resistance, Hot Aspects, Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7a 5º to 0ºF
Foliage color: Gray-green | Foliage season: Evergreen

Dicliptera suberecta

This is the old name for what has become known as Hummingbird Flower. Rounded, pretty soft furry gray/blue foliage supports 2′ stems clad in brilliant tubular orange flowers. They appear non-stop for months. Excellent in seasonal containers or in the ground a spreading perennial for RICH, WELL DRAINED soil in a hot position in full sun. Great occupant of parking strips. To 2′ wide in time. Disappears completely in winter and returns late in spring ( May- be patient ). It likes water and rich soil, the good stuff. Mulch with leaves in fall. Uruguay/Argentina.

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Plant type: Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun
Biome: Hot Aspects, Low Water/No Water | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn8a 15º to 10ºF
Foliage color: Gray-green | Foliage season: Winter Deciduous

Dianthus ‘Dainty Dame’

We love this selection of Dianthus that includes masses of white flowers with a bold maroon eye and tight handsome foliage. The incredibly fragrant flowers appear from April to frost- repeating quickly if spent flowers are removed. Good blue foliage is handsome at all times forming a dense dome. To 8″ tall for full sun and rich, well drained soil with light but consistent summer water. Great color echos can be achieved when planted in concert with purple foliaged plants. Cute, fragrant cut flower. One of the best re-blooming pinks.

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Plant type: Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun
Biome: Deer Resistance, Hot Aspects, Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn4b -20º to -25ºF
Foliage color: Blue | Foliage season: Evergreen

Dendropanax trifidus

Underused cold hardy evergreen tree that has fascinating and handsome foliage and tolerates full sun to total shade as well as summer drought. Umbrella shaped tree with glossy large triple lobed leaves that become entire on adult foliage. Slow growing to 17′ tall and half as wide. Attractive pale tan bark. Very tough and adaptable small tree. Green flowers in summer become black berries by autumn but are almost always stripped by birds. Great branching structure and form in time. Very cold hardy and deer resistant. Flowers attract bees and beneficial wasps. Rare but stately evergreen tree. A member of the Aralia family from SW China. Moderately fast growing with supplemental summer water. Excellent small evergreen tree for courtyards.

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Plant type: Tree | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Biome: Deer Resistance, Dry Shade, Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7a 5º to 0ºF
Foliage color: Dark Green | Foliage season: Evergreen

Daphne genkwa ‘Hackenberry Group’

A large flowered form of this excellent deciduous shrub. To 4′ x 4′ in 5 years soft gray buds open to masses of violet blue (non-fragrant) flowers which line the stems. Simple leaves that follow have a fine fur on the surface. Blooms for an incredibly long time from late March to early May. Full sun, very well drained soil in hot sun. Little summer water when established. Fall color is light yellow. Plant with Manzanitas, Grevilleas, Ericas. Low maintenance shrub of great grace and beauty. Willowy shrub that gets by on a minimal amount of summer irrigation.

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Plant type: Shrub | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Deer Resistance, Hot Aspects, Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn5a -15º to -20ºF
Foliage color: Gray-green | Foliage season: Winter Deciduous

Cypella (Phalocallis) herbertii

Adorable little bulb that forms grassy colonies. Beginning in early summer and continuing to fall 10″ stems support amber orange intricate three petalled flowers. Each lasts just one day but new flowers appear seemingly from nowhere from the stems so do not remove- these stems can produce flowers for up to 6 weeks. Grassy medium green corrugated leaves accompany the flowers. Open sites with little competition from other plants. Sharp drainage in average to rich soil with regular summer irrigation. Full sun to light shade. Surprisingly cold hardy. Rock gardens, containers. Native to rocky plains in Argentina and Uruguay. It makes a great candidate for troughs and perennial containers where you can closely inspect the fascinating blooms. Mostly evergreen in our climate. Some deer resistance. Close iris relative.

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Plant type: Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun
Biome: Deer Resistance, Hot Aspects, Low Water/No Water | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7b 10º to 5ºF
Foliage color: Light Green | Foliage season: Winter Deciduous

Cupressus sempervirens ‘Swane’s Golden’

The golden form of Italian Cypress which is a very useful plant for bright vertical effects in gardens. Fast growing fastigiate tree to 18′ tall and just 18″ wide. Full sun and average to poor soil with little to no summer water. If it becomes disheveled in ice or snow simply give it a good hair cut and a denser form will emerge. You may also cut the top to limit size and a new vertical leader will quickly form. Deer resistant. Avoid overly enriched soil and shade or growth will be rank and unkempt. Grows about 2′-3′ in an average year.

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Plant type: Tree | Sun exposure: Full Sun
Biome: Deer Resistance, Hot Aspects, Low Water/No Water | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7a 5º to 0ºF
Foliage color: Chartreuse/Gold | Foliage season: Evergreen

Cosmos atrosanguineus

Chocolate Cosmos – one of our favorite seasonal plants. It blooms non-stop from June to frost with copious single deep red/black/mahogany flowers that have the special fragrance of dark chocolate. Forms colonies in well drained, rich soil with regular summer water. Cold hardy to the upper teens it will overwinter most years in very well drained soil- try a hot south facing slope. Otherwise, it forms a tuberous root and may be lifted and stored like a Dahlia in autumn. A great tender perennial for containers, borders. Fantastic cut flower. To 20″ tall in bloom forming a clump to 2′ wide. Mulch in autumn with dry leaves. Best in the hottest possible aspect but with regular water in rich soil. Easy to grow. Mexico.

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Plant type: Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Hot Aspects, Oregon Coast | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn8b 20º to 15ºF
Foliage color: Dark Green | Foliage season: Winter Deciduous

Coronilla glauca var. valentina

Demure winter blooming shrub that produces whorls of pea shaped flowers from January to March and sporadically through the rest of the year. The divided leaves are edged in cream making a great backdrop to the soft yellow fragrant flowers. Open lax habit to 3′ tall and 4′ wide for a protected location in full sun to light shade. Great winter container plant and thrives in conservatories where it will bloom non stop. Well drained soil with light summer water. Site out of subfreezing winds- a west or south aspect.

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Plant type: Shrub | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Deer Resistance, Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn8a 15º to 10ºF
Foliage color: Variegated | Foliage season: Evergreen

Collomia grandiflora

Wild Phlox is a native hardy annual that occurs from the prairies of the Willamette Valley to the sage brush country east of the Cascades. Clusters of flowers open sherbet orange and then fade to white with conspicuous blue pollen for a multi colored effect. Adaptable plant that will occupy any open disturbed site. Reseeds prolifically. To 2′ tall. Cute cut flower. Nice native to let wander your garden. Low water. Locally native in the city of Portland and to our nursery site in Sherwood. A charming plant that should be given average conditions and not pampered- otherwise it will contract powdery mildew which is harmless but kind of ugly. The unique, nearly indescribable color of this flower certainly is not. Oregon native plant.

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Plant type: Annual/Biennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Low Water/No Water, Western Native, Willamette Valley Natives | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn5b -10º to -15ºF
Foliage color: Mid Green | Foliage season: Winter Deciduous

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