16 Best Shrubs For Full Sun (2023 Updated)

This eye-catching plant is the Sunshine Ligustrum from the Southern Living Plant Collection. This shrub offers brilliant golden-yellow colored foliage that will bring great year-round color to your landscape.

New growth is lime green that will continuously intensify to yellow hues as spring turns into summer, arriving at a vibrant golden yellow. The more sunlight they get, the better. More sun produces more yellow leaves, while less sun results in more yellow-green foliage.

This is a sterile, non-invasive cultivar of Ligustrum that will not re-seed and spread. This plant looks great planted in containers, as a hedge or accent in the landscape and will also respond well to shaping into simple topiary forms.

Another advantage to the Sunshine Ligustrum is that it doesn’t bloom, which is great for allergy sufferers. When planting this shrub select a location that will receive full sun, use a well-drained garden soil mixed with your native soil to backfill the hole and use a slow-release fertilizer annually in spring to keep your Sunshine Ligustrum healthy and brilliantly shining.

Autumn Embers Encore Azalea offers vibrant year-round color to any garden. Autumn Embers is one of the most popular Encore Azalea varieties with deep orange-red blooms that make a colorful statement in any landscape.

Unlike many traditional azaleas, Encore azaleas bloom best in full sun, so choose an area of your yard where they can receive at least 4-6 hours of sunlight. Autumn Embers works well in foundation plantings or as a low growing hedge.

Be sure to plant your Encore Azaleas in acidic to slightly acidic soil to maximize your bloom yield. Fertilize in the spring with a balanced fertilizer after the threat of the last frost has dissipated and feed once more in the summer to help you Encore bloom through fall.

Encore Azalea is the world’s best-selling multi-season blooming azalea. In many areas of the country, Encore Azalea bloom during 3 seasons of the year-spring, summer, and fall. And, for areas of the country where azaleas don’t traditionally thrive, such as those in USDA hardiness Zone 6 and 7, you will see a spring or summer bloom, but not a fall bloom before your temperatures drop.

The Southern Living Plant Collection is proud to present the Jubilation Gardenia, a delightful reinvention of a Southern classic. This evergreen re-blooms fragrantly through summer and fall, and retains rich emerald leaves through winter.

Gardenias are known for their extravagantly fragrant blooms and the Jubilation is as aromatic as they come. The Jubilation allows you to enjoy breathtaking white double blooms with intoxicatingly rich aromas throughout much of the year! This variety is remarkably easy to maintain once established in your garden or landscape, and is noted for being disease as well as deer resistant.

Year after year, youll wonder how you ever lived without the sweet scent of the Jubilation Gardenia.

Burning Bush is a longtime favorite for creating colorful hedges along walkways and property boundaries. This low-maintenance, reliable shrub grows 4-6 ft. tall and requires very little pruning or trimming.

Its leaves emerge emerald green in the spring and provide a tidy, attractive backdrop for perennials. In the fall, its foliage turns a show-stopping red and hangs on late into fall, often after many other trees and shrubs have gone bare.

Because it has corky bark with winged twigs, it’s a great shrub for providing winter interest. For the best color, grow Burning Bush in full sun. The Burning Bush Hedge is ideal for landscapers wanting to create hedgerows.

Electrifying Year-Round Vibrant Yellow Foliage Yellow Leaves as Bright as the Sun The Sunshine Ligustrum brightens up any setting with amazing YELLOW foliage 12 months a year! Never resting, this amazing plant provides vibrant hues that seem to actually glow when the sun is shining down on it.

Planted in full sun, the compact dwarf shrub comes alive in the summer with an astounding lemon-color radiance. As the seasons transition to fall and winter, the Sunshine Ligustrum doesn’t resign to cold temperatures like many varieties of shrubs and trees.

It shifts to a golden color, filling landscapes with lively cheerfulness against drab, grey surroundings. Often, you’ll see a hint of orange on the golden leaves with colder weather. Then, as all of nature starts to awaken in the spring, the Sunshine Ligustrum adds more vitality and sparkle than anything around it.

Its new growth starts out light green before changing to luminous yellow as the temperatures heat up. Non-Invasive Shrub Won’t Spread or Overcrowd Your Garden The Sunshine is extremely courteous for such a show-off.

Unlike most privets, it is non-invasive. It’s a sterile hybrid that won’t reseed into other areas of your landscape ‘– or your neighbor’s! It is quickly replacing like-colored bushes such as the Yellow Barberry for this very reason.

Best Choice for Allergy Sufferers When trees, grass, and weeds start to flourish in the spring, they release granules into the air that are carried by the breeze. These seed-like particles (pollen) can spread for miles fertilizing other plants along its path.

This can wreak havoc on those who are allergic to culprits like ragweed, oak, and juniper, causing an allergic reaction as the body’s immune system attempts to fight back. Because this shrub doesn’t flower and is sterile, it is an ideal plant for anyone who experiences seasonal allergies.

So Many Options for This Endless Beam of Sunshine The Sunshine Ligustrum pairs well with other plants. It will add contrast and depth among a mixed bed or garden. If you’re interested in livening up an existing hedge or border, it’s an alluring addition to monotonous rows of shrubs.

Speaking of rows, line these up side-by-side to create a straight or winding path of color along a walkway. This technique lends a cheerful welcome to your guests when defining a path from the driveway to your front door.

Pot several of them in various containers to spread cheer around the exterior where you can enjoy them via window views. Just make sure they get plenty of sun. The more sun they soak up, the brighter they’ll get.

Prune it, Shape it, or Don’t Do a Thing Your Sunshine will reach 3 to 4 feet high, and just as wide when left untouched. It grows upright and has a wispy appearance when its branches reach full height.

There is no need to break out the shears if that seems like a chore, but if you enjoy trimming and shaping, there are no limits here. Some growers will remove the lower branches for a low standard showpiece.

You can shape it into a ball shape and even a cubed shape. If you’re mass planting, you may prefer to cut them down to 1 foot and use as a clean, defined border. Low Maintenance and Long Living Your Sunshine Ligustrum will be with you up to 30 years.

That’s pretty impressive for a plant that doesn’t require more than sunshine. It is drought tolerant, deer tolerant and requires no particular soil type or pH. It is pollution resistant, so it does exceptionally well in urban areas.

If you live in the city and have limited space, this is one plant you’ll want to include as part of your patio d? cor. It is sunny every day when you add a little Sunshine! | 1 Gallon – Sunshine Ligustrum Privet Hedge – Electrifying Year-Round Vibrant Yellow Foliage, Outdoor Plant See how our 30 Day Happy & Healthy Gaurantee compares to Garden Goods Direct, Lowe’s.

Home Depot, The Tree Center, Nature Hills Nursery, Great Garden Plants, More.

Growing Zones: 7-10 Cold hardy down to 10 degrees Dwarf silhouette with huge fragrance Despite its dwarf silhouette, our Radicans Gardenia makes a big statement. For starters, it boasts huge, amazingly-scented double blooms that stand out.

And though it grows to a space-saving height of just 2 feet, it makes an artful impact with its strong fragrance and ability to grow well in border or group plantings Plus, it thrives effortlessly. The Dwarf Radicans Gardenia is adaptable to many soil types and is even drought tolerant.

That means you get rich citrus fragrance and vivid flowers hassle-free. Even better is its ability to grow in full sun or partial shade. Basically, you don’t need a green thumb to ensure your Dwarf Radicans lasts year over year.

As one of the first online nurseries in the world, Brighter Blooms offers a large, proven collection of high-quality plants.

Purple Daydream Loropetalum holds it rich dark purple color all year while bearing ribbon like pink flowers in the spring. Purple Daydream is smaller than its cousin the Purple Diamond and will reach mature size of two- to three-feet high by three- to four-feet wide.

Unlike other loropetalum Purple Daydream has a controlled growth habit that will not out grow your house like some other Loropetalum. Together with its controlled growth habit and deep rich year round foliage this is a must for any landscape.

When planting this Loropetalum, dig the hole twice as wide as the pot and mix rich garden soil in with your native soil, then leave the top of the root balla half inch above the ground level when filling the hole with soil.

Use a slow-release granular fertilizer in spring. Not guaranteed to be in bloom on arrival.

Autumn Twist Encore Azalea offers vibrant year-round color to any garden. Autumn Twist features white blooms with purple stripes and an occasional bloom that is completely purple. Combined with its beautiful dark green foliage, Autumn Twist’s unique color pattern makes it a festive addition to any garden.

Unlike many traditional azaleas, Encore azaleas bloom best in full sun, so choose an area of your yard where they can receive at least 4-6 hours of sunlight. Autumn Twist works well in foundation plantings or as a low growing hedge.

Be sure to plant your Encore Azaleas in acidic to slightly acidic soil to maximize your bloom yield. Fertilize in the spring with a balanced fertilizer after the threat of the last frost has dissipated and feed once more in the summer to help you Encore bloom through fall.

Encore Azalea is the world’s best-selling multi-season blooming azalea. In many areas of the country, Encore Azalea bloom during 3 seasons of the year-spring, summer, and fall. And, for areas of the country where azaleas don’t traditionally thrive, such as those in USDA hardiness Zone 6 and 7, you will see a spring or summer bloom, but not a fall bloom before your temperatures drop.

The Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea is a beauty that will lift your garden and landscape to new heights! This beauty produces large single-form, deeply funneled, magenta-purple flowers that blooms spring through fall.

These blossoms are graceful and elegant, with a classy flair that doesnt overstate itself. An initial spring display produces dozens of blooms that illuminate the landscape. Afterward, this reblooming azalea keeps the flowers coming as it blooms again in summer and fall! The Autumn Royalty Encore Azalea features rich green leaves that are the perfect compliment to its delicately beautiful blooms.

Additionally, these evergreen leaves are consistent all year long, and wont leave your landscape bare in the dead of winter. This purple blooming azalea is perfect for foundation plantings, container plantings, accents, mixed garden beds, low hedges, and borders!.

Danica Hardy Hibiscus bears elegant, double white flowers with raspberry pink centers and outer petals. The eye-catching flowers attract butterflies and pollinators all summer long. The flowers also are showy additions to cut floral arrangements.

Danica has an upright vase-shaped growth habit and is ideal for planting as a colorful hedge, privacy screen, mass planting or specimen plant in a sunny location. Winner of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain Award of Garden Merit.

2 Prague Viburnum Plants, 6″ in height and rooted in 3″ pots. A broadleaf evergreen that is used as a hedge. Size-10-12′ in height by 10-12′ spread at maturity. Zones-5-8. Blooms in May and has pink buds with ivory flowers.

The flowers are showy and FRAGRANT. Full sun to partial shade. Attracts birds and butterflies. A multi-stemmed shrub with creamy white flowers, gives way to berries in early fall. Planting instructions with each purchase.

Tenn. Dept. of Agriculture #14698.

Autumn Lily Encore Azalea offers vibrant year-round color to any garden. Autumn Lily produces white blooms with occasional single purple stripes. Its strong growth and profuse blooms make Autumn Lily perfect for mass and foundation plantings.

Unlike many traditional azaleas, Encore azaleas bloom best in full sun, so choose an area of your yard where they can receive at least 4-6 hours of sunlight. Autumn Lily works well in foundation plantings or as a low growing hedge.

Be sure to plant your Encore Azaleas in acidic to slightly acidic soil to maximize your bloom yield. Fertilize in the spring with a balanced fertilizer after the threat of the last frost has dissipated and feed once more in the summer to help you Encore bloom through fall.

Encore Azalea is the world’s best-selling multi-season blooming azalea. In many areas of the country, Encore Azalea bloom during 3 seasons of the year-spring, summer, and fall. And, for areas of the country where azaleas don’t traditionally thrive, such as those in USDA hardiness Zone 6 and 7, you will see a spring or summer bloom, but not a fall bloom before your temperatures drop.

A vibrant willow that changes with the seasons – Award-winning shrub brings striking colors to the garden – Pink in spring, dappled in summer, yellow in fall, red in winter – Allow it to blossom or keep it compact with simple pruning Award-winning shrub Highly regarded for its beauty, with slightly drooping branches reminiscent of the weeping willow, the deciduous Dappled Willow has won many awards in its time.

Dramatic colors for every season In spring, pink stems and buds emerge, with white and green tones arriving soon after, lending this weeping shrub its ‘dappled’ moniker. Green begins to dominate toward the end of summer but come fall yellow catkins appear.

These shed, leaving dazzling red stems that brighten up your garden in winter. Easily maintained and pruned From humble beginnings, this small shrub blossoms out. You can allow it to grow into a fabulous bush or simply prune it to keep it compact.

Fits in almost anywhere The Dappled Willow is great for borders and hedges, also for privacy screening, or just as an aesthetic addition to the garden. It can be grown in small gardens, beside ponds, and even in containers.

Best conditions for growth This shrub grows well in full sun and partial shade. It can reach a mature height and spread of 12-15 ft. A dazzling array of dappled colors and weeping branches enlivens your garden, bringing something different to each season!.

Buzz Ivory Butterfly Bush is a prolific bloomer, loaded with fragrant ivory spikes and generous foliage. Compact in size, Buzz Ivory grows to only 3 – 4 feet and is perfect for containers, small-space gardens and patio plantings.

It’s also a great choice for disguising your foundation or creating a secondary layer of color between taller background shrubs and perennial plantings. Placed in full sun, this butterfly bush will bloom from spring through fall.

(Buddleia davidii).

A New Flower Color for your Garden If you want an unusual flower color for your yard or garden, plant Minerva Rose of Sharon Althea (Hibiscus syriacus ‘Minerva’) and you’ll be awestruck. Pinkish-lavender blooms with red centers are such a standout against the dark-green foliage.

And unlike other blink-and-you-miss-their-flowering-season plants, Minerva Hibiscus produces few seeds, which translates to more flowers! Passing the Test of Time The U. S. National Arboretum introduced the Minerva in 1986 as a refined and sophisticated cultivar that was more floriferous, more heat-tolerant, and more vigorous than previous varieties.

Low-maintenance. This is not a fussy plant. You won’t even have to prune it to keep it flowering profusely. Drought-tolerant. At first, after you plant Minerva Rose of Sharon Althea in your garden, you’ll have to keep it watered to help its roots become established.

But mature plants are highly drought-tolerant, so you’ll only need to water them during long periods of no rainfall. Deer-resistant. It’s so tough for many gardeners to find plants that deer won’t chew to the ground! Although even thorns and thistles won’t stop a ravenous deer, Minerva is remarkably deer-resistant.

Easy Care and Design Tips Finding the perfect planting spot where Minerva Hibiscus will give you her best performance is easy as 1-2-3: 1) full sun, 2) well-drained soil and 3) an early-spring application of a slow-release fertilizer.

This well-mannered plant is equally at ease as a landscape specimen or container plant. You’ll have to keep container plants watered more often, but the extra effort is worth it if you want to make an impact statement – plant Minerva shrubs in matching urns on either side of your home’s sunny entrance for a glorious show of color all summer! | 3-4 ft.

– Minerva Rose of Sharon Althea Shrub/Bush – A New Flower Color for your Garden, Outdoor Plant See how our 30 Day Happy & Healthy Gaurantee compares to Garden Goods Direct, Lowe’s. Home Depot, The Tree Center, Nature Hills Nursery, Great Garden Plants, More.

Dense, Fast-Growing Privacy The Cryptomeria Radicans evergreen tree is a unique landscape conifer that creates a fast-growing screen in just a few years! The soft blue/green needles do not sting young children or gardeners.

Established trees can even tolerate droughts as well! Even deer leave them alone! These trees enjoy full sun and will thrive in growing zones 5-9. They can grow as much as 3-4 feet in a single season to create a dense privacy screen around a pool or garden in just a few years.

They have the additional value of not being overly wide; they will not overtake the footpath or cause your neighbors to complain about branches coming onto their property. Plant these conifers as close as 5 feet apart and wait for them to fill in the gaps in a few years.

They’re known to be more resistant to browning than other varieties so your evergreens will look healthy all year long. Look for some slight darkening as the year comes to a close, then in spring, the bright green new growth will start again.

Use the conical shape to create a hedge along your property line or plant in a group behind a light blue spruce, a white flowering Rose of Sharon tree or perennial garden. | 3-4 ft. – Cryptomeria Radicans Tree – Dense, Fast-Growing Privacy, Outdoor Plant See how our 30 Day Happy & Healthy Gaurantee compares to Garden Goods Direct, Lowe’s.

Home Depot, The Tree Center, Nature Hills Nursery, Great Garden Plants, More.