Full sun standard

16 years ago

I have this spot on my deck that receives about 8 hours of sun. Ideally I would like to have planter there with a summer blooming standard in it. I have raised my own fuchsia standards in the past and would like to do the same with something that would take the full sun and rather warm spot for the summer. It should be something that blooms for a long time in summer, about 2 to 3 feet tall, and something that can be trained as a standard. I don't like hibiscus, which seems to be the only plant in standard form that is offered around here. I have seen lantana trained as a standard, but they all looked kind of stiff and a little awkward. What else could I try for this spot? Any ideas? I considered heliotrope, but I am not sure if it can be done with that plant or if it would grow to at least 2ft tall before branching out. I hope this makes sense. Any ideas or advice? Btw, I can overwinter all of my standards, I have done it for the past couple years, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and help.

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Comments (6)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
16 years ago
Making a suggestion is a lot easier than actually finding the plant .....

rose
bougainvillea
plumbago
gardenia
crape myrtle
butterfly bush
shrimp plant
jasmine

Al
drudadunat
16 years ago
Certain types of coleus also make good standards.

Darlene
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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
16 years ago
".... 8 hours of sun ...."

Al
marcindy
Original Author
16 years ago
Al, you are right on. I had to laugh when I read your comment, yep suggestions are easier than actually finding the plant...

Your list sounds good, a couple thoughts. I can't grow roses successfully. I have rose midge which is rampant in my area.

>bougainvillea: I have seen it as a standard before, but it was that rather boring purplish color, it might work with something more exciting...
>plumbago: great idea, love that plant anyways, never thought I could train it as a standard...serious contender
>gardenia: for some reason gardenia and I don't get along, I have courted the plant several times now, and she always died on me... :-)
>crape myrtle: why didn't I think of this, it's almost a painfully obvious choice... great idea Al
>butterfly bush: might be tricky to overwinter, too warm inside my garage and too cold to leave it outside, it will die back to the ground here...hmm, let me think about that one
>shrimp plant: no offense, but always think of plastic "everlasting" plants when I see those...
>jasmine: which jasmine do you have in mind?

Darlene, I thought about some of the newer varieties of coleus that take a lot more sun, but I am afraid this spot would just bake them, or at the very least stress them out each day. I might still try it for fun though.

Thanks for your ideas and suggestions, this is actually fun to pursue.
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
16 years ago
I'd say a Star Jasmine is one of my favorite fragrances....
They're blooming for me right now.

I have a butterfly bush in-ground, but it experiences some die-back during my comparatively
mild zone 8-ish winter. It isn't blooming yet, but the foliage is big and bold!

Josh
marcindy
Original Author
16 years ago
I just came across Tibouchina urvilleana online, and it looks fantastic. Does anyone have any experience with it? Also, I realized I have a bush sage (Raspberry Delight) that might work to be trained into a standard... Thoughts?

One more idea, what about Alyogyne huegelii, the blue "hibiscus' from Australia? I have seen it once before in a container in California and it was breathtaking, the flowers the color of the sky just before sunrise...