
Plants for Late Afternoon Sun
I am looking for suggestions of annuals or perennials (zone 5) that will work well in late day sun. The area is shaded most of the day - but gets direct sunlight in mid-summer from about 4pm on. Shade plants wilt. Sun plants don't perform well.
This is one of the toughest locations to successfully grow flowers. Try mulching the soil with shredded leaves, evergreen needles or other organic matter to help keep the plant roots cool and moist. Test a few different partial shade plants each year until you find those that thrive in this location. Here are a few plants you should try. Sun loving coleus and bronze leafed wax begonias may work. Just keep the soil moist. Purple Heart (Setcreasea purpurea), pentas, and four o’clocks are other annuals to consider. For perennials try dwarf Mexican petunia (Ruellia), lilyturf, daylilies, and speedwell (Veronica).
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