25 Full Sun Container Plants You’ll See Everywhere This Season

You look at your sun-drenched patio and wonder what will actually grow there. These 25 full sun container plants are made for bright, hot spots and will keep your outdoor space looking vibrant all season.

25 Full Sun Container Plants

If you’re hunting for full sun container plants, you’ve got plenty to pick from. These plants bring color, texture, fragrance, and sometimes even something to eat. Each one thrives with at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.

Geranium (Pelargonium)

Geraniums love containers in full sun. They bloom from spring until frost, giving you bright reds, pinks, or white flowers with green or variegated leaves. They prefer soil that drains well and don’t like soggy roots, so let the soil dry a bit between waterings. Deadhead old blooms for more flowers.

Petunia

Petunias have big, trumpet-shaped flowers in just about every color—solid, striped, or speckled. They take strong sunlight and bloom nonstop from late spring to fall. Water regularly since pots dry out fast, and pinch back leggy stems for a bushier look.

Lantana

Lantana puts out clusters of tiny, multi-colored flowers that butterflies can’t resist. It shrugs off dry soils and heat, making it perfect for hot spots. Lantana mounds or trails, depending on the type, and really just needs watering and a trim now and then. It’s drought tolerant and unfussy about soil.

Calibrachoa (Million Bells)

Calibrachoa, or Million Bells, looks like a mini petunia and comes in purples, yellows, pinks, and reds. It loves hot, sunny spots and spills over the edges of containers for a lush look. Use well-draining soil and feed with a balanced fertilizer for more blooms.

Zinnia

Zinnias are right at home in sunny pots, blooming in reds, oranges, yellows, purples, and whites. They handle heat and dry spells once settled. Compact types work best in small containers. Deadhead for more buds, and keep the soil moist but not soggy.

Marigold (Tagetes)

Marigolds are a classic for sunny containers, with flowers in gold, orange, yellow, and bicolor. They even help repel some bugs and have a bold, earthy scent. Use well-drained potting mix and water when dry. They’re tough, take heat and drought, and deadheading keeps them tidy.

Lavender

Lavender brings silvery leaves and fragrant purple spikes—plus a lovely scent. It does best in sandy soil and lots of sun. Don’t overwater; let the top inch dry before watering again. Trim after blooming to keep it neat and bushy.

Salvia

Salvias send up tall spikes in purple, red, blue, or white and attract bees and hummingbirds. Give them lots of direct sun and a light potting mix. Water when the top layer feels dry. Pinch faded blooms for more flowers.

Coreopsis

Coreopsis is known for daisy-like yellow or orange flowers. It barely asks for anything besides sun and water. Plants stay short and bushy, and the more you deadhead, the longer they’ll bloom. Use well-drained soil and let pots dry slightly between waterings.

Coneflower (Echinacea)

Coneflowers fit nicely in big, sunny containers. Their blooms are usually pink, purple, or white with a spiky golden center. Once established, they’re pretty drought-tolerant and attract pollinators. Make sure your pot drains well and water only when the soil feels dry.

Portulaca (Moss Rose)

Portulaca has low, succulent foliage and bright blooms in pink, orange, yellow, or white. It thrives in direct sun and hot, dry conditions that knock out other plants. Water only when the soil’s bone dry. Flowers open on sunny days and close at night or when it’s cloudy.

Verbena

Verbena puts out clusters of little flowers—violet, pink, red, or white—that cascade from containers. They love heat and don’t mind drought. Use rich, well-drained soil, and trim after the first flush of flowers for more blooms through summer.

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum)

Snapdragons offer tall spikes of quirky, dragon-shaped blooms in almost every color but blue. They like sunny spots with cool nights. Dwarf types work well in small pots. Water evenly and deadhead spent flowers. You can plant them in early spring or late summer for blooms.

Dusty Miller

Dusty Miller stands out with soft, silvery leaves and a rounded shape that pairs well with bright flowers. The foliage takes sun and heat in stride. It likes well-drained soil and doesn’t need much water. The leaves keep their color all season, even if you forget about them a bit.

Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)

Gaillardia shows off daisy-like flowers in red, orange, and yellow from early summer to fall. It handles hot, sunny spots and dry soil. The deep green leaves are a bit fuzzy. Bees and butterflies love it, and pests usually don’t bother it.

Sweet Alyssum

Sweet alyssum makes low mounds covered in tiny white, pink, or purple flowers that smell like honey. It stays neat in containers and blooms best in sunny, cool spots, though it’ll handle heat if watered. It’s great as a filler or to cover soil between taller plants.

Sunflower (Dwarf Varieties)

Dwarf sunflowers are made for pots in direct sun. They top out around 1 to 3 feet, with cheerful golden blooms and big centers that draw pollinators. Use deep containers and water consistently. Dwarf types grow fast and can bloom by midsummer if started in spring.

Rosemary

Rosemary is an evergreen herb with needle-like leaves and small blue flowers. It needs a sunny spot and dries out fast, so water only when the soil feels dry. The aromatic leaves are great for cooking. It grows upright and woody—trim to keep it in shape and encourage new growth. Well-drained soil is a must.

Basil

Basil grows quickly if it gets at least six hours of direct sun. The bright green leaves are perfect for snipping into your favorite dishes. Water when the top inch of soil is dry, and harvest often for bushier plants. Keep it away from frost—basil doesn’t like the cold.

Tomatoes (Cherry Or Patio Varieties)

Cherry and patio tomatoes thrive in sunny, warm containers. They need big pots, regular feeding, and some support for their vines. Water deeply and make sure the soil drains well. Sunlight means sweeter, more abundant harvests. Go for varieties bred for containers—they stay smaller but still crank out plenty of fruit.

Chili Peppers

Chili peppers are all about heat and sun. There are so many types, from mild to scorching. They want rich, well-drained soil and water when the top layer dries out—just don’t let them sit in soggy pots. Harvest peppers when fully colored for the best flavor.

Ornamental Grasses (Like Blue Fescue)

Ornamental grasses such as Blue Fescue bring fine, blue-green foliage and a bit of movement to your containers. Blue Fescue is drought-tolerant once it’s settled in. Give it full sun and water only when dry. Most grasses don’t need much fertilizer or fuss.

Succulents (Like Sedum Or Echeveria)

Sedum and Echeveria are go-to succulents for full sun containers. Their thick leaves store water, making them super easy to care for. Sedum trails or sprawls, while Echeveria forms neat rosettes. Use cactus or succulent soil, and let it dry out between waterings to avoid root rot.

African Daisy (Osteospermum)

African daisy has daisy-like blooms in white, purple, yellow, and pink. The petals may close up at night or when it’s cloudy. These plants like cool nights but want full sun by day. Water moderately and use well-drained soil. Deadhead for a longer bloom show.

Scaevola (Fan Flower)

Scaevola, or fan flower, sends out trailing stems with blue, purple, or white fan-shaped blooms. It’s perfect for hanging baskets or spilling over the edge of planters. Scaevola loves heat and sun and needs only occasional feeding and moderate watering. Blooms keep coming all season with barely any work.