Choosing the right shrubs for a sunny garden ensures a vibrant and healthy landscape year-round. These full sun shrubs thrive in at least six hours of direct sunlight daily, providing structure, color, and low-maintenance beauty. Below are 25 of the best full sun shrubs, categorized into evergreens, flowering, perennials, and drought-tolerant varieties.
Evergreen Shrubs
1. Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Perfect for hedges, borders, or topiaries, maintaining rich green foliage year-round.
- Size: Grows 2 to 8 feet tall and wide, depending on the variety.
- Growth rate: Slow-growing, about 6 inches per year.
- Care tips: Prefers well-drained soil and occasional pruning to maintain shape.
2. Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Small, glossy leaves, great for shaping and formal landscapes.
- Size: Reaches 3 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 6-12 inches per year.
- Care tips: Prefers slightly acidic, well-drained soil; tolerates pruning well.
3. Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Slow-growing, cone-shaped evergreen ideal for adding vertical interest.
- Size: Grows 10 to 12 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide.
- Growth rate: Very slow, about 2-4 inches per year.
- Care tips: Needs well-drained soil; protect from strong winds to prevent winter burn.
4. Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Heat and drought-tolerant with silver foliage and purple blooms after rain.
- Size: Reaches 5 to 8 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 12 inches per year.
- Care tips: Thrives in poor, rocky soil with minimal watering.
5. Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Tough, adaptable, and excellent for ground cover or upright structure.
- Size: Varies by species, ranging from 6 inches to 20 feet tall.
- Growth rate: Moderate to fast, about 1 to 2 feet per year.
- Care tips: Prefers dry, well-drained soil; very low maintenance.
6. Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei)
- Why it’s great for full sun: A versatile shrub with colorful foliage that turns red in winter.
- Size: Can grow as a ground cover (1-2 feet tall) or a shrub (up to 5 feet tall).
- Growth rate: Fast-growing, about 12-18 inches per year.
- Care tips: Needs occasional pruning to control its spread.
Flowering Shrubs
7. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Produces long, fragrant flower spikes that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Size: Grows 5 to 12 feet tall and wide.
- Growth rate: Fast-growing, up to 2-4 feet per year.
- Care tips: Prune annually in early spring to maintain shape and encourage blooms.
8. Hibiscus (Hibiscus syriacus)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Large, tropical-looking flowers in summer and fall provide a stunning display.
- Size: Reaches 8 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 12 inches per year.
- Care tips: Keep soil moist; prune in early spring to promote flowering.
9. Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Long-lasting summer blooms in shades of pink, white, red, or purple.
- Size: Can grow 10 to 30 feet tall, depending on variety.
- Growth rate: Moderate to fast, 1-3 feet per year.
- Care tips: Prune in late winter to encourage strong, healthy growth.
10. Weigela (Weigela florida)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Tubular flowers in shades of pink or red that attract hummingbirds.
- Size: Reaches 4 to 6 feet tall and wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 12-18 inches per year.
- Care tips: Prune after flowering to encourage new growth and more blooms.
11. Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Highly fragrant purple, pink, or white blossoms in spring.
- Size: Grows 8 to 15 feet tall and wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 1 foot per year.
- Care tips: Prefers well-drained soil; prune after flowering to shape and remove spent blooms.
12. Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia)
- Why it’s great for full sun: One of the earliest bloomers, covered in bright yellow flowers in early spring.
- Size: Reaches 6 to 10 feet tall and wide.
- Growth rate: Fast, about 2 feet per year.
- Care tips: Prune immediately after flowering to maintain shape.
13. Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
- Why it’s great for full sun: A hardy hibiscus that produces showy, long-lasting blooms in pink, white, blue, or purple.
- Size: Grows 8 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 12 inches per year.
- Care tips: Prune in late winter or early spring to maintain shape and promote blooms.
Perennial Shrubs
14. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Silvery foliage and lavender-colored flowers thrive in hot, dry climates.
- Size: Grows 3 to 5 feet tall and wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 1 foot per year.
- Care tips: Cut back in late winter to encourage fresh growth. Prefers well-drained soil.
15. Bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Late-season blue flowers provide nectar for pollinators.
- Size: Reaches 2 to 4 feet tall and wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 1 foot per year.
- Care tips: Prefers well-drained soil; prune back in early spring to maintain shape and encourage fresh blooms.
16. Hardy Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Elegant, drooping red and purple flowers attract hummingbirds.
- Size: Grows 3 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 1 foot per year.
- Care tips: Needs moist, well-drained soil; mulch in winter for cold protection.
17. Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Produces fragrant white or pink flowers in late summer.
- Size: Grows 3 to 8 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 1 foot per year.
- Care tips: Thrives in moist, slightly acidic soil; prune in early spring.
18. Spirea (Spiraea japonica)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Offers long-lasting pink, red, or white blooms with low maintenance.
- Size: Reaches 2 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide.
- Growth rate: Fast-growing, about 2 feet per year.
- Care tips: Prune after flowering to shape and encourage new growth.
19. Japanese Kerria (Kerria japonica)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Produces bright yellow, rose-like flowers in spring and summer.
- Size: Grows 5 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 1 foot per year.
- Care tips: Prune older stems to the ground after flowering to maintain a neat shape.
Drought-Tolerant Shrubs
20. Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Fragrant, drought-resistant, and attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies.
- Size: Grows 1 to 3 feet tall and wide.
- Growth rate: Slow, about 6 inches per year.
- Care tips: Requires well-drained soil and minimal watering; avoid overwatering to prevent root rot.
21. California Lilac (Ceanothus spp.)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Produces vibrant blue flowers and has excellent drought tolerance.
- Size: Ranges from 3 to 20 feet tall, depending on the variety.
- Growth rate: Fast, 1-3 feet per year.
- Care tips: Prefers dry, sandy soil; minimal watering once established. Prune lightly after flowering.
22. Rock Rose (Cistus spp.)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Tough, low-maintenance shrub with small, rose-like flowers in pink, white, or purple.
- Size: Grows 2 to 6 feet tall and wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 1 foot per year.
- Care tips: Thrives in poor, well-drained soil; requires little watering and pruning.
23. Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus)
- Why it’s great for full sun: Gray-green, aromatic foliage with small, yellow button-like flowers.
- Size: Grows 1 to 3 feet tall and wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 12 inches per year.
- Care tips: Requires sandy, well-drained soil; trim back in early spring to maintain shape.
24. Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)
- Why it’s great for full sun: A drought-resistant shrub or small tree with pink, trumpet-like flowers.
- Size: Reaches 10 to 30 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide.
- Growth rate: Fast-growing, up to 2-3 feet per year.
- Care tips: Prefers well-drained soil; water sparingly once established.
25. Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana)
- Why it’s great for full sun: An edible shrub with attractive, drought-resistant leaves and unique flowers.
- Size: Grows 10 to 15 feet tall and wide.
- Growth rate: Moderate, about 1 foot per year.
- Care tips: Prefers well-drained soil; tolerates drought but benefits from occasional deep watering.
Selecting the right shrubs for your sunny garden can create a stunning, low-maintenance landscape with year-round beauty. Whether you need evergreens for structure, flowering shrubs for color, perennials for longevity, or drought-tolerant options for water-wise gardening, these 25 full sun shrubs provide a range of choices to suit your space.
