Patio Plants for a Number of Uses

Collage of 4 images: bottle bush plant, herbs in garden, patio with lanterns, plants and seating, and a cactus in garden landscape

Phenomenal Patio Plants

At SummerWinds Nursery, we have a wonderful assortment of plants perfect for your patio, including scented plants, shade plants, and plants that enjoy the sun! Make your patio the relaxing getaway you're dreaming of today...

Sun-Loving Patio Plants

Looking for the right plants for those sunny spots on your patio? Here are some of our favorites:

Aloe
  • Aloes - These evergreen perennials belong to the succulent family, can be grown indoors or out, and are drought-tolerant once established. (Shown right)
  • Bottle Brush (Callistemon spp.) - Can be grown as shrubs or small trees and boast fun, bottle-brush shaped blooms primarily in various shades of red.  (Shown  in banner above, top-left.)
  • Semi-Dwarf Bonanza Peach (Prunus persica 'Bonanza') - Although this semi-dwarf tree will grow medium to large-size fruit, it will only reach a matrure height of 6-8 feet and can be planted in the ground or grown in a container.
  • Semi-Dwarf Citrus - Available in a variety of fruits, these trees grow to a fraction of the height that their full-size family members grow to. Semi-dwarf citrus trees can be grown in the ground or in containers. (Shown right)
Hibiscus
  • Herbs - At SummerWinds, we carry a wide variety of many different types of herbs. In addition to their uses in recipes, salves and more, many herbs can make wonderful container or perennial landscape plants. (Shown in banner above, bottom-left.)
  • Hibiscus - These vibrant flowers are available in a wide range of colors and can be grown as a shrub or a tree. They attract hummingbirds and butterflies and can be planted in the ground or grown in containers. The deeper colors grow best in our bright sun... (Shown right)
AZ Sun Blanket Flowers
  • Perennial Flowers - Native perennial plants that thrive in the Valley? We've got them! Stop by your local SummerWinds to explore our vast selection. (AZ Sun Blanket perennial flower shown right)
  • Totem Pole Cactus (Pachycereus schottii f. monstrosus) - These This smooth-skined, slow growing columnar cactus enjoys full sun and reflected heat. It is drought-tolerant once established and can grows 10 - 12 feet tall. (Shown in banner above, top-right.)
  • Vegetables - We have a wide variety of sun-loving vegetables available for growing seasonally by seed or plant starts.


Shade Plants

2 images: wooden patio seating and table with colorful assortment of various shade plants in background (including Dracaena), plus a closeup photo of Raphis Palm

We have a wonderful selection of shade plants you can enjoy from your patio, including:

Crossandra
  • Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea Seifrizii) - Also known as the Reed palm, this plant can grow to 7 feet tall and has long bamboo-like canes and dense clusters of fronds with dark-green to grey foliage.
  • Crossandra (Crossandra infundibuliformis) - This beautiful heat- and humidity-loving plant boast long-lasting color and a long blooming cycle. Blooms range drom bright orange, yellow, salmon or pink in color. Average landscape size is 1-3 ft. tall and 1-2 ft. wide. with blue-green foliage. (Shown right)
Croton
  • Crotons (Codiaeum variegatum) - Colorful, glossy, leathery leaves can be found on shrub or small tree versions of this plant. (Shown right)
  • Dracaena - Beautifully colored dramatic foliage adds color and texture to any environment. Plus, dracaena has been shown to improve air quality! Available in numerous varieties from short and bushy plants, to tall. (Shown in banner above, left.)
Fiddle Leaf Fig
  • Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) - While these make excellent houseplants, fiddle leaf figs can also be wonderful patio plants when grown in the shade. (Shown right)
  • Philodendron - There a numerous varieties of Philodendron, some with heart-shaped solid leaves and others with more fan-like leaves.
Sanseveria
  • Raphis Palm (Rhapis Excelsa) - Also known as a Broadleaf Lady Palm or a Bamboo Palm. This elegant, tropical small palm boasts eye-catching deep-green foliage and bamboo-like clumps. (Shown in above banner, right.)
  • Sansaveria - Also known as a Snake Plant or Mother in Law's Tongue. - There are many varieties of sansaveria, most of which are drought-tolerant once established. Most varieties produce long, narrow, upright,sword-shaped leaves. Others have thinner leaves, more succulent leaves or even larger, flattened leaves. (Shown right)
Weeping Fig Tree
  • Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) - This versitile tree has egg-shaped, shiny green leaves that come to a sharp, curved point. It is a very malleable tree that can be shaped to satisfy a number of landscape or garden needs. (Shown right)
  • Yucca Canes - This palnt is easy to care for and drought-tolerant once established. Available in a variety of sizes and shapes.
ZZ Plant
  • Zebra Plant - Also known as Saffron Spike, Zebra plants are woody shrubs with dark green waxy leaves that have white stripes on them, spikes with saffron-yellow flowers, and a purple-tinged stem.
  • ZZ or Eternity Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) - Drought-tolerant, once established, the ZZ plant has wide, waxy, dark-green reflective leaves. It is very resistant to diseases and insects. (Shown right)

Scented Patio Plants

A collage of 4 images: star jasmine, scented geraniium, lavender and a potted dwarf citrus plant

Scented plants can make your patio that much more relaxing and enjoyable. To add that special touch to your patio experience, incorporate:

Arabian Jasmine shrub
  • Arabian Jasmine (Jasminum sambac) - This exceptionally fragant twining evergreen shrub boasts glossy, dark-green leaves with waxy white flowers. (Shown right)
  • Dwarf Citrus - Smaller versions of the tasty and beautiful fruit trees you love! Easily grown and enjoyed in containers. (Shown in banner above, right.)
  • Gardenias - These pleasant and intoxicating fragrant, showy, evergreen shrubs boasts large pale blossoms contrasted against shinny green foliage.
  • Lavenders (Lavandula) - There are numerous varieties of lavender available, most of which are drought-tolerant once established. Lavendar can be dried, infused and some even used in recipies! (Shown in banner above, center.)
  • Pink Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) - This award-winning, fast and strong-growing evergreen vine boasts gorgeous fragrant flowers that begin as beautiful pink buds and grow into lovely white blooms.
  • Scented Geraniums - There are numerous scented geranium varieties availalbe—including apple, apricot, chocolate mint, cinnamon, ginger, lemon, lime, mint, nutmeg, orange, peppermint, pineapple and more! (Rose scented geranium shown in banner above, bottom-left.)
  • Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) - This vine is valued for its very fragrant, star-shaped white blooms against a blanket of thick, dark-green foliage. (Shown in banner above, top-left.)