If Your Patio Is Too Hot to Use in Summer, These 7 Fast-Growing Plants Will Cool It Down With Natural Shade
As summer temperatures soar, these fast-growing trees, shrubs and climbers will make your yard feel more comfortable
We all want to be outside in summer, enjoying our backyards in all their hard-earned glory, whether that means pottering in the borders, cutting flowers for the house or maybe just unwinding on the patio with a cool drink as the day winds down. Yet, when temperatures soar, even the loveliest yard can become uncomfortably hot, particularly if it is dominated by paving, walls or other hard landscaping that absorbs and radiates heat.
Fortunately, some plants can help cool a garden in summer. Trees, shrubs and climbers naturally create cooler garden microclimates by casting shade, softening hard surfaces and releasing moisture into the air through transpiration. As water evaporates from leaves, it gently cools the surrounding air, while dense foliage reduces the amount of heat reflected from patios, paths and walls. Combined, these effects can make a noticeable difference, particularly around seating areas.
There is also something psychological about being surrounded by greenery, I think. Colorful blooms, large leaves, dappled shade and swaying branches somehow make a space feel cooler, calmer and more inviting than bare paving ever could. So, if you want to prepare your yard for future heatwaves, these are seven of the best fast-growing cooling plants to add to your plot, including some native species, like sugar maple, with live plants available to order from Amazon now.
1. Southern Magnolia
If you garden in the South, southern magnolia, or Magnolia grandiflora, is a great option for adding shade to your plot.
Hardy down to zone 7, this evergreen eventually forms a broad canopy of large, glossy leaves that blocks strong sunlight and helps reduce the heat reaching patios, herbaceous borders and lawns below.
In summer, rather large creamy-white flowers appear, but even out of bloom, the dense evergreen foliage brings valuable year-round structure and shelter.
Southern magnolia performs best in full sun or part shade, thriving with regular moisture in well-draining soil. Growing approximately two feet per year, if left alone, they can eventually reach 60 to 80 feet tall. Smaller cultivars, however, are better suited to compact yards. Try something like this 'Little Gem' variety sold via Amazon.
You can explore more plants that will naturally make your patio feel cooler in the heat in our separate piece.
2. Sugar Maple
For gardeners in cooler regions, the sugar maple, or Acer saccharum, is a magnificent native shade tree. Hardy in US zones 3 to 8, it occurs naturally across much of eastern North America and thrives in deep, fertile, well-draining soil.
Sugar maple live plants are sold via Walmart.
Its familiar lobed leaves form a generous canopy, creating dappled shade rather than plunging the yard into complete darkness. I particularly like the way the foliage shifts and rustles in the breeze, casting moving patterns of light across the ground below. And, if you are looking for fall color, the leaves turn brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red by October.
Once settled, specimens should put on two to three feet per year, establishing steadily and ultimately providing substantial summer shelter.
Sugar Maple is a native North American tree with a pleasing shady canopy in summer and which has spectacular fall foliage.
The Ethical Gardener, by Thomas Rutter, includes tips the best climate-resilient plants to grow to future proof your yard.
With handsome foliage and conical flowers, oak leaf hydrangeas are ideal for filling borders with joyful color this year.
3. Tulip Tree
If not for its wonderful name, grow the tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera, for its unusual foliage and lofty summer canopy. Hardy in US zones 4 to 9, this native tree grows naturally across eastern North America, from southern Canada towards the Gulf of Mexico.
Its glossy, four-lobed leaves have an almost square-shaped appearance, making the tree easy to identify. Mature specimens also produce flowers in greenish yellow.
Live tulip trees can be ordered from Perfect Plants via Amazon.
Tulip trees grow quickly when planted in deep, moist and fertile soil. Full sun is best, although they will tolerate a little partial shade. Their broad, spreading branches provide welcome cover during summer. Ideal if you're looking for plants to cool an outdoor seating area.
4. Crepe Myrtle
Crepe myrtle, or Lagerstroemia indica, is an excellent choice for cooling a patio without making the space feel dark.
Hardy in US zones 6 to 10, it develops a naturally airy canopy that filters strong sunlight and creates dappled shade. And, what's more, crepe myrtles are remarkably fast-growing, with some varieties putting on four feet or more per year.
Native to eastern Asia, crepe myrtle produces generous clusters of flowers in pink, purple, red or white, often blooming for weeks during the hottest part of summer.
Plant it in full sun for the strongest flowering, ideally in free-draining soil. As with other leafy shrubs and trees, its foliage releases water vapor through transpiration, which can gently cool the surrounding air. Birds may also feed on the seeds held within the woody capsules once they dry and split in fall.
Live crepe myrtle plants can be ordered from Amazon.
5. Oakleaf Hydrangea
Oakleaf hydrangea, or Hydrangea quercifolia, earns its place in any yard for both its cooling foliage and remarkable seasonal display. Hardy in US zones 5 to 9, it is native to the southeastern United States and produces large, deeply lobed leaves that help shade the soil and reduce heat around paths and seating areas. When happy, it should grow around two feet or more each year.
Oakleaf hydrangea live plants are available via Walmart.
I once grew oakleaf hydrangeas along a garden path in Tuscany, beneath an old mulberry tree. The combination of overhead shade and lush foliage made the whole area feel noticeably cooler and more sheltered.
Water regularly while plants establish, then mulch around the roots to conserve moisture and support strong, leafy growth.
6. Star Jasmine
Star jasmine, or Trachelospermum jasminoides, is one of my go-to climbers for softening hot walls, fences and pergolas. Hardy in US zones 8 to 10, it produces glossy, dark green evergreen leaves and clusters of intensely fragrant white flowers during summer.
Train it over an arbor or seating area and its foliage will filter direct sunlight, creating natural shade below.
Star jasmine grows well in full sun or partial shade, although a little afternoon protection is useful in very hot climates. It might take a year or two to get going, but once settled, it is tough, dependable and should put on three feet or more each year (be sure to train whippy growth). It may be widely used by gardeners and designers, but in my experience, it is popular for very good reason.
Star jasmine live plants can be ordered online via Amazon.
7. Wisteria
Few plants transform a sunny pergola or arbor quite like wisteria. Once established, its vigorous stems quickly provide leafy overhead cover, while cascades of fragrant flowers bring color and scent to summer seating areas.
For a North American native, choose American wisteria, Wisteria frutescens, available via Amazon. Hardy in US zones 5 to 9, it is generally less aggressive than Chinese wisteria, Wisteria sinensis, or Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda. Both Asian species are fast-growing, but can spread rapidly and are considered invasive in several states, so always check with your local extension office before planting.
Tie these fast-growing cooling plants in regularly and prune twice yearly: once in summer to control growth and again in winter to encourage flowering.
Lastly, remember fast-spreading ground cover plants that shade exposed soil, slowing moisture loss in your yard. Something like monkey grass or creeping phlox should do the trick.
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