Flowers That Like Sandy Soil

Last Updated on May 31, 2023 by John Power

Sandy soil is known to drain quickly, making it quite challenging for some plants to thrive. However, it’s an ideal growing environment for flowers that like sandy soil. These plants can adapt to the dry and porous nature of sandy soil. Whether you are planning to grow some perennials, annuals, or shrubs, adding ground covers for your butterfly-themed garden, or just want to add some colors, these sandy soil-friendly flowering plants could be a great option!

Expert Gardener Tip for Plants That Love Sandy Soil: To make sandy soil hold more water, add some water-absorbing materials such as coco coir, peat moss, perlite, wood chips, manure, or any other organic materials to the soil.

Perennial Plants For Sandy Soil

Giant Hyssop (Agastache)

Hyssop flowers that like sandy soil

Growing Zones: 5 to 10

Light: Full sun

Watering: Regular watering, about once a week

Plus Value for Gardeners: Fragrant and showy blooms, attract pollinators

Giant hyssops are flowers that like sandy soil and love moisture from the Lamiaceae Family. They’re easy to grow but don’t do well as companion plants as they will fight with other plants for food.

Blue-eyed African Daisy (Arctotis stoechadifolia)

African Daisy

Growing Zones: 8 to 11

Light: Full sun

Watering: Regular watering, about once a week

Plus Value for Gardeners: Showy blooms, attract butterflies and pollinators

If you’re looking for tropical flowers like sandy soil that creates good-cut flowers, see no other than the blue-eyed African daisies. They are very low maintenance and also resistant to challenges such as drought and heat.

Anemone Clematis (Clematis montana)

Anemone Clematis plants that love sandy soil

Growing Zones: 6 to 9

Light: Full sun, partial shade

Watering: Regular watering, about once a week

Plus Value for Gardeners: Showy blooms, attract hummingbirds and bees

These native to the Himalayas, China, and Taiwan are the next flowering plants that like sandy soil and sun, although they do well too under partial shade. Like their clematis cousins, the delicate anemone clematis is poisonous to humans and pets. They contain a chemical called protoanemonin and can be fatal if eaten in large quantities.

In addition to their toxic properties, anemones hold various symbolic meanings. For instance, the white anemone is often associated with purity, innocence, and sincerity. Its pristine color represents a clean slate and fresh beginnings.

Another intriguing species of anemone is the anemone tomentosa. This particular variety not only showcases its captivating visual appeal with fuzzy leaves and eye-catching pink flowers, but it also exhibits a preference for sandy soil. T

Annual Plants That Love Sandy Soil

Basket of Gold (Aurinia saxatilis)

flowers that like sandy soil Basket of Gold (Aurinia saxatilis)

Growing Zones: 3 to 7

Light: Full sun

Watering: Regular watering, about once a week. Decrease the water intake in the rainy season

Plus Value for Gardeners: Showy blooms, dry soil tolerant

Basket of golds are attractive flowers that like sandy soil with clusters of tiny yellowish golden blooms. In their natural habitat, these spring bloomers thrive in sandy and rocky areas and somewhat have a long blooming season.

Garden Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

Garden Cosmos plants that like sandy soil and sun
Garden Cosmos “plants that like sandy soil and sun

Growing Zones: 2 to 11

Light: Full sun, partial shade

Watering: Regular watering, about once a week

Plus Value for Gardeners: Showy blooms, attract pollinators and butterflies, good cut

When it comes to maintenance, the colorful garden cosmos don’t need complex treatment. In addition to growing in sandy soil, these annual beauties also tolerate heat and drought, even in the hottest gardening areas!

West Indian Lantana (Lantana camara)

Lantana camara

Growing Zones: 7 to 11

Light: Full sun

Watering: Regular watering, about once a week

It’s difficult not to fall in love with the West Indian Lantana just by seeing them for the first time. Having long been favored for its showy, bright-colored, and star-shaped blossoms, the West Indian Lantana also makes a great addition to hanging baskets, containers, and any other small gardening spaces–as well as house plants.

Shrubs For Sandy Soil 

Bog-rosemary (Andromeda polifolia)

Bog-rosemary flowering shrubs that like sandy soil

Growing Zones: 2 to 6

Light: Full shade, partial shade, full sun

Watering: Regular watering, about once to twice a week

Plus Value for Gardeners: Showy blooms, insect pests resistant, wet soil resistant

If you’re looking for evergreen shrubs that most gardeners hardly know, give it a try to the attractive pink and white tiny blossoms of bog-rosemary. However, to grow these flowers that like sandy soil, they require a colder area. Although bog-rosemary is named ‘rosemary’, this plant is not edible at all.

Deutzia (Deutzia)

Deutzia flowering Shrubs For Sandy Soil 
Deutzia “flowering Shrubs For Sandy Soil

Growing Zones: 5 to 8

Light: Full sun, partial shade

Watering: Regular watering, about once a week. Decrease the amount of watering during the growing season and rainy season

Plus Value for Gardeners: Showy and fragrant blooms, attract pollinators and butterflies

Deutzias are flowering plants from the same family as hydrangeas. The plants that love sandy soil thrive well in both full sun and partial shade areas, but for a maximum blooming period, it’s best to grow them under the full sun as they love to sunbathe.

French Hydrangea (Hydrangea)

French Hydrangea grow by the beach
French Hydrangea grow by the beach

Growing Zones: 3 to 9

Light: Full sun, partial shade

Watering: Regular watering, about one to three times a week 

Plus Value for Gardeners: Showy blooms, attractive color-changing blooms based on pH level, attract pollinators

Widely known as the ‘chameleon’ in the world of plants, as their ability to change color, the classic French hydrangeas are also tough flowering plants! As these flowers like sandy soil can thrive in most hardiness zones. The loose and well-draining nature of sandy soil allows for proper air circulation and moisture drainage, preventing waterlogged roots and potential rot. Coastal areas or regions with sandy soil provide an excellent environment for these flowers to flourish. Additionally, sandy soil is often associated with more acidic pH levels, which is advantageous for hydrangeas as it promotes vibrant flower colors.

Moreover, French hydrangeas can be cultivated in various locations, including in front of houses. Placing these charming flowers in front of the house not only enhances the curb appeal but also creates a welcoming atmosphere for residents and visitors alike. The pops of color and lush foliage can transform the exterior of a home, adding beauty and charm to the overall landscape. Whether planted in garden beds or in containers by the entrance, French hydrangeas bring a touch of elegance and sophistication to the front of the house.

Ground Cover Plants For Sandy Soil

Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum)

Cerastium tomentosum

Growing Zones: 3 to 7

Light: Full sun, partial shade

Watering: Regular watering, about once a week

Plus Value for Gardeners: Showy white blooms, attract bees

Snow-in-summers are kind of underrated ground cover flowers that like sandy soil. Originating from the southern part of Italy and Corsica Island, these perennial charms are not a fan of excessive heat.

Pinkladies (Oenothera speciosa)

Oenothera speciosa plants that love sandy soil

Growing Zones: 5 to 8

Light: Full sun, partial shade

Watering: Regular watering, about once or twice a week

Plus Value for Gardeners: Showy blooms, attract butterflies and pollinators, resistant to poor soil

Also known as the Mexican evening primrose, the dainty Pinkladies is best not only for ground covers but also for rocky areas. The pink and white flowers that like sandy soil blooms in fall and summer, and they don’t need much to maintain.

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)

Phlox

Growing Zones: 3 to 9

Light: Full shade, full sun

Watering: Regular watering, about once a week

Plus Value for Gardeners: Showy blooms, attract pollinators, good to prevent erosion, deer and dry soil resistance

These perennial ground cover flowers that like sandy soil are like ‘magic’, as they resist many challenges, including fires, poor soil, and salt. A pruning session is needed to keep these colorful flowering plants in shape. Nonetheless, if you’d like to let the beautiful creeping phlox cover a larger area of your garden, pruning is not mandatory.

Create A Magnificent Landscape With Flowers That Like Sandy Soil

To conclude, whether it’s shrubs, annuals, perennials, or ground covers, flowers that like sandy soil have adapted well to survive in conditions where generally, minimal maintenance is required. With proper care and adding some amendments to improve the sandy soil’s ability to restrain more water, you can enjoy the lush and vibrant colors in your landscape.

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