Plants That Like Full Sun and Sand: Sandy Soil, Full Sun Plants
A sandy soil is fast draining due to its larger soil particles than clay or silt types. While that might be advantageous, the quick moving water also depletes the soil of nutrients and moisture. Believe it or not, some plants prefer a dry, nutrient poor soil, and those are the plants to seek out. Here are popular full sun plants for sandy soil that thrive in low fertility and moisture. Annual plants for sun and sand:
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) Zones 6-10Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) Zones 2-11
Perennial plants that like full sun and sand:
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) Zones 3-9Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.) Zones 4-9Blanket Flower (Gaillardia spp.) Zones 3-10Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Zones 4-10Daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.) Zones 3-10Liatris (Liatris spp.) Zones 4-8Penstemon (Penstemon spp.) Zones 4-10Phlox (Phlox spp.) Zones 4-8Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) Zones 5-9Sea oats (Uniola paniculata) Zones 7-11Salvia (Salvia nemorosa) Zones 4-9Sedum (Sedum spp.) Zones 3-9Yarrow (Achillea spp.) Zones 3 to 9
Vegetables with long tap roots do well in sandy soil because the roots can penetrate the soil easily.
Carrot (Daucus carota var. sativus) Zones 2-11Potato (Solanum tuberosum) Zones 2-11Radish (Raphanus sativus) Zones 2-11
Lettuce will grow well if it is watered every day. Collard greens perform well in early spring when sandy soil is already warm. It also needs regular water. These herbs are sandy soil, full sun plants that thrive in slightly acidic, well-draining soil.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Zones 6-9Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) Zone 5-9Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Zones 8-10Oregano (Origanum vulgare) Zones 5-12
Groundcover full sun sand plants:
Moss phlox or creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) Zones 3-9Sedum varieties (Sedum spp.) Zones 4-9
Flowering shrubs
Butterfly bush (Buddleia spp.) Zones 5-9Flowering quince (Chaenomeles speciosa) Zones 4-8Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) Zones 4-9Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) Zones 5-9Rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa) Zones 2-9Siberian Pea Shrub or Tree (Caragana arborescens) Zones 2-7
