How much sun to do well?

I went overboard just recently purchasing the much talked about "Hot Summer". I am scrambling to find places to plant them.

I 'measured' the amount of direct sun in a certain location. It was from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM ie 4 hours.

Is it your experience that this is enough for "full sun" coneflowers?

I personally think they need more sun to do their best. However, I have grown Exhinaceas in part sun before. They don't bloom as well though.

Well I guess it will be an experiment. True "full sun" in my gardens is hard to come by. One thing though is the taller they get the more sun they will receive. "Go to the light" ;)

I'm the opposite. My yard has too much sun. Lol.

Here in Texas plants that say "full sun" usually do ok with some late afternoon shade....one blog I read online refers to summer in Texas as being under the "Death Star"....too funny until you try to garden any time after 9am....we are in such a drought and getting ready to set a record with the number of days over 100....my son lives in Phoenix and when he came to visit he asked how we could stand it living here.....
I think the fact that it never cools off at night is what is hardest on plants(and people too!)

Off topic but I do worry about some of your southern states re heat and drought. To put it overly simplified....at some point you will run out of water....no?

so far we are doing ok with water in my area, though others in texas are not as lucky. it is hard when there are water restrictions and you can only water at certain times or days(mostly late at night)...that has sparked an interest with many people in xeric or water wise gardening.I mostly use native plants so they don't need as much water. My beds are on a drip irrigation system and everything is heavily mulched to try and conserve every drop.I enjoy my garden though I must admit I lust after plants that I simply can't grow here..... on a trip to England last year I saw several Salvia greggii that were struggling there. Here they are so easy to grow they sell them everywhere,even the big box stores...so maybe everyone has plant envy to some degree...
What I am really concerned about are the trees out in the wild...they are really suffering in my area and I don't know how many we may lose in the next few years if we have another hard winter with little rain followed by a hot dry summer for a third year.

I think 11-3 is considered full sun, it is the hottest sun of the day. Mine get sun from about one when its over the house until 4:30 or 5 when it goes behind a tree to the west of me and goes on down behind houses. Every thing in my back yard is full sun and that is all they get. :)

Thanks for that "virginiarose". I now have more hope that they will do well in this location next year.

You welcome! I think your flowers will be beautiful :)

There is a forum called 'Canadian Gardening' if you would like to see how your neighbours are making out.