Warm Weather Perennials Archives

Perennial plants offer the advantage of coming back every year without the need to plant anew each spring. In South Florida, gardeners have the very real concern of locating plants that can also withstand the high heat that summer brings. There are actually a number of heat tolerant flowering perennials that provide brightly colored blossoms and food for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Monarda, also known as bee balm, attracts honey bees and butterflies, is deer and rabbit resistant, and blooms July-Aug. The foliage also emits a minty scent. Seek cultivars that are mildew-resistant.
Coneflower features a variety of colors, is deer-resistant, and grows 1-3 ft. tall. It provides three months of bloom from June-Aug. and can be used as a cut flower.
Coreopsis is a low-maintenance perennial that will even grow in soil that’s rocky or sandy in nature. It’s sometimes called tick seed due to the appearance of the seed capsules. They’re deer-resistant and butterflies flock to them.
Gaillardia, also known as blanket flower, is native to Florida and features a wealth of red and gold blooms. It can bloom year-round, and is also salt tolerant for locations near the ocean.
Pentas are native to Africa, producing clumps of flowers in a wide range of colors. They’re attractive to butterflies and available in low-growing and taller varieties.
Phlox is heat tolerant, mildew resistant, has showy blossoms, and makes an excellent cut flower for indoor use.

It should be noted that many flowers considered annuals in northern climates will easily self-seed in Florida and come back year after year. Morning glories are one such climber and they’re available in day and night blooming varieties. The low-growing portulaca, also known as moss rose, is another species that will readily reseed itself and generate many years of blossoms from the original sowing.

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One of the best things about perennials is that they’re planted once and they come back year after year. They deserve a special place in every landscape and depending on the selection, they’re equally appropriate as specimen plants, in beds, and as groundcovers. They can even be planted by bloom times to create a continuous cascade of flowers.

South Florida’s climate provides gardeners with a wide variety of perennial selections from which to choose. There are literally dozens of perennials that offer bountiful blossoms and a rainbow of colors. Many also act as magnets to honeybees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Begonias

The darlings of gardeners everywhere, in South Florida they provide interest year-round. They’re bountiful bloomers in shades of red, white, yellow, orange, and pink. Begonias can be used as hanging plants or in containers, trailing types can be trained to climb, and they can be planted directly into beds. They’re offered in single and double flowering types.

Crossandra

The plant can grow up to 3 ft. tall with flowers that can range from peach and apricot to vivid orange. It’s a prolific bloomer with some species that prefers partial shade, while others do best with full sun. They’re highly attractive to butterflies.

Egyptian Star Flower

The flowers appear in clusters of red, blue, pink and lavender. They’re heat tolerant, prolific bloomers, and will need 4-6 hours of full sun each day. Growing 18-22 inches in height, they’re also disease resistant and are particularly attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Shrimp Plant

Shrimp plant is available in pink to salmon colored varieties, along with golden shrimp plant that has bright, yellow flower bracts and white blossoms. It prefers full sun, but can withstand partial shade. Depending on the variety, it can range in height from 18-48 inches. Butterflies find the golden variety especially attractive.

Flowers for Every Need

There are dozens of perennial flower varieties that will thrive in South Florida’s climate and offer months of beautiful blossoms. Many also have the benefit of providing a valuable food source for hummingbirds and pollinators that include bees and butterflies. Gardeners are really only limited to what their imaginations can envision.