Flowers That Bloom Round The Year In Florida
Florida- A beautiful state hosting a variety of weather conditions favorable for gardening and flowers growth. Whether one is new to the state or gardening, one is going to enjoy the aesthetics of this place blooming with colorful flowers round the year. As an aesthetic enjoyer I had a beautiful experience in gardening and planting various flowers that bloom round the year in Florida .
Even though Florida is a place of beautiful climate and weather conditions, one can experience a period of no growth stages depending on the local climate zone that can result in empty gardens. So, careful planning is important for-ever blooming garden.
So here is the solution. Using different varieties favoring different weather conditions can help in this regard. In this article I will share my experience of getting an ever-blooming garden in a place round the year.
For more information about Kitchen Garden you can visit: Bell Peppers Growing Stages
Florida’s Climate:
Florida is different from other states. There is frost-free growing in the southern part of the state and there are yearly freezes in the north. Before beginning planting in Florida, one must consider one’s local climatic conditions.
Florida is a land of different climate zones, the land of north and central part of the US state of Florida is humid subtropical. South Florida has a tropical climate. There is a rainy season from May through October when air mass thunderstorms that build in the heat of the day drop heavy but brief summer rainfall. Rarely does the dry season become severe in Florida that can lead to plant stress. While most areas in Florida don’t experience harsh conditions. Northern areas can see fleeting snow or sleet a few times in a decade.
Hardiness Zones:
The USDA Hardiness Zones for the state range from Zone 8A to 11B(8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, 11). Where 8A lies in the extreme northwestern panhandle, and 11B in the Florida lower Keys.
A point to be noted here is that it’s not all about Hardiness and climate zones. Many flowers can also stop blooming due to certain stress periods of drought, heat and cold or sheer temperatures.
Favorable periods for flowers to Bloom:
One may wonder how a plant knows when to flower.
The answer is simple: “favorable conditions”. Now I will tell you how it works. A plant in its lifespan goes through many ups and downs. Just like a seed inhibits its growth in unfavorable conditions. A plant restricts its production of flowers in order to survive.
One may ask, “what are these unfavorable conditions?” There are several unfavorable conditions like lack of sunlight, drought, too much cold, too much heat, lack of pollinators and so on. In stress periods like drought, heat and cold, the plant restricts its reproductive mechanism and its survival instinct focuses on its survival only that reduces the production of flowers.
And about pollinators they are the carriers of genetic material from one flower to other flower that results in sexual reproduction ultimately leading towards production of new flowers. If pollinators like insects, birds and even wind are restricted in area plants will not be able to reproduce sexually leading to less production of flowers.
Year-round blooming isn’t always possible because a plant needs certain hours of its favorable climate to produce its flower as it happens in fruit plants. For example, __ apple needs 500-1000 hours of chill to start producing its flower.
Plants That can Flower Year-Round in Florida:
Having a beautiful landscape in one’s view around the year. I can relate how charming it would be for an aesthetic enjoyer like me. Not only does it provide a beautiful and relaxing view but one can also enjoy day long beautiful melodies in one’s garden like the chirping of birds.
Below I am providing a list of flowers that one can grow in one’s garden to have a beautiful garden containing colorful flowers and charming landscape round the year. The list will highlight key traits of each plant along with its hardiness and peak season. So one can make decisions about selecting plants to grow in one’s garden that can bloom round the year.
1) Dianthus
Scientific Name: Dianthus x hybrida
- Peak Season: Blooms fall through spring
- Colors: Pink, white or red flowers
- Mature size: 8-18 inches
This plant is cultured throughout Florida. Talking about its hardiness, northern plantings can survive light freezing with little protection while southern plants are often shorter lived. These plants can tolerate summer by moving to cooler places in summer.
The plant needs regular care for proper blooming like adding plenty of organic material to sandy soil. Proper spacing (10-12 inches). Adding a light mulch layer. Don’t plant too deeply. Water plants only when soil feels dry and for container-grown plants I watered plants more frequently.
Dianthus, also called Pinks. They are used for large color masses in flower beds or color splashes along walkways or in containers. Plants may face the problem of pests so treat them with pesticides. In this way plants can survive more than one growing season.
2) Dusty Miller
Scientific Name: Senecio cineraria
- Peak Season: Fall through spring
- Colors: Fuzzy gray-green leaves look silvery
- Mature Size: 12-18 inches tall
Hardiness- Dusty Miller can survive early summer better than fall and winters. In North and Central Florida it often survives to early summer but it may delay planting until late fall’s cooler temperatures.
The plant requires conventional care methods for proper blooming i.e, adding plenty of organic material to sandy soil. Proper spacing (10-12 inches). Adding a light mulch layer. Don’t plant too deeply. Water plants only when soil feels dry and for container-grown plants water plants more frequently. If you want information about kitchen gardens you can visit: Spinach Companion Plants
The leaves of dusty Miller vary from coarsely toothed to lace-like. They add textual interest and are the perfect foil to brightly colored annuals in ground beds and containers. Use plants with contrasting colors, such as red Salvia, purple Petunias or red Begonias. Damp hot weather can result in less production. Caterpillars can attack as a pest and one can handpick them.
3) Geranium
Scientific Name: Pelargonium x hortorum
- Peak Season: Fall through spring
- Color: Flowers are pink, red and lavender, plus white and blends. Foliage can have zonal marking.
- Mature Size: 18-24 inches tall
Hardiness- This plant grows well throughout Florida. It has great tolerance and planting can begin in October if winter protection is provided.
The plant requires conventional care methods for proper blooming i.e, adding plenty of organic material to sandy soil. Proper spacing (10-12 inches). Adding a light mulch layer. Don’t plant too deeply. Water plants only when soil feels dry and for container-grown plants water plants more frequently.
Geranium are lovely bedding plants that produce charming flower clusters above the foliage. They are usually perennials, however, in Florida Geraniums are also treated as cool-season annuals. Summer rains can cause rot and reduce its flowering. Handpicking of pests is recommended for this plant.
4) Globe Amaranth
Scientific Name: Gomphrena globosa
- Peak Season: Blooms summer through fall
- Color: Yellow, white , pink, purple flowers
- Mature Size: 12-24 inches tall
About the hardiness of this plant it is planted during warmer months and can be damaged by frosts and freezes. This plant is moderately drought tolerant. Water it when dry but don’t overwater.
This plant doesn’t require too much care. It is tolerant to poor soil, heat and drought. Seeds may be sown directly into garden and indoor pots. To dry these everlasting flowers, cut just before they completely open and hang upside down in a warm, dark place. When planted close together they produce longer stems which are better for drying.
The flowers of Globe Amaranth can provide us with beautiful walkways and are also ideal in containers. They are available in different colors and hybrid varieties having different growth habits. Moreover , they are free from many pests and diseases.
5) Baby’s Breath
Scientific Name: Gypsophila paniculata
- Peak Season: Blooms Summer
- Color: Tiny white flowers
- Mature Size: 1.5-4 ft x 3-4 ft
They are present in hardiness zones between 8-10. These plants are salt tolerant to some extent and prefer slightly alkaline and well drained soils.
Baby breaths are quite easy to grow. They need to be fertilized once in a month for best production. Once established, it provides an excellent bloomer, with little flowers covering the plant. Blooms that are cut off for use will be replaced quickly by new ones. They can also be grown as a perennial. This plant needs to be dried out between waterings and if kept too wet it may get rot.
These little white blooms are often used for bouquets and can also be used for bedding borders and in baskets. Using these beautiful tiny bloomers with a variety of colorful flowers increases the aesthetic value of a place.
6) Lobelia
Scientific Name: Lobelia erinus
- Peak Season: Bloom winter and spring
- Color: Blue, violet, white, purple flowers
- Mature Size: 3-12 inches x 12-24 inches
These plants are cold tolerant, surviving all but hard freezes. They need plenty of moisture but if kept too damp the stem may rot.
One must plant these cool-season annual plants in rich, fertile and well drained soil. In warmer parts of Florida, plant in partial shade. These plants inhibit their growth when temperature gets too hot.
They can be used as compact varieties for edgings, borders or mass plantings. Lobelia with trailing habits can be used in containers, raised beds or cascading over walls. These plants are obtained as transplants during the later fall and winter.
7) Pansy
Scientific Name: Viola x wittrokiana
- Peak Season: Blooms fall and winnter
- Color: Various color flowers
- Mature Size: 10-12 inches tall
Hardiness
Pansy is hardy throughout Florida. They may be the only flowers blooming in the coldest weather of Florida. They need really cool temperatures and grow best in lower night temperatures. One must wait until there is consistent chill air before planting pansies.
They require regular caring. Removal of old blossoms to keep new flowerings. They must be planted at 6-8 inches apart in thoroughly moistened soil. They may have aphids and slugs as pests so use of pesticides is also recommended.
Pansies can be grown in ground beds, containers and hanging baskets. As cut flowers they are perfect for bouquets. Different colors of pansies along the walkway can provide beautiful experience and landscaping.
8) Impatiens
Scientific Name: Impatiens walleriana
- Peak Season: Bloom year-round
- Color: All color flowers
- Mature Size: 10-24 inches tall
Hardiness
These plants grow well throughout Florida for round the year. They need a little winter protection in North and central Florida, and cold affected impatiens can also grow back.
They are planted at 12-14 inches apart in moistened soil. Water only when soil feels dry and container grown plants need frequent watering. They require proper care. If they become tall and lanky, prune back to within 1 foot of the ground. They may have caterpillars, slugs and mites as pests that can be controlled using pesticides. Nematodes can also be a pest that is difficult to handle.
Impatience has a great aesthetic value round the year. They provide us with colors when other plants refuse to bloom. Using them is also an economical way of filling large areas with colors. They can also be used in ground beds and pots.
9) Coleus
Scientific Name: Coleus x hybridus
- Peak Season: Year-round foliage
- Color: Various shaped leaves have mixture of pink, green, yellow, bronze or red
- Mature Size: 1-2 feet tall
Hardiness – In North Florida replant after each winter, unless given extra winter protection. In Central and South Florida this plant keeps growing for several years.
They require plenty of organic material when grown in sandy soil. Planted 12-18 inches apart. Coleus may grow too tall due to the long growing season so they need to be cut back to desirable height. New plants of coleus need to be kept moist and once established water only when feel too dry. May get slugs so use of slug or caterpillars. Use slug bait and handpick caterpillars.
They are used along with many color flowers. They are grown with many ground varieties increasing their own and their aesthetic values. They provide charming site round the year.
10) Gazania
Scientific Name: Gazania spp
- Peak Season: Year -round flowering
- Color: Yellow, orange, red flowers; blue-green foliage
- Mature Size: 6-12 inches x 12-24 inches
Hardiness – Grows best fall through spring. Plant tolerates light frost. Summer rain can cause rot problems.
They require well drained soil. Plant thrives in hot, dry areas and needs full sun for blooming. On cloudy days flowers might not open all the way. When used as a ground cover, plant 12-18 inches apart. Very drought tolerant but doesn’t tolerate soggy roots. They are also grown as perennials.
The low growing Gazania provides mounds of blue-green foliage with cheery daisy-like flowers. It is invaluable in sunny, dry areas. They are best used as ground cover and edging to control erosion. No pests and diseases are a big problem for gazania.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flowers That Bloom Round The Year In Florida
Do ever-blooming flowers are more stress tolerant?
Ever-blooming flowers are also known as continuous and perpetual bloomers, often possessing characteristics that make them more stress- tolerant compared to flowers that have specific blooming.
As a plant lover, which plants should I choose for my garden?
Everyone has their own perspective about flowers. Some like a variety of colors and some people like single colored beds and walkways. In my perspective I would choose Impatiens as they are economical, present in a variety of colors and greatly stress tolerant.
Conclusion:
Flowers are important for the beauty of a place as well as mental pleasure. For the people like me who love gardening, flowers are of great importance and I am always pleased to see my garden blooming with colorful flowers. So, proper planning and choice of plants is of great importance considering all the aspects of location and plant quality.