15 Flowers That Bloom Year-Round in Florida

Florida’s mild, often frost-free winters let some plants flower all year long. These 15 flowers that bloom year-round in Florida will keep your landscape bright with reds, blues, and pinks, even on chilly nights.

For most of the country, winter means bare beds. In much of Florida, though, the right perennials keep color coming from spring through winter, especially in Central and South Florida where hard freezes are rare.

LawnLove’s flower bed weeding keeps beds tidy so your year-round blooms stay the star of the show.

15 flowers that bloom year-round in Florida

Flowers that bloom year-round in Florida are mostly heat-loving perennials that shrug off the state’s mild winters: blanket flower, blue daze, bougainvillea, firespike, gerbera daisies, hibiscus, ixora, Knock Out roses, lantana, Mexican heather, pentas, petunias, plumbago, salvia, and vinca.

Blooms are most reliable in Central and South Florida, where hard freezes are rare. Florida spans USDA hardiness zones 8 through 11, so North Florida’s occasional frosts can pause or end the show for cold-sensitive tropicals.

1. Blanket flower (Gaillardia spp.)

The blanket flower grows in mounds of foliage and flowers and makes a great ground cover. Different species have different color blooms, but most are multi-colored in bright shades of red, yellow, or orange.

Blanket flowers’ first blossoms burst forth in early summer, and they keep blooming into fall and, in the frost-free parts of Florida, well beyond.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day)

• Soil preferences: Adapted to nutrient-poor soils but needs good drainage

• Water needs: Drought-tolerant; needs very little water other than rainfall once established

• Mature size of plant: 1 to 3 feet tall and up to 2 feet wide

• Toxic status: Can cause skin irritation

2. Blue daze (Evolvulus glomeratus)

Blue daze forms a carpet of little oval-shaped leaves and lots of bright blue blooms. It’s in the morning glory family, so the flowers tend to close at night and on cloudy days, then reopen in sunlight.

Blue daze loves heat, so the flowers won’t wilt under the sweltering midsummer sun. The blooms can last well into fall and winter where there’s no frost, but blue daze is quite cold-sensitive. That means it isn’t a great choice for North Florida, where it may die in winter.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day)

• Soil preferences: Needs good drainage and does especially well in sandy or rocky soils

• Water needs: While in bloom, water any time the top few inches of soil dry out (timing depends on your soil type and drainage)

• Mature size of plant: 0.5 to 1.5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide

• Toxic status: Non-toxic

3. Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.)

Bougainvillea is a versatile vine or shrub that can spread along the ground or climb up a wall, trellis, or other support. As a vine, it can climb as high as 30 feet; along the ground, it spreads up to 10 feet and makes a great ground cover. Bougainvillea also does well in containers.

But what you really care about is the bloom, and bougainvillea does not disappoint. It blooms profusely, with nearly the entire plant covered in bright pink, red, purple, magenta, orange, or other colors, depending on the variety. In hardiness zones 9 to 11 (Central and South Florida and some coastal Panhandle areas), flowers show up on and off throughout the year.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day), with some afternoon shade in midsummer to protect from heat

• Soil preferences: Well-draining acidic soil

• Water needs: Water deeply, then let the soil dry out before watering again (timing depends on your soil type and drainage)

• Mature size of plant: 1.5 to 2 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide (on the ground), or up to 30 feet tall and wide (climbing)

• Toxic status: Sap is mildly toxic and may cause illness if ingested in large quantities; sharp thorns can puncture skin and cause irritation

4. Firespike (Odontonema cuspidatum)

Firespike is an appropriate name for this small shrub (in South Florida) or herbaceous perennial (in Central and North Florida) that shoots up footlong flares of bright red tubular flowers when in bloom. It blooms throughout the year in South Florida but only during fall and winter in North and Central Florida. Hard freezes may kill the plant, but it should come back in spring.

Firespike can grow several feet tall and has pretty foliage even when not in bloom, so gardeners often plant several together as a backdrop for other plants. It’s perfect for pollinator gardens because its nectar attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Beware that firespike can spread aggressively and become invasive to natural ecosystems.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Blooms best in full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) but can also grow in partial shade (3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day)

• Soil preferences: Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline sandy or loamy soils

• Water needs: Keep the soil moist; may need to water daily during long dry spells

• Mature size of plant: 4 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide

• Toxic status: Non-toxic

5. Gerbera daisies (Gerbera jamesonii)

Gerbera daisies produce large blooms (3 to 4 inches wide) in orange, yellow, red, pink, purple, or white. The blooms can appear at any time of year and last for several weeks. Once the flowers wilt, trim them off to encourage the plant to rebloom.

In most of the country, gerbera daisies are grown as annuals that die in winter. But they’re perennials in Florida, where winters rarely dip below their comfortable range, especially in Central and South Florida. Summer temperatures can be a bit extreme for them, though, so gerbera daisies need some afternoon shade to keep their flowers through the peak of summer.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) with afternoon shade

• Soil preferences: Well-draining, slightly acidic soils

• Water needs: Water about 1 inch per week or when the top 2 inches of soil dry out

• Mature size of plant: 10 to 18 inches tall and 9 to 12 inches wide

• Toxic status: Non-toxic

6. Hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.)

There are more than 300 species of hibiscus with bright shades of large flowers. These tropical plants thrive in Florida’s heat and humidity, and many varieties (such as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) bloom year-round in most of the state. Beware that many species are not cold-hardy and may die in North Florida’s colder winters.

Keep in mind that individual hibiscus flowers usually last only one or two days before wilting and falling off, but the plant blooms over and over. Hibiscus can grow as a shrub or small ornamental tree, with many flowers per plant.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day)

• Soil preferences: Consistently moist but well-draining soil

• Water needs: Never let the soil dry out completely; water daily in warm weather and less often in cool weather, but keep the soil moist

• Mature size of plant: 3 to 12 feet tall and 2 to 10 feet wide (varies a lot by species)

• Toxic status: Non-toxic (except for the species Hibiscus syriacus, which can cause diarrhea and vomiting in pets if ingested in large quantities)

7. Ixora (Ixora spp.)

South or Central Florida’s climate is perfect for ixora, a beautifully colorful shrub with abundant blooms that brighten your landscape all year long. Unfortunately for North Floridians, ixora doesn’t survive anywhere colder than USDA Hardiness Zone 9. Most of North Florida is Zone 8, which is just a little too cold. You might risk it, but an occasional cold snap could completely kill your ixora plant.

Garden writer Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp of The Hoosier Gardener, Indianapolis, Indiana, cautions that in a too-cold zone “your plant might not survive.”

For those in a warm enough area, ixora boasts bulbous clusters of bright red, pink, orange, yellow, or white flowers, depending on the species. Once they bloom, they last for six to eight weeks and then rebloom many times. You don’t have to work too hard for those continuous blossoms, either, since ixora is very low-maintenance.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) required for continuous blooms, but can also grow in partial shade (3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day)

• Soil preferences: Well-draining neutral to slightly acidic soils (does not tolerate alkaline soils)

• Water needs: Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, with a deep watering once per week in warm weather and less often during winter

• Mature size of plant: 4 to 15 feet tall and 4 to 10 feet wide (size depends on species)

• Toxic status: Non-toxic

8. Knock Out roses (Rosa ‘Knock Out’)

Knock Out roses are specially designed to be easy to care for. If you’ve always wanted roses but aren’t the best with finicky plants, this could be your chance. Plus, Knock Outs bloom profusely all year in most of Florida. There are many varieties in different colors, from bright red to blush pink to yellow.

What makes Knock Out roses so low-maintenance compared to other roses? They’re drought-tolerant and self-cleaning, which means you don’t have to prune spent blossoms for the plant to rebloom. They’re also resistant to black spot and powdery mildew, plant diseases that often ruin rose bushes.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day)

• Soil preferences: Well-draining, slightly acidic soils

• Water needs: Water deeply about once a week and don’t let the soil dry out completely between waterings

• Mature size of plant: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide (can reach up to 7 feet tall if left unpruned)

• Toxic status: Non-toxic, but thorns can puncture skin and cause irritation

9. Lantana (Lantana spp.)

Lantana grows as a shrub or ground cover in mild-winter climates like Florida’s, and it produces flowers continuously from spring until the first frost. Of course, in much of Florida there won’t be a frost, and even in the northern parts of the state, frost isn’t likely before January or February. So lantanas bloom year-round or nearly year-round here.

The flowers of a lantana bush grow in round clusters and come in various colors, including orange, pink, red, yellow, lavender, or blue. Many species even have multi-colored blooms. The nectar attracts butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators to your garden.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day)

• Soil preferences: Slightly acidic soil that drains well but retains some moisture

• Water needs: Drought-tolerant and doesn’t need much watering once established; water once or twice a week during dry periods

• Mature size of plant: 2 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 10 feet wide

• Toxic status: Toxic to pets and people if ingested

10. Mexican heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)

Also known as false heather, elfin herb, or Hawaiian heather, Mexican heather is a small evergreen shrub. You can plant several Mexican heather bushes together to form a low decorative hedge, or plant one on its own in a landscape bed as a specimen plant with year-round color.

Mexican heather has small, bright green leaves that grow densely on the branch. When in bloom, little purple flowers dot the green foliage for a spring look no matter the time of year. In some cultivars, the flowers can be pink or white instead.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) for the most blooms, but also grows in partial shade (3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day)

• Soil preferences: Moist but well-draining, especially sandy or loamy soils

• Water needs: Water deeply once per week or whenever the soil dries out

• Mature size of plant: Up to 2 feet tall and wide

• Toxic status: Non-toxic

11. Pentas (Pentas spp.)

Pentas plants, sometimes called Egyptian star clusters, are shrubs that produce clusters of tiny, star-shaped flowers in shades of red, pink, white, purple, or lavender. Choose a cultivar with the color of your choice and expect blooms deep into fall and even winter, especially in South Florida.

While pentas shrubs can reach 6 feet tall, they grow slowly, so you can use them as a small shrub in the landscape. They’re perfect for pollinator gardens because they attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) with some afternoon shade is best, but partial shade (3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) will also work if you’re willing to sacrifice some blooms

• Soil preferences: Well-drained soil that doesn’t stay wet for too long after rainfall

• Water needs: Water whenever the top 2 to 4 inches of soil dries out

• Mature size of plant: 1 to 3 feet tall for some species, 3 to 6 feet tall for others, and up to 3 feet wide

• Toxic status: Non-toxic

12. Petunias (Petunia spp.)

Petunias are extremely diverse: They come in almost every color, with smooth or ruffled petals, single or double blooms, and cascading or mounding growth habits. The cascading varieties look beautiful spilling out of hanging baskets, and mounding types do well as small shrubs or ground covers.

Petunias bloom the most in summer, but they can bloom almost year-round in warm climates like Florida. They usually stop flowering after the first frost, and they may take a break in the peak of summer, too. Afternoon shade during extreme heat can help protect and preserve the blossoms.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) most of the year, but partial shade (3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) in the hottest part of summer

• Soil preferences: Light, well-draining, slightly acidic soils

• Water needs: Water once per week with 1 to 2 inches of water when there’s no rainfall

• Mature size of plant: 6 inches to 2 feet tall and up to 3 feet wide (size and growth habit vary by species)

• Toxic status: Non-toxic

13. Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata)

Being native to South Africa, plumbago loves extreme heat and does well in South and Central Florida. Plumbago branches sprawl so much that they look like vines, and they bloom profusely with tiny sky-blue flowers for most of the year.

Trim plumbago plants to grow them as neat shrubs, or let them grow wild for an informal garden look. You can also plant plumbago on top of a retaining wall or other landscape feature and let the vine-like branches trail down the structure.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) for the most blooms, but partial shade (3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) also works

• Soil preferences: Tolerates most soils but prefers slightly acidic, well-draining soil

• Water needs: Drought-tolerant plant that needs watering only once every one or two weeks, depending on how fast your soil drains

• Mature size of plant: 6 to 10 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide

• Toxic status: Direct contact causes skin irritation; toxic if ingested

14. Salvia (Salvia spp.)

Many species of salvia in various bright colors grow in Florida, and the perennial varieties bloom year-round as long as they don’t freeze. Different species have different characteristics, but in general, they grow quickly to add color to your garden fast.

Because salvia species vary so much, be careful when selecting which one to plant. Choose a species with the right size and color for your garden. Keep in mind that darker-colored flowers are less likely to wilt in intense full sun than lighter colors.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) for most species, but some tolerate partial shade (3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day)

• Soil preferences: Tolerates soils poor in organic matter but needs good drainage

• Water needs: Drought-tolerant and doesn’t need much watering other than rainfall

• Mature size of plant: 1 to 6 feet tall and wide (size depends on species)

• Toxic status: Non-toxic unless ingested in high quantities, when it causes upset stomach

15. Vinca (Vinca spp.)

Annual vinca, also called Madagascar periwinkle, grows in a neat mound of glossy foliage and blooms over and over in shades of lavender, purple, pink, or white. It loves Florida’s heat and flowers through the warm months, nearly year-round in South Florida.

Annual vinca is a popular bedding plant for sunny spots and also does well in hanging baskets or mass plantings. It tolerates heat and drought once established and reseeds readily in warm climates.

Care advice:

• Sunlight needs: Does best in full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) but tolerates partial shade (3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight per day)

• Soil preferences: Tolerates most soils

• Water needs: High drought tolerance; may not need watering outside of rainfall

• Mature size of plant: 1 to 2 feet tall and wide

• Toxic status: Toxic to pets and people

Tips to help flowers bloom year-round

The plants on this list can flower all year on their own, but they can use a boost from you to produce more and healthier blossoms. Follow these tips to cultivate the most flowers possible from spring to winter.

Plant in the perfect conditions

For healthy plants that produce the most flowers, place them in their preferred conditions. If a plant is struggling to survive in less-than-ideal conditions, it will have a hard time blooming at all, let alone in the cold of winter and the extreme heat of midsummer.

On the other hand, plants thriving in the right amount of sun exposure, the right type of soil, and the right level of moisture will have the energy and nutrients they need to flower profusely.

Fertilize with phosphorus

Phosphorus is a soil nutrient that encourages plants to produce more flowers. Apply a high-phosphorus fertilizer to your soil a few times per year to support continuous blooms. You can find fertilizers specially formulated to boost flower production.

However, be careful not to add too much phosphorus, which can decrease the number of beneficial microorganisms in your soil.

Deadhead flowers

After flowers bloom and eventually wilt, a plant can rebloom with a new batch. With some plants, you have to remove the old flowers to make room for new ones, a process called “deadheading.”

Deadhead flowers once they start to fade by pinching or cutting off the flower stem below the flower but above the first set of leaves. Deadheading leads to more blooms that last longer.

Some plants are self-cleaning, which means the old flowers disappear on their own. If you don’t want to keep up with deadheading spent blooms, look for self-cleaning plants.

Use mulch

Mulch reduces stress on your plants in both summer and winter. In summer, it helps the soil and roots retain moisture. In winter, it insulates plants from the cold and keeps the roots from freezing.

When your plants are less stressed, they’ll be able to produce more flowers in the most extreme temperatures of the year (although “extreme” isn’t a word anyone would use to describe a Florida winter).

Read more:

• What Is Mulch?

Plant in containers

Freezes in winter and extreme heat in summer are your flowers’ worst enemies. If you plant in containers instead of directly in the ground, you can move plants as necessary to protect them.

Bring the pots inside if the forecast predicts frost, or move them to a shady spot when the sun is most intense in the afternoon. This can keep your plants from going dormant and prevent the blooms from wilting.

FAQs

Maintaining your garden all year long

Most people picture gardeners working under the bright, hot sun of spring and summer, but your flowers could use a helping hand all year long. Every year as winter approaches, it’s a good idea to winterize your garden, which basically means preparing your plants for cold weather so they have a higher chance of surviving.

Even though most of Florida doesn’t freeze, you should still winterize your garden to prepare it for a new year of growth. These are some steps you can take:

• Remove dead or damaged branches from perennial plants

• Divide perennials to give their roots more room to grow

• Remove spent annual plants

• Surround your plants with mulch

If this is all starting to sound like too much work, hire one of LawnLove’s local gardening pros to manage your lawn and landscape for you, no matter the season.

Read more:

• What Planting Zones Are in Florida?

• Florida’s Top 10 Most Popular Landscape Plants

• 30 Best Native Plants for Florida

• 10 Winter Flowers That Bloom in the Cold

Main Photo Credit: Corn Farmer | Flickr | CC BY-ND 2.0

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