Flower or Plant for Hot FL Sun (flowers, growing, jasmine)

[glastron_79]

Good Morning! Can anyone suggest flowers or plants that can withstand intense direct FL sun and heat for several hours? Front of our home faces east so we have that sun from morning until around 3pm; then the rear is exposed to the scorching late afternoon sun until it sets.

Any plants or flowers tough enough to endure this?

Thanks for any help!

[Poltracker]

If your looking for a bushy type, try Lantana. It does well in Texas scorchers and Hurricanes. It comes in many varieties (mounding and bushy) and blooms all through the summer.

[tamcim72]

Lantana's do great...I remember Pentas do well also in hot sun.

[Jungle George]

A great plant is the Thai varieties of Crown Of Thorns. They hold up well in the heat, bloom all year, & the flowers are 10x the size of the regular varieties, don't need excessive water & come in assorted colors!!

Only drawback is thorns, but as long as they're not right by a walkway, you should be fine!!

Also Firebush is one of the "prettier" native plants of Florida if you're into natives...

[33458]

Lantana is considered invasive in parts of FL, so check first.

I think Pentas is still safe. Looove Pentas. Will only droop when they need water.

Also had Trumpet Vine in direct sun.

Jasmine.

Florida Wild Coffee is supposed to prefer shade, but I had some of that right out there, too...didn't seem to might the heat or the light.

I found that Aloe does a little too well... but the flowers are impressive.

Coneflower will take the abuse, too.

If you can improve the soil a bit - try a grape vine.

What is that yellow flowering shrub, likes to climb? Can't remember the name...

[si33]

First off, unless it is not Lantana camara, do not plant it..it is listed as invasive there in FL..

Great plants for full FL. sun include:

Dwarf poinciana (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) Grows quickly to roughly 10'-12' but can be easily kept around 4-6'..Spectacular red orange 2-3" wide flowers on 8-12" spikes atop the foliage april to frost..or year round if the weather staty warm..LOVES heat..and very little water once established...evergreen in the southern part of the state otherwise briefly decidious in winter..two varities include a pink flowering and yellow flowered one..all attract butterflies and hummingbirds..

Tecoma stans and x Orange Jubalee.. Also a moderately-sized shrub or small tree with large medium green leaves and 2-4" long, 2-3" wide flowers later spring to mid fall with heaviest flowering in late summer and fall..

Any number of the sages (salvia) love heat and little water..A couple great suggestions include: Scarlet sage ( Salvia coccinea),at 2-4' tall, bright red flowers all spring and summer...Germander sage ( Salvia chamaedryoides) 1-around 2' tall..bright blue violet flowers spring to frost..Gentian sage ( Salvia patens inc. x Blue Angel, among others..) 18-24" tall with 2" long,1 1/2 wide bright sky blue flowers late spring till mid fall..sometimes decidious in winter in cooler areas of the state..Autumn sage (Salvia greggii) several varities available..in red, pink, purple, white, orange, and blue..among other colors..flowers year round in most of the state..The one sage to avoid, Mexican brush sage..this one gets to 4+ feet tall and becomes a huge maintanance nightmare..

If you live in central and southern fl. your options widen greatly..including Plumeria, Brunsfelsia, Calliandra tweedii, any number of shrubby Cassia and Senna species.. and even a few of the Crotons bread to tolerate some sun..just to name a few of the hundreds of possible plants for full sun..

Up north, the Aromi azaleas can tolerate some sun..these were bread to withstand most of n. and c. FL's heat..Gardenias love heat and sun..and little water once established..many varities can tolerate all but the coldest locations in Florida.

The ones you will have difficulty with include most cool season annuals..which id never reccomend planting anyway, Not cost effective; Columbine, Most Delphinium and those plants which come from cooler areas...

If you have any other questions, feel free to sent a P.M.

[azoria]

Mmmmmm, gardenias, plumeria. I love fragrant plants.

[FLPL75]

My butterfly garden gets the full afternoon Florida sun
I have done really well with Pineapple sage & black & blue salvia as well as milkweed for the monarchs

As Jungle George mentioned my crown of thorn has done really well also
It took a hit from the freezes we had but seems to be coming back

Here is a picture from this past summer of the butterfly garden



You might also want to check with your local extension office they sometimes have plant seminars that talk about plants in the garden

[si33]

Nice picture Karla..your Pineapple sage is huge!!..you ever consider adding one of the Cassia species somewhere in your yard?..many of these attract lots of butterfly species and serve as food sources for several Sulfur species there in FL..

[glastron_79]

You Gardeners are great! So much information and thanks for the wonderful pic!

I truly appreciate your responses. We should have something planted and growing soon.

Thank you!