The Five Best Flowers To Grow In Pinellas County
First impressions matter, and those impressions are made before a buyer even enters the house that they are interested in buying. Curb appeal is one of the most important elements in gaining a buyer’s attention and appealing to their aesthetic senses. Most people prefer neat, simple and colorful edging over dramatic and complicated flower beds. Since Florida is in a tropical area that has long, sweltering, wet summers and short, cool, windy winters, many flowers grow well in and around Tampa. There is a lot of room for experimentation because it’s growing season all year, with only very rare exceptions.
What makes flowers have valuable curb appeal?
- Size and color of blooms
- Bloom Season (All year versus various times)
- Water Need and Tolerance
- Sunlight and Shade Needs
The size and color of flowers can vary significantly, from small and unassuming white aster to large, aptly-named Dinnerplate Dahlias in shades of blazing orange and red. This choice has a lot to do with your preference, the size of your flowerbeds, and what will grow well in your soil (which may take some experimentation). Soil can be manipulated to be more malleable to a particular flowers’ need, but it does take extra time and money.
Bloom season means exactly what it sounds like – the time that blooms are on the flowers. Many bulb plants may go into a stagnant season where they bloom periodically, but the green leafy part of the flower is visible and alive all year. Few if any flowers will bloom all the time, but you can choose ones that have long bloom lives, Such as Yarrow, which blooms for two to three months, and the short lived Tulip, which may bloom for less than two weeks.
Some flowers need a lot of water and some will rot if they are given too much. In Tampa, there’s usually no shortage of water, so it is best to choose flowers that require and can tolerate damp conditions most of the time. Tropicanna Canna is one such flower, but it also has a high sunlight requirement. Bee Balm is another, and Hibiscus also does well with damp soil.
Sunlight requirement may be the most difficult to gauge and depends not only on the weather, but on the station and position of your home. Areas around Tampa tend to have cloudy conditions a lot of the time, but some flowers do well anyway as long as they aren’t directly in shade from trees or porches during the brightest parts of the day. Gerbera Daisies and Mexican Heather can both tolerate full sun or partial sun, making them less challenging to grow.
Maybe you’re starting from scratch or you have a some already established landscaping. If you like what you have, simply add what is working, and remove (bulbs and roots) what is not. Remember that bulbs and rooted plants can be transplanted to another area of the yard or to a friend’s garden.
Make sure that the soil is ready for whatever flowers you choose. If you have slightly sandy soil, this may be difficult to completely change, and you may need to grow sand-loving flowers such as lavender. You can compost and add soil to your flowerbeds, along with rocks to help with drainage if standing water is a problem. After that is accomplished, consider your own personal likes and needs.
Which flowers are best to grow in Tampa, Florida?
- Pentas
- Coreopsis
- Blue Salvia
- Purslane
- Heuchera
Pentas are ever-blooming, cluster flowers of red, lavender, pink and white. They are well loved by hummingbirds and zebra longwing butterfly (the state butterfly of Florida.)
Coreopsis is the state flower of Florida, so it is well-loved by many! Known for its blazing displays of orange, yellow, red and pink, it is also a butterfly magnet. They are daisy shaped and do well in borders, gardens, or even large pots.
Blue Salvia is native to the southwest but also does wonderfully in Florida, especially the Tampa area. Dark blue to purple in color, it also draws hummingbirds and butterflies. It can grow up to thirty six inches tall and is quite low maintenance.
Purslane is a heat loving flower that grows in hues of pink, orange, yellow and white. It’s a smaller plant that grows only a foot high, and tends to do well in borders.
Heuchera displays mounds of colorful foliage and it loves moist conditions, making it perfect for Tampa. A layer of mulch over top the plants can support the water requirements if you’re having an unseasonably dry season.
Florida is the perfect place for many gardens to grow, but these five flowers are easy-care and do well with the Tampa heat. Experiment, have fun, and marvel at the curbside appeal that these flowers can add to your home!
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