Thanksgiving is the perfect time to celebrate Florida’s natural beauty with flowers that grow right in your backyard. Native blooms add color, texture, and a touch of local charm to your holiday table without the need for expensive imports.
From bright yellows to soft purples, these flowers bring the warmth of the Sunshine State into your home for a memorable and eco-friendly Thanksgiving celebration.
1. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella)
Bursting with fiery reds, oranges, and yellows, blanket flowers look like tiny sunsets in a vase. Their bold colors match perfectly with autumn’s warm palette, making them ideal centerpiece additions.
Blanket flowers are incredibly hardy and bloom throughout the fall season. They pair beautifully with greenery like palmetto fronds or sea oats for a coastal Thanksgiving look.
Best of all, these cheerful blooms attract butterflies, adding movement and life to your holiday gathering.
2. Coreopsis (Coreopsis leavenworthii)
Golden petals dance on slender stems, bringing sunshine indoors during the cooler November days. Coreopsis, Florida’s state wildflower, deserves a spot on every Thanksgiving table for its cheerful disposition and easy care.
Gather bunches from your garden or local roadsides where they grow abundantly. Their delicate appearance belies their toughness—they last several days in water without wilting.
Mix them with deeper-toned flowers for contrast, or let them shine solo in mason jars for simple, country-style elegance.
3. Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens)
Tall plumes of golden-yellow flowers create dramatic height in arrangements, catching the eye from across the room. Goldenrod gets unfairly blamed for allergies, but it’s actually ragweed that causes sniffles—this beauty is innocent!
The feathery texture adds softness to arrangements while the bright color pops against traditional fall hues. Cut stems early in the morning when they’re freshest for longest vase life.
Combine with darker foliage or burgundy accents for a sophisticated harvest-themed display.
4. Beach Sunflower (Helianthus debilis)
Nothing says Thanksgiving quite like sunflowers, and Florida’s beach variety brings coastal charm to the holiday table. Smaller than their prairie cousins, these sunny blooms fit perfectly in low arrangements that don’t block dinner conversation.
Their cheerful faces seem to follow the light, creating a dynamic focal point throughout your celebration. The sturdy stems hold up well, meaning your arrangement stays fresh from prep day through leftovers.
Pair with seashells or driftwood for a uniquely Floridian twist on traditional décor.
5. Swamp Lily (Crinum americanum)
Elegant white petals with delicate pink stripes create an unexpected sophistication for fall celebrations. While most people associate lilies with spring, swamp lilies bloom well into autumn across Florida’s wetlands.
Their sweet fragrance fills the room without being overwhelming, adding a sensory dimension to your feast. Each bloom opens gradually, meaning your arrangement evolves and improves as the holiday progresses.
Display them in tall, clear vases to showcase their graceful, arching stems and spider-like petals that seem to float above the table.
6. Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
Purple spikes rise like candles from the garden, offering a striking vertical element that breaks up horizontal table lines. Unlike most flowers that bloom from bottom to top, blazing star opens from the top down—a quirky trait that keeps arrangements interesting.
The fuzzy texture invites touch and conversation, making it a natural icebreaker for guests. Butterflies adore these blooms, so cut them just before your event to avoid sharing with winged friends.
Their royal purple hue provides stunning contrast against orange pumpkins and golden gourds.
7. Tickseed Sunflower (Bidens alba)
Did you know this cheerful white daisy-like flower is actually related to sunflowers? Tickseed brings an airy, cottage-garden feel to Thanksgiving arrangements with its abundance of small blooms on branching stems.
The white petals with yellow centers offer a neutral palette that complements any color scheme you choose. They’re prolific bloomers, so a single plant provides enough flowers for multiple arrangements throughout the holiday weekend.
Use them as filler flowers to soften bolder blooms or mass them together for a cloud-like effect.
8. Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea)
Bright red tubular flowers stand at attention on square stems, bringing bold energy to any Thanksgiving spread. Hummingbirds can’t resist these nectar-rich blooms, so you might catch a glimpse of these tiny visitors before you cut them.
The vivid scarlet color creates instant warmth and festivity without relying on traditional mums or chrysanthemums. These flowers keep producing new blooms even after cutting, so don’t be surprised if buds continue opening in your vase.
Combine with white flowers for a candy-cane effect or gold blooms for maximum autumn impact.