Living in the Sunshine State means embracing both relentless heat and sticky humidity throughout much of the year. Thankfully, nature provides plenty of gorgeous greenery that not only survives but actually flourishes in these challenging conditions.
Many homeowners struggle with plant choices that wither during summer months or require constant attention to stay alive. The good news? There’s a whole world of low-maintenance tropical beauties ready to transform your landscape into a lush paradise.
From towering palms to colorful flowering shrubs, these heat-loving plants bring the vacation vibe right to your doorstep. I’ve gathered my favorite tried-and-true options that stand up to Florida’s unique climate without demanding endless care.
1. Bird Of Paradise
The unmistakable orange and blue flowers resembling exotic birds make this plant a showstopper in any Florida garden. Native to South Africa, it handles our humidity like a champ while adding a touch of the tropics to your landscape.
I planted one near my patio three years ago, and it’s become the conversation piece whenever friends visit. The large paddle-shaped leaves stay green year-round, providing structure even when not in bloom.
Give it well-draining soil and partial sun, and this beauty will reward you with its stunning flowers multiple times a year. Just be patient—new plants may take 3-5 years before their first bloom.
2. Hibiscus
Bursting with color from spring through fall, hibiscus plants practically define Florida landscaping. Their dinner-plate sized blooms come in countless shades from fiery reds to delicate pinks and sunny yellows.
What makes hibiscus perfect for our climate is their love of heat. The hotter it gets, the happier they seem! These flowering beauties attract butterflies and hummingbirds, adding wildlife to your garden scene.
Most varieties grow quickly into substantial shrubs that can form natural privacy screens. My neighbor’s hibiscus hedge blooms so prolifically that I often find myself slowing down when driving past just to admire the display.
3. Bougainvillea
Few plants capture Florida’s carefree coastal vibe better than bougainvillea with its paper-like bracts in shocking pink, purple, orange, or white. This climbing beauty creates cascades of color that can transform walls, fences, and arbors into spectacular focal points.
Drought-tolerant once established, bougainvillea thrives on neglect and actually blooms more profusely when slightly stressed. The thorny stems help it climb and spread across structures without much assistance.
My favorite aspect of bougainvillea is its versatility—train it as a climbing vine, shape it into a shrub, or even grow it as a container plant. Just remember to wear gloves when pruning those thorny branches!
4. Plumeria
The heavenly fragrance of plumeria (frangipani) flowers might be their most famous feature, but their resilience in Florida’s climate deserves equal praise. These trees produce the iconic flowers used in Hawaiian leis, bringing a piece of paradise to mainland gardens.
Plumerias go dormant and drop leaves in winter, making them look dead to the uninitiated gardener. Don’t give up! They’ll burst back to life when temperatures warm up again.
The first time I smelled plumeria blooms in my yard, it instantly transported me to vacation memories. Plant one where you can enjoy the fragrance—near windows, patios, or walkways. They grow surprisingly well in containers too, making them perfect for condo dwellers.
5. Croton
Looking like they were painted by an artist with a wild imagination, crotons feature leaves splashed with yellows, oranges, reds, and purples. These colorful shrubs maintain their vibrant hues year-round, bringing constant color to Florida landscapes even without flowers.
Crotons have become my go-to solution for those difficult spots in partial shade where flowering plants struggle. Their bold foliage patterns create visual interest without blooms.
Happiest in the warmest parts of Florida, these plants can reach 6-8 feet tall when mature. The variety ‘Mammy’ with its twisted leaves has thrived in my garden for years, surviving even an unexpected frost with minimal damage.
6. Heliconia
Resembling something from another planet, heliconia produces unusual lobster claw-shaped bracts in brilliant red, orange, or yellow. The exotic blooms can last for months, making this one of the longest-flowering plants for Florida gardens.
Heliconia creates a dramatic vertical element in the landscape, with some varieties reaching up to 15 feet tall. The large banana-like leaves provide a lush tropical backdrop even when not in bloom.
After adding heliconias to my backyard three summers ago, I’ve noticed significantly more hummingbird activity. Plant them in groups for maximum impact, and make sure they have protection from strong winds that can damage their tall stems.
7. Bromeliad
Bromeliads might be the perfect Florida plant—they thrive in our humidity, tolerate drought, and produce long-lasting colorful “flowers” (actually modified leaves called bracts). These architectural plants come in countless varieties with different colors and patterns.
Unlike many flowering plants, bromeliads maintain their color displays for months, sometimes even a year. The cup-shaped center of many varieties collects water, creating mini ecosystems for small creatures.
I’ve tucked bromeliads throughout my garden in spots where other plants struggle. They grow beautifully in ground beds, containers, or even mounted on trees. After flowering, the mother plant will slowly die, but not before producing baby offsets to continue the show.
8. Ti Plant
The dramatic foliage of ti plants (Cordyline fruticosa) adds instant tropical flair to Florida landscapes. Their sword-shaped leaves come in stunning colors—deep burgundy, bright pink, green striped with cream, or combinations of these shades.
Often called Hawaiian good-luck plants, ti plants were traditionally used in Polynesian ceremonies. They create strong vertical lines in garden design and work beautifully as accent plants.
My red ti plants have completely transformed a boring corner of the yard into a focal point. They grow fairly quickly, reaching 6-10 feet tall in ideal conditions. For the boldest colors, plant them where they’ll receive morning sun but afternoon shade to prevent leaf scorch.
9. Monstera Deliciosa
Those iconic split leaves seen in tropical home décor? That’s monstera deliciosa, also called Swiss cheese plant, which grows outdoors with impressive vigor in Florida’s climate. The distinctive perforated leaves can reach dinner-plate size in mature plants.
Originally from rainforest understories, monstera appreciates filtered light and high humidity—exactly what Florida naturally provides. Given something to climb, this plant will reveal its true nature as a climbing vine.
The transformation from juvenile leaves (small, heart-shaped) to mature split leaves happens gradually as the plant grows. My backyard monstera started as a small potted plant and now covers an entire fence section, creating a living green wall that never fails to impress visitors.
10. Firebush
A Florida native that deserves more attention, firebush (Hamelia patens) produces clusters of tubular orange-red flowers that hummingbirds and butterflies can’t resist. This shrub blooms nearly year-round in southern Florida, taking only brief breaks during the coolest months.
Unlike some tropical plants that wilt at the first sign of drought, firebush handles dry spells with remarkable resilience. The reddish new growth and dark berries add extra visual interest throughout the seasons.
My firebush has become wildlife central in the garden—I’ve counted five different butterfly species visiting it in a single afternoon. It grows quickly to 5-8 feet tall but responds well to pruning if you need to control its size.
11. Dwarf Poinciana
Don’t confuse this with its massive cousin, the royal poinciana tree! Dwarf poinciana (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) packs all that tropical flower power into a manageable shrub size perfect for smaller Florida yards. The feathery fern-like foliage creates a soft texture year-round.
Flame-colored flowers with long, prominent stamens appear in waves throughout warm months, creating a spectacular display that stops traffic. Hummingbirds battle for territory around these nectar-rich blooms.
After planting one beside my driveway, I’ve had countless neighbors stop to ask about this eye-catching plant. It thrives in our hottest, most humid months when many other flowering plants take a break, making it especially valuable in summer landscapes.
12. Banana Plant
Nothing says tropical like the massive leaves of banana plants swaying in the breeze. These fast-growing plants can transform a bare yard into a lush paradise in just one growing season. Their broad leaves create cooling shade and a distinct jungle atmosphere.
While ornamental varieties are grown mainly for their dramatic foliage, many types will produce actual bananas in Florida’s climate. The fruit might not be grocery-store perfect, but it’s a fun garden-to-table experience.
My dwarf ‘Musa Cavendish’ variety has been a conversation starter since day one. Banana plants appreciate rich soil and regular water during the growing season. Plant them where their large leaves won’t block important views or pathways.
13. Ginger Lily
The intoxicating fragrance of ginger lilies fills the air on summer evenings, turning an ordinary Florida garden into something magical. These relatives of culinary ginger produce exotic-looking flowers in white, pink, or yellow, often with contrasting centers.
Surprisingly shade-tolerant, ginger lilies make excellent choices for those challenging spots under tree canopies where many flowering plants struggle. Their upright growth habit creates vertical interest in the middle layer of garden design.
The butterfly ginger in my side yard has spread into a generous clump that provides cut flowers for indoor arrangements all summer long. The stems with their unique flowers last for weeks in vases, perfuming entire rooms with their sweet scent.
14. Philodendron
While many northerners grow philodendrons as small houseplants, these tropical natives reach magnificent proportions outdoors in Florida. The diversity within this plant family is remarkable—from the massive split-leaf varieties to the smaller heart-shaped climbers.
Philodendrons create that instant tropical look with minimal care requirements. Their glossy leaves stay attractive year-round without the need for deadheading or seasonal maintenance.
My split-leaf philodendron has grown from a single stem cutting to a dramatic specimen nearly 5 feet across. They thrive in filtered light conditions that mimic their natural rainforest habitat. The newer varieties with colorful or variegated leaves add unexpected pops of burgundy or cream to shady garden corners.
15. Caladium
Heart-shaped leaves in spectacular combinations of green, white, pink, and red make caladiums the color champions of shady Florida gardens. These tuberous plants emerge when soil temperatures warm up, creating a summer show when many other plants look tired.
Catering perfectly to Florida’s seasonal rhythms, caladiums go dormant in winter and return reliably each spring. Their paper-thin leaves create a delicate texture that contrasts beautifully with more substantial tropical foliage.
I’ve planted masses of caladiums under oak trees where grass struggles to grow, transforming problem areas into colorful displays. The ‘Florida Sweetheart’ variety with its bright pink centers has been particularly vigorous in my garden, spreading gradually each year.
16. Travelers Palm
Despite its name, traveler’s palm isn’t actually a palm at all—it’s related to bird of paradise. The dramatic fan arrangement of enormous leaves creates an unforgettable silhouette in the landscape, instantly evoking tropical destinations.
Folklore claims the plant got its name because the leaf stems hold rainwater that travelers could drink in emergencies. The symmetrical leaf arrangement always grows on an east-west axis, potentially helping with navigation.
My traveler’s palm has become the defining element of the backyard, visible from every window at the rear of the house. Give this plant plenty of space—mature specimens can reach 30 feet tall with a similar spread. The white flowers that occasionally appear resemble those of its bird of paradise relatives.
17. Anthurium
Often called flamingo flower, anthuriums produce waxy, heart-shaped blooms in brilliant reds, pinks, purples, or whites that last for months. These tropical treasures bring a touch of exotic elegance to Florida gardens and patios.
The glossy flowers are actually modified leaves called spathes, with the true flowers being the tiny bumps on the central spadix. This unusual structure allows each “bloom” to persist for up to three months.
Surprisingly adaptable, anthuriums grow beautifully in containers or protected garden spots with filtered light. My collection started with one plant and has expanded to five different varieties. They appreciate the natural humidity of Florida’s climate and reward minimal care with nearly continuous color.
18. Alocasia
Known as elephant ears, alocasias command attention with their oversized, often dramatically marked foliage. Different varieties offer unique leaf shapes—from the shield-like ‘Amazonica’ to the massive upright ‘Portora’ that can reach elephant-ear proportions.
Many alocasias feature striking venation patterns or unusual coloration that adds visual interest beyond just size. The leaves often have a metallic quality that catches and reflects light in fascinating ways.
The ‘Frydek’ variety with its velvety green leaves and prominent white veins has thrived in a sheltered corner of my garden. Alocasias appreciate Florida’s humidity but prefer protection from intense afternoon sun that can scorch their magnificent leaves. They pair beautifully with ferns and other shade-lovers.
19. Ylang Ylang Tree
The source of essential oils used in famous perfumes like Chanel No. 5, ylang ylang trees produce intensely fragrant yellow flowers that perfume entire gardens. This lesser-known tropical treasure thrives in Florida’s climate, rewarding gardeners with both beauty and fragrance.
The drooping yellow-green flowers appear throughout warm months, intensifying their sweet scent in the evening. Crushed leaves release a pleasant aroma as well, making this a true sensory garden addition.
My ylang ylang tree took three years to establish but now flowers reliably from spring through fall. Plant it where you can enjoy the fragrance—near patios, windows, or garden seating areas. The tree can reach 25-30 feet tall but responds well to pruning if you need to maintain a smaller size.