The Best Plants For Florida Panhandle in 2022

Gardeners have many choices of the best plants for the Florida Panhandle that they can choose to grow in 2022 and beyond.

The best plants for Florida Panhandle in 2022 guide features the best plants you can grow in this area. This article is a guide for people who are not familiar with Florida, where to find these plants, and how to care for them.

Best Plants For Florida Panhandle

These plants include:

1. Canna

Cannas are native to the Caribbean, East and West Africa, and Central and South America.  Cannas are tropical and subtropical flowering plants that feature large, banana-like leaves. They can grow as perennial plants in tropical climates or annuals almost anywhere they have enough sunlight and moisture.

Cannas, also known as canna lilies, have bright, showy flowers that can be red, orange, yellow, or pink in color.  They do best in full sun and need consistent watering to keep the soil moist.

2. Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums are popular among gardeners all over the world. They are a member of the sunflower family and have large blooms with attractive colors, such as yellow, orange, red, pink, white, and purple. Chrysanthemums are easy to grow from seed and can also be started from cuttings. The best time to plant seeds is indoors six to eight weeks before the last spring frost.

3. Echinacea

The Echinacea, better known as the coneflower, is an ornamental plant that belongs to the Asteraceae (Aster) family. It is native to central to the southeastern United States. In recent years, coneflowers have become a popular flower for cutting, especially for bouquets. It’s an easy-to-grow perennial that requires little maintenance.

4. Dianthus

Dianthus is a member of the Caryophyllaceae (Carnation) family. Dianthus is one of the most popular summer bedding plants. It grows well in full sun, in well-drained fertile soil that is alkaline, and is available in a wide range of colors, including red, white, orange, yellow, and pink.

5. Lamium

Lamium is a member of the Lamiaceae (mint) family. It is a low-growing, herbaceous perennial plant that has attractive foliage and flowers. It is one of the easiest plants to grow from seed and blooms prolifically in late spring to early summer.

6. Begonia

Begonia is a member of the Begoniaceae family. They are easy to grow from seed and are very popular among gardeners because they have a large range of colors and are drought-tolerant.

begonias

7. Aster

Aster is one of the best plants for the Florida panhandle. It is a member of the Asteraceae (Aster) family. It is a herbaceous perennial with attractive leaves and daisy-like flowers. It is available in a variety of colors, including purple, white, pink, and blue.

8. Anemone

Anemones are members of the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) family. They are popular because their flowers open in the spring, and their foliage is attractive throughout the year. They are easy to grow from seed and require rich, moist soil with full to partial sun.

9. Amsonia

Amsonia is a member of the Apocynaceae family. It is a perennial that has beautiful green foliage and light blue, star-shaped flowers. It grows well in sand, chalk, clay, and loam soils and grows best in full sun or partial shade.

10. Arctotis

Arctotis is a member of the Asteraceae (Aster) family. It has beautiful foliage and blooms from late spring to frost. It is available in a variety of colors, including pink, red, yellow, and white.

11. Artemisia

Artemisia is a member of the Asteraceae (Aster) family. It has pretty foliage and blooms tiny flowers in the summer and fall. It is a herbaceous perennial shrub.

12. Baptisia

Baptisia is a member of the Fabaceae family. It is a perennial legume that has attractive dark green foliage and blooms in the mid to late spring. It grows best in full sun and average soil and is available in a wide range of colors, including yellow, orange, and red.

13. Bellis

Bellis is a member of the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) family. It has beautiful dark green foliage and daisy-like flowers that open in the spring. It grows well in well-drained soil and has small blue-purplish flowers.

14. Boronia

Boronia is a member of the Rutaceae family. It has pretty foliage and blooms in the spring. It is available in a variety of colors, including pink, red, and white.

15. Brachycome

Brachycome is a member of the Asteraceae (Aster) family. It has attractive flowers that can be Blue, purple, pink, white, or yellow. It is a perennial in USDA zones 9-11 but is generally grown as an annual in zones 2-8.

16. Butterfly bush

The butterfly bush is a member of the Scrophulariaceae family. It is a deciduous shrub that has wands of purple, pink, or white flowers on the tips of its branches. It blooms from summer to fall.

17. Camellia

Camellia is a member of the Theaceae (Tea) family. It is native to Asia. The Camellia sinensis plant is a broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree growing to a height of about two to 12 feet tall, with glossy leaves.

The flowers are white, pink, red, yellow, or lavender. They grow best in rich, well-drained soil and partial sun.

Take-home

The best plants for the Florida Panhandle are a lot more than the list above. Learning about each plant and how it grows would be ideal for helping you choose the very best for your garden in the Florida Panhandle.

Find more about The Best Plants For Florida Lanai 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest plant to grow in Florida?

The easiest plants to grow in Florida include begonias, mums and coneflowers. Florida includes USDA hardiness zones 8-10.

What is the prettiest flower in Florida?

Begonias have beautiful flowers that appear from spring to fall. You can grow them in containers by using a variety of substrates. These include, but are not limited to: clay pots, plastic pots, terra cotta pots, wood planter boxes, and ceramic containers.

What potted plants grow well in Florida?

The following plants do well in Florida: begonias, coneflowers, cannas, daisies and mums.

What trees are native to Florida Panhandle?

There are many trees native to northwestern Florida, such as Trident Maple, Red Buckeye, Torulosa Juniper, and American Hornbeam.