Garden Club of Cape Coral | Heat tolerant plants
Summer will soon be sizzling in Southwest Florida. With increased humidity and the heat index that may hover around 100°, many retreat indoors for relief. For comfort and for health reasons, time outside may be restricted to early morning or later in the evening. This gives us less time to work in our garden.
With these things in mind, it is important to know which plants will survive our intense sun and heat. I took a walk down the “pollinator path” at the Berne Davis Botanical Garden to gauge which plants were doing well in this very sunny location. I would like to share my observations with you, as well as information on other plants recommended for sunny areas.
The Beach Verbena (Glandularia maritima) is a spreading perennial wildflower and a state listed endangered species. It forms a low mat of lush green leaves which root as they spread along the ground. The deep pink to lavender flowers bloom year-round, peaking in the spring and summer. The flowers are a good nectar source for a variety of butterflies, moths and bees.
The Beach Sunflower (Helianthus debilis) occurs naturally along the Florida coast but adapts well to inland use. It typically blooms in the summer but may produce flowers year-round in South Florida. The bright yellow daisy-like flower attracts a variety of pollinators, and the seeds are eaten by birds.
The Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella) is a hardy perennial. The daisy-like flowers are usually orange with yellow tips and bloom throughout the summer and into the fall. The Blanket Flower attracts butterflies and re-seeds itself, so that you can enjoy it year after year.
Poitea Florida (Retama prieta) can be a deciduous shrub or small tree. It has pink or purple flowers with delicate, lace-like leaves on arching branches that resemble an umbrella. The plant can tolerate full morning sun and blooms spring through fall, peaking in the summer. If used as a shrub, Poitea Florida can reach 5 or 6 feet in height with its wide spreading stems creating a possible width of 8 feet or more. The tree can reach from 12-20 feet tall. As with any plant, be sure your space accommodates the height and/or width that the plant needs to grow.
Sweet Almond Bush (Aloysia virgata) is a deciduous, fast-growing shrub that can spread 6 to 12 feet and grow 6 to 12 feet in height. Its white flower clusters bloom from March through November and fill the air with a vanilla-almond fragrance. The scent of this plant attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Arabian Jasmine (Jasminum sambac) is a perennial known for its attractive, sweetly scented flowers. It blooms throughout the year, and the flowers are produced in clusters of 3 to 12 which open at night and close in the morning. This plant grows up to 6 to 10 feet tall and wide and does best if it can climb a fence or a trellis. It may drop its leaves in cooler weather which is completely natural for many jasmine plants.
The Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis) is a thorny, ornamental vine, bush or tree. This fast-growing plant comes in a variety of colors and needs sun and heat to thrive. My favorite bougainvillea is a hybrid called Bougainvillea “Vera Variegata.” It has striking white and green leaves and bright pink flowers. It is everblooming but is photosensitive, which means the flowers will be heavier during some seasons than others.
The Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) is a perennial, native, low growing wildflower that is one of the best plants to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators. It has a short central stem with many stems rising from the base of the plant. Small blue to violet flowers grow each day on 12-inch-long spikes. The flowers only last one day and may not bloom on overcast days. The plant will tolerate full sun to light shade and has a high drought tolerance, once established.
The Coontie (Zamia integrifolia) is a native cycad, a palmlike plant bearing large cones. It dates back to the Triassic and Jurassic eras. This sprawling plant can grow to a width of 3 feet and a height of 2 to 3 feet. The Coontie looks like a small fern with stiff, featherlike leaves which attach to a thick underground stem. The reddish-brown fruit of the Coontie is quite large and resembles pinecones. The entire plant is toxic, so wear protective clothing when pruning and keep household pets away. The caterpillar of the rare Atala butterfly can feed on the leaves and survive, sometimes eating the Coontie plant until there is not much left. This damage, however, is usually temporary, and the Coontie recovers by growing fresh new leaves.
For an up-close look at these plants, visit the Berne Davis Botanical Garden located at 2166 Virginia Ave., Fort Myers, just north of the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Master Gardener Volunteers will give you a tour of the pollinator pathway, as well as the interior of the garden. It is also an opportunity to decide which plants would be suitable for your own garden space. The garden’s summer hours are Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to noon. I encourage you to visit, so that you can observe the beauty of nature at work.
Carole Kerns is a Master Gardener Volunteer and a volunteer at the Berne Davis Botanical Garden.