Due to its subtropical climate, Florida, especially the Tampa area, boasts a vast array of glorious blooming trees and flowering shrubs. They make vibrant, fragrant, colorful additions to the lush green landscape of the Floridian terrain.
The yellow tabebuia tree produces small flowers, popular in backyards because of it’s smaller stature. Yellow tabebuia rarely grows higher than 25 feet. The tabebuia bursts forth with buttery blossoms after shedding all their leaves in the early spring. The blossoms live for about a month. The yellow tabebuia has a pink cousin that grows to about 50 feet but doesn’t have the dramatic yellow display.
For those who love a yellow blossom, another gorgeous tree to consider is the cassia. Cassia rarely grows more than 15 feet tall and blooms generously twice a year in the spring and the fall.
When considering a large bloomer, the jacaranda makes a wonderful choice for any area that can handle a larger tree. Jacaranda grows to between 30-60 feet in height and boasts gorgeous bluish-purple flowers that make a grand entrance in the early spring. Jacaranda trees need a good amount of space around them as their canopy can span over 50 feet.
The Frangipani famously exudes a heady fragrance. The flower’s popularity soared when the Hawaiians used them to make leis. The branches look unique and beautiful in their own right. The blossoms come in yellow, white, or pink during the spring and summer months. You can propagate this beauty merely by cutting off a branch and sticking it in the soil. All the Frangipani needs is regular dousing with water and it will flourish before your eyes.
Shrubs make a good option for those with limited space in their yard. Florida produces a variety of stunning, flowering shrubs that will add a dash of drama and color to your yard.
Hibiscus shrubs, a larger variety, come in pink, white, orange, red, yellow, and lavender varieties as well as many other hues. These stunning flowers delight mostly in the summer months but will bloom throughout the year.
Oleander shrubs bloom with pink and white blossoms and make their splashy appearance in the fall through spring.
Azaleas fall into the smaller flowering shrub category and are perfect for a yard that doesn’t get much sun. Their springtime blossoms come in a soft pink and pristine white.
Walls or high fences surround some yards and may do well with flowering vines. One needs to proceed with caution when it comes to growing vines, as they can run rampant and take over an area quickly.
Here are a few suggestions for those seeking to grow some super fragrant beautifully blooming vines to complete the look (and smell) of your yard:
- Confederate jasmine
- Night-blooming cereus (giant white blossoms that appear after dark)
- Passionflower
For those more interested in esthetics than aroma:
- The coral vine (coral flowers)
- Orange trumpet vine
- Yellow allamanda
- Mandaville vine (yellow, pink and white)
With such a selection of incredible flowering vines, shrubs, and trees, your garden will be a cornucopia of sights and scents that will delight for years to come.
Need tree trimming or pruning?
Call Joe at Tree Masters Tree Service of North Tampa Bay area.
Photo by Aki Nakazawa on Unsplash
