Having flowering trees in your garden is a great way to add height to the space. Adding the right trees can also add a lot of color to your garden as well. Not all trees flower, but there are some fantastic options that can grow in Florida that require very little care to maintain them.
Recently, I took the time to invest in adding trees to my garden. I created this guide to give you a wide variety of flowering trees to choose from when you live in Florida.
Bottlebrush – Weeping
This is a weeping tree that has bright red flowers during the spring. These fussy blooms will attract pollinators to your garden. The plant can grow to have a height of 15 feet in full to partial sun.
Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea can grow to be 30 feet tall. It loves the sun, so six hours of direct sunlight a day is recommended. It’s also drought-tolerant, so it will only need shallow watering and well-drained soil.
Cassia Trees
The cassia tree grows to be about 10 feet when it is mature. It has bright yellow blooms, and it will quickly attract butterflies to the space. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil.
Powderpuff
This is a plant that has bright and stunning pink or red flower puffs that will attract hummingbirds to your garden. It can grow to be 15 feet tall, and they require moderate water and full sun to grow.
Crape Jasmine
Also known as cape jasmine (Gardenia jasminoides), this is a plant with large white blooms that are breathtaking. It has a powerful scent, and it prefers full sun and any type of soil that is well-draining.
Crape Myrtle
This tree can grow to be up to 30 feet tall, but there are also dwarf varieties that are between 10 and 15 feet. They require full sun to grow, and blooms are typically white, pink, purple, or red.
Geiger
If you are looking to add color to your garden, the Geiger tree has orange, yellow, or white blooms. The orange variety is ideal for attracting hummingbirds. These plants need to be protected from the wind.
Golden Dewdrop
The golden dewdrop is a fast-growing tree that will stay at about six feet when it is properly trimmed. It has frilly flowers that are purple and clusters of golden berries. The tree can grow in full sun or part shade.
Magnolia-D.D. Blanchard
The leaves of this tree are dark green, but the bottom side of the leaves is rusty brown. It requires full sun and moderate water to grow. These trees will grow to be 50 feet tall or more. See our guide on the different varieties of Magnolia.
Hibiscus
This tree can easily grow to be 15 feet or more. It will attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden. This plant needs slightly acidic soil, moderate water, and full sun to thrive. For more information on groing Hibiscus, see our Hibiscus growing guide here.
Jatropha
Jatropha is a tropical tree that grows in the southern part of the country. It requires moderate water and partial shade to grow. It has heart-shaped leaves, and it prefers well-drained soil to grow.
Poinciana – dwarf
This is a stubby ornamental tree that has several trunks. The red-orange blooms are ideal for attracting butterflies, and even though these are dwarf plants, they will grow to be 12 feet in full to partial sun.
Frangipani
Also known as the plumeria plant, this is a tree that can grow to be up to 30 feet in height. Its showy clusters of flowers resemble a pinwheel. These fragrant plants grow best in partial shade.
Oleander
This is a beautiful looking plant that has bright pink, red, peach, yellow, white, or salmon blooms. It can tolerate high winds and salt, so it is great to plant near the beach, but it’s also a toxic plant.
Parkinsonia
This tree can grow to be 33 feet in height. It produces fragrant, yellow and orange blooms that can be seen in the middle of spring. It likes to grow in full sun and well-drained soil.
Tibouchina granulosa
If you like purple flowers, then this plant has large, royal purple flowers during the spring. It can grow to be 15 feet tall, and it will do best in full-sun conditions.
Floss Silk
This is a tree that can grow to be 60 feet tall, but it will not flower for the first eight or so years. It has palm-like leaves and star-shaped flowers that are quite unique. It is drought-tolerant and can grow in most soil types.
Hong Kong Orchid
This is a breathtaking tree that has orchid-shaped flowers that are red in color. The petals also have white veins throughout. It needs full sun and moist soil that is well-drained to grow.
Jacaranda
The Jacaranda tree has soft purple blooms that are trumpet-shaped, and it can grow to be about 50 feet tall. It needs well-drained soil that is sandy and full sun to produce the best blooms.
Peltophorum
This tree is a great way to add a bit of yellow to your garden. It can easily grow to b more than 40 feet in height, and it needs full sun to create bright colored blooms during late summer. It will take four years for the tree to bloom.
Magnolia – Little Gem
Though this is a dwarf plant, the tree can grow to be 25 feet tall. It prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It will produce beautiful white blooms during the spring and the summer.
Royal Poinciana
This tropical tree has gorgeous scarlet blossoms that cover the tree during the summer. When mature, it can grow to be 40 feet. It likes to grow in sandy, gravelly soil that drains well and full sun.
Tabebuia
This is an ornamental tree that can grow to be 30 feet tall. It can have blooms that are lavender, pink, or yellow during the spring. They will lose their leaves in the winter in cold temperatures.
Ylang Ylang
The ylang ylang tree is a fast-growing plant that can grow to be more than 60 feet in full sun. It will not bloom for the first four years. The blooms are green in color and do not stand out much.
