Annuals vs. Perennials for South Florida: Year-Round Flowering Plants for Intense Sun

Definitions

Perennials: Return yearly; bloom 3–8+ weeks. Often high maintenance (spreading, self-seeding).
Annuals: Planted yearly (spring or late winter in FL); bloom longer period.

Some northern annuals (impatiens, pentas) are perennials in South Florida. Pentas is especially long-blooming and heat-tolerant.

Consult local nurseries and the Miami-Dade Cooperative Extension for plant lists suited to your exact conditions.

Annuals: Choosing Annuals: Need Your Zone and Preferences First; Daylily 'Happy Returns' Seed Pods and Division; Summer-Blooming Perennials for Zone 5 Illinois: No-Dig, Low-Maintenance Color for Sunny Borders; Perennials, Annuals, and Biennials: Understanding Plant Lifecycles and Hardiness Zones; Overwintering Sale Perennials: Plant Now, Don't Store in a Cave; Mixing Annuals & Perennials in a Flower Garden; Annual Flowers: Misnamed but Magnificent; Annuals vs. Perennials: Designing a Landscape That Sells (and Satisfies); Mediterranean Meadow: Poppies and Perennials in Vibrant Harmony; Pinching and Deadheading: Simple Techniques for More Blooms

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