Getting color in your South Florida summer garden seems difficult. Most things either require shade, or wilt in the heat, humidity, and excessive rainfall. If you want cut flowers, the choices are even slimmer. There are three tried and true flowering annuals that will bring joy to any South Florida gardener seeking beautiful cut flowers for their summer garden.
Marigolds
A carefree old standby, marigolds' familiar yellow, orange, and rust colors have brought joy to gardeners hearts for hundreds of years. From the dwarf border types to the tall standards, marigolds are nearly indestructible, even in a South Florida summer garden. Flowers can be solid or dual colored, and while they do not have the showiest flowers in the South Florida summer garden, their simplicity is their strength. Their fern like dark green foliage adds interest to any flowerbed. An added bonus to marigolds is that their root repel nematodes, so planting them interspersed in your vegetable garden can be a great natural nematode control.
Zinnias
Zinnias were my grandmother's favorite flower, and if there is a gardener's 
heaven, she is growing all the new varieties there. Zinnias have come a long way, and the standard varieties have been joined by multicolored, daisy flowered, and spreading dwarfs that make wonderful borders and are mildew resistant. That is the one downside to growing zinnias in the summer in South Florida. Zinnia foliage is susceptible to powdery mildew, so spraying may be necessary to maintain a healthy looking plant. Even so, it is well worth the extra trouble to have these flowers in your garden.
Cosmos
Cosmos have come a long way, baby! From the standard pink, white, and burgundy colored flowers of my mother's garden, cosmos have become a serious contender for queen of the summer flower bed. New colors range from yellow to red, with candy striped, picotee, and bi-colored flowers available. You can find double and triple flowers with a variety of petal shapes, including the curled petals of the Seashell Cosmos. The feathery foliage adds a lovely texture to your South Florida summer cut flower garden. Cosmos are nearly disease free, although some beetles enjoying munching the flowers.
With these three heat resistant flowering summer annuals in your South Florida garden, you'll be cutting flowers for bouquets until the first frost hits. Don't forget to gather seeds for next year's crop, because these seeds are easy to find and save.
Learn more about Marigolds
Learn more about Zinnias
Learn more about Cosmos
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Comments
I'm glad to hear there are heat resistant flowers because it's so darn hot here in Houston. I have a feeling our newly planted flowers can't take the heat - even with watering.
What gorgeous photos! It gets pretty darn hot around here too, and Marigolds always do well, even when planted in the direct sun.
Not near as far South as you (in Tennessee) but we still have some scorchers. I need plants that can take the heat. Thanks a ton!
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