INDOOR/OUTDOOR: Tropical plants that thrive in the summer landscape

Last summer, I visited Miami, Fla., on vacation. While there, I was amazed at such different plants in the landscape that bore little resemblance to what I am familiar with in North Georgia. Some are houseplants to us but outside year-round there. Miami is in USDA Hardiness Zone 10b, where the temperatures seldom drop below 40 degrees, whereas we are in Zone 7b, which can have winter temperatures as low as 10 degrees. Thus, South Florida has many plants that cannot survive all year in our climate. However, some can be planted during the summer and treated as annuals, providing color to the home landscape.

Bougainvillea has a shrub-to-vine-like growth pattern with thorns. They produce colorful blooms, which are not real flowers but have three paper-like bracts, specialized leaf-like structures encompassing a small white flower barely noticeable. The blossoms form in clusters and vary from red to pink to white. They have a cascading appearance and are an excellent choice for hanging baskets and window boxes. They require moist, well-drained soil and full sun. Occasional pruning is needed to remove old blooms to encourage the production of new ones.