Bok Tower Gardens > What’s in bloom?

What’s in bloom?

The meandering garden is one of the greatest achievements of famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. Tranquil resting places, shady recesses, picturesque vistas and expansive splashes of color create a contemplative setting for your personal renewal and enjoyment.

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There’s always something in bloom at Bok Tower Gardens. The plant identification display located outside the Visitor Center has cuttings to show you what’s blooming every day with labels identifying both the Latin and common names. Many of the plants are available for sale in the plant shop. Both cold-hardy and semi-tropical plants grow here. Our growing conditions are: acid sandy soil, zone 9a of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map, annual average rainfall of 52 inches (mainly in the summer), frost about every three years and light freezes every five years.

Yellow Shrimp Plant

Pachystachys lutea

This perennial flowering shrub is grown for its golden yellow bracts that grow into a shape similar to shrimp. Native to Central America, this plant blooms most of the year which makes it very attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.

This plant can be found in many areas throughout the Gardens.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Brunfelsia pauciflora

This is one of the most asked about shrubs in the Gardens during the fall/winter months. It is named for its flowers which open purple, fade to lavender and finally to white. This prolific bloomer is covered with hundreds of flowers during its peak bloom.

This plant can be found near Pinewood Estate and the Singing Tower.

Bridal Flower

Dyschoriste hygrophyllodes

Th is is an excellent new plant we’re trying at the Gardens. A relative to our native twinfl ower (Dyschoriste oblongifolia), this small evergreen shrub has lavender trumpet fl owers and is a consistent bloomer through most of the year.

This plant can be found near the Singing Tower.

Firecracker Plant

Russelia equisetiformis

We use the firecracker plant frequently at the Gardens. It’s hardy, requires low maintenance, is very showy when in full bloom. Native to tropical America and parts of Mexico, its wonderful texture and weeping habit makes it great for plantings along the edges of ponds or draping over the top of a wall or terrace.

This plant can be found near the Reflection Pool and the Grotto at Pinewood Estate.

Julia Child Rose

Rosa sp.

This floribunda was personally chosen by the award-winning namesake. Its old-fashioned style and fragrance are rarely found in a free-flowering plant. Its fragrance is classified as a strong sweet licorice and spice scent.

This plant can be found behind the Visitor Center.

Cane Begonia

Begonia

The shade-loving cane begonias are grown for both foliage and their flowers. Similar to bamboo, cane begonias grow long stems with nodes from which the
leaves and flowers arise. Its foliage is showy with textures and variegation. The
flowers bloom in large cascading clusters for much of the year.

This plant can be found in several areas throughout the Gardens.

Cracker Rose

Rosa x china hybrid ‘Louis Philippe’

This deep pink petaled rose has slightly lighter pink in the center and has sweetly scented blooms. This particular rose is an excellent choice for Florida, as it is disease- and pest-resistant. A Texas statesman, Lorenzo de Zavala, collected this rose during his 1834 stint as Minister to France and planted it at his home in Lynchburg.

This plant can be found in several areas throughout the Gardens.

Spicy Jatropha

Jatropha hastata

This tropical shrub (or sometime small tree) is native to the West Indies and blooms scarlet to vermillion flowers regularly throughout the year. It can grow up to 15 feet tall.

This plant can be found near the Singing Tower.

Butterfly Bush

Buddleia madagascariensis

The Buddleia genus consists of a number of flowering butterfly bush plants. These shrubs (and sometimes trees) have colorful flowers that come in a range of colors including yellow, lavendar and pink. The flowers are rich in nectar that can be strongly scented and are extremely attractive to pollinators. This particular species is also known as smokebush an dis native to Madagascar.

This plant can be found on the North Walk.

This plant can be found in many places throughout the Gardens.

Lemon Marigold

Tagetes lemmonii

This large plant reaches up to six feet in diameter, with very aromatic, airy foliage and vibrant yellow daisy-like blooms. Foliage has a distinctive lemon-like scent. If you touch the foliage the scent becomes much stronger. This sun-loving plant attracts many butterflies with its strong fragrance.

This plant can be found near the Visitor Center.

Mexican Sage Bush

Salvia leucantha

This herbaceous perennial is native to subtropical and tropical conifer forests in central and eastern Mexico. The soft green leaves and long purple inflorescences make this shrub one of the most attractive salvias.

This plant can be found near the Visitor Center.

Mickey Mouse Bush

Ochna serrulata

This small shrub has narrow leaves with serrated edges. During the spring, the fragrant blossoms appear. Its amesake comes from the way the bright-red sepals sit above the fruit giving the resemblance of the face of Mickey Mouse.

This plant can be found in many areas throughout the Gardens.

Lily of the Nile

Agapanthus

Native to South Africa, this plant’s common name is a misnomer as it is not actually a lily. This summer-flowering perennial attracts pollinators and produces long, strap-like leaves which make this plant attractive even when it isn’t blooming.

This plant can be found in many areas throughout the Gardens.

Red Spike Bromeliad

Aechmea gamosepala

These plants are mainly native to the tropical Americas. THis particular variety is native to Brazil and is used as an ornamental plant. The highlight of this plant is the inflorescence that rises above the leaf base. The inflorescence has reddish-purple bracts, purple petals and red sepals.

This plant can be found near the Reflection Pool.

Zedoary

Curcuma zedoaria

This perennial herb is similar in fragrance to a mango and its flavor to ginger. It is native to southeast Asia. The plant bears yellow, red and green bracts from a main stalk with leaf shoots appearing around it.

This plant can be found near the Round Garden.

Gardenia

Gardenia augusta

This shrub is a favorite of many for its deliciously fragrant creamy, white flowers and evergreen foliage. As a tropical plant, it does well in our humid environment.

This plant can be found near the Visitor Center.

Parasol Flower

Karomia speciosa

This decidious shrub grows two-tone dark and light green calyx that appear to be paper-like. The flowers that appear out of the calyx are violet in color. The nectar rich flowers attract butterflies and bees.

This plant can be found in many areas throughout the Gardens.

Golden Shower Orchid

Oncidium sphacelatum

This epiphyte is native to Central America and is one of over 750 species in its genus. The plant has long stalks with many yellow flowers with reddish-brown spots. It blooms in spring with, like its name suggests, a golden shower of flowers.

This plant can be found near the Visitor Center.

Caladium

Caladium

This tropical perrennial is grown for its large, heart-shaped leaves that come in a variety of colorful patterns. Originally native to South America, the plant is now mainly cultivated in Lake Placid, Florida.

This plant can be found in many areas throughout the Gardens.

Plumbago

Plumbago auriculata

This plant is very popular in home gardens due to its durability and resiliancy. Throughout the year pale sky blue flowers emerge. It can be grown informal or formal hedge and it responds well to pruning.

This plant can be found in many areas throughout the Gardens.

Tickseed

Coreopsis leavenworthii

This native plant is from the genus Coreopsis which is Florida’s state wildflower. This plant is cultivated for its flowers, but it can be often seen growing wild in ditches, flatwoods and most sandy soils.

This plant can be found in many areas throughout the Gardens.