Hi bea- many of the same for me as well as porterweed, angelonia, cats whiskers and datura. You mention wild cone flowers. I’ve tried my darndest to grow cone flowers and always fail. What’s your secret? Do you use only native varieties? Same issue with black eyed Susan.

JF I brought those with me from om KY when we moved. I lived in the middle of nowhere and they grew all over our 48 acres. I harvested the seeds probably 20 years ago now and wasn't about to leave those plants behind.

This is their fifth summer and they didn't bloom the first three. Maybe they needed to get comfy.

They are almost done blooming now so lots of seedheads. I can send you some. Just pm me your address.

A few vincas, the one white penta, the four-o'clocks, purple showers, and I saw a bud on the double purple datura yesterday. The crocosmia continue to send blooms straight up out of the ground, which is weird, but pretty. The bulbine is blooming and I spied a small red tropical sage the other day. The morning glories, which did not do as well as I would have liked, bloom sporadically, but the peacock gingers are blooming like mad. The giant liriiope is also blooming well for the first time. My marigolds are a disappointment, but they usually don't take off until fall.

Deb I forgot about my marigolds, pinecone gingers and purple salvia blooming.

Deb, can you please save me some double purple datura seeds? I can send you a SASE If you email me your address.

Bulbine! Been looking for it but none of the garden centers around here have it. Did you get it locally or online?

How awful they did that. I'll pass on bulbine seeds since plants with tubers tend to take quite some time to grow to any size but thanks. Just save me the datura seeds please.

Bulbine doesn't have seeds or bulbs. It clumps, and the sections put out roots, so you can just pull one off and propagate it. I'll have some to share with you this fall when we meet up for sure. It spreads by clumping, and doesn't get invasive, the clumps just get bigger and bigger -- well, mine don't because I'm always pulling off pieces to propagate, but normally it does..

Mainly lots of rain lillies. I have dark pink, yellow, very large pale pink, and the common whitish/pink ones.

My blackberry lillies are blooming too.

Salvia coccinea 'Coral Nymph' are blooming nicely in random places all over the back gardens. It has been reseeding itself in my yard since March 2012. I gently scoop up volunteers that are in a not-so-good place and move them to a so-very-good place.

Caladium and pentas are good ol' reliable plants for the front beds. The pentas bloom constantly all summer long:

Carol in Jacksonville

I'm always looking for plants that bloom in August in FL, which can be a challenging time for many ornamental so this is an interesting thread.

I was gone from my yard for 3 weeks (fortunately all my plants survived) but pardon some of the weeds haha

*= plant or its parents are native to Southeast

Coreopsis 'Uptick Cream'* has been a good alternative to Coreopsis moonbeam. I'm quite pleased with it. The color does not photograph well but is beautiful in person. Hybrid but it is used by several pollinators.

My seed-grown Salvia coccinea 'Summer Jewel Lavender'* has looked good since March (sown in late January), very happy with it though it is too short for much hummingbird use. I have never fertilized it btw

Cat's Whiskers that I planted in front of young American beautyberry* in an area that can sometimes get a little too much water for other plants, it seems to like it and has a very long bloom season. It's also robust and shades out weeds well which is good for my neglected backyard.

Self-seeded cutflower zinnias, Partridge Pea*, and Gaillardia pulchella/Annual Blanketflower* (collected from roadside, this is a natural rolled petal mutation and not a cultivar) in my perpetually experimental Hell Bed.

Mystery cuphea (maybe 'Starfire'?) I took from a cutting of a plant at my school + seed grown Salvia farincea 'Fairy Queen'. I also grow David Verity and Vermillionaire. Hummingbirds prefer Salvia gueranticas but Cuphea are a tad more reliable, quicker to root, and never need staking/don't get floppy. I highly recommend Cuphea for zone 9 FL gardens.

Red Firespike is starting a little early (usually Sept - Dec). It is my favorite partial shade plant.

Also of course Firebush* (Hamelia patens), lantana, pentas, and porterweeds are flowering. Salvia guaranticas are slowing down in the heat minus those in partial sun or morning sun only (of which Salvia 'Amistad' is most floriferous). I wasn't here to deadhead my Purple Coneflowers and Coreopsis grandiflora 'Sunburst' so they might be through flowering (have been in flower since May).

@JF1174 (Tampa Z9b)

I really love coneflowers so here's my long comment, I hope it helps you.

My best guess is that your Purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) got too much sun. Full sun =/= all day exposure. Full sun is 6 hours or more. I would say coneflowers in Florida especially a latitude as low as Tampa would be fine with 6 hours of direct sun and no more than that. I also would plant in partially amended soil that still maintains some native soil for drainage, drainage is very important for Echinacea species.

Other things:

- Echinaceas I see in nurseries seem to all be forced to bloom while too small, making a weak plant

- Echinaceas that are tissue culture are weaker than seed-grown. Stick to seed strains. Echinacea purpurea seed strains include wildtype, Powwow, and White Swan. I grow wildtype and Powwow successfully. Powwow is less floriferous and shorter but has slightly larger individual flowers and does not require staking as often. Pure Echinacea purpurea can bloom first year, hybrids of it an other species rarely do this. My Powwow coneflowers (purple form) sown in May bloomed by the end of July.

- Purple coneflower can only be white or pink. Ones that are orange, yellow, or red contain Echinacea paradoxa parentage. I have heard that the roots of Echinacea paradoxa are different than Echinacea purpurea and this conflict might weaken their hybrids. Still, I've had two 'Cheyenne Spirit' (the first seed strain with yellow, orange, and red possibilities) coneflowers for over a year now so those seem ok.

Hawthorne Hills is located in Pinella County and has success with Purple Coneflowers, you might wish to buy seed or stock from the nursery owners. Link to their post on the species