Bougainvillea
Blooms Fall/Early Winter
Forms:
Bougainvillea can be pruned like a shrub or trained to grow over fences and trellises. Dwarf varieties do well in pots or hanging baskets.
Pruning and care:
Prune in late winter or early spring after the plant blooms. Wear gloves, since many types of bougainvilleas have sharp thorns. The plants actually perform better when their soil is left a little dry.
In the event of a frost/freeze:
Needs to be protected.
Jatropha
Blooms Year Round
Forms:
Jatropha flowers all year long and can reach about 15 feet in height. The plant has multiple trunks and can be pruned as shrubs or trained into small trees with multiple trunks.
Pruning and care:
Take care when pruning Jatropha, as all parts of the plants are poisonous if ingested, and the milky sap can irritate sensitive skin. After the plant is established in the soil, it is low-maintenance and drought-tolerant.
In the event of a frost/freeze:
Jatropha needs to be protected but will bounce back if damaged.
Oleander
Blooms Year Round
Forms:
Oleander flowers all year, but especially in the hotter months. The plant grows to as high as 18 feet and as wide as 10 feet, so it can be trained into small tree forms or kept at shrub or hedge height.
Pruning and care:
All parts of the oleander plant are toxic and poisonous if ingested, so choose a spot in your garden away from children and adventurous pets. Oleander is tolerant of sea spray, so it makes a perfect plant for gardens along the coast. The plant is drought-tolerant and will thrive in the poorest soils. Pruning allows for more flowers because they bloom on new wood, but pruning is not necessary for the plant to bloom.
In the event of a frost/freeze:
Tampa is located in hardiness zone 9, where oleander is susceptible to frost damage in some years. The plant should recover quickly if pruned back after future frost danger has passed.
