What are my favorite culinary herbs for Central Florida, those best-suited to endure our summer heat and humidity? It is mid August, so Iet’s take a quick tour of my garden.
While I grow herbs in about every area of my yard, most of these images show plants along my front walk. The layout of our house makes this the most convenient location for herbs frequently used in the kitchen. All the plants shown are in containers, most in large half-barrel planters. Some are only here until I can move them this fall. This is the third summer for most of these plants.
In our humid climate, August and September become the most challenging time for Mediterranean herbs such as sage, rosemary and lavender. With the high humidity and frequent rains these plants, more at home on dry slopes, begin to sag. Even those that are likely to survive can start looking pretty sad as summer progresses. We grow them as short-lived perennials, or even annuals. We look for better-acclimated varieties, and we grow herbs from areas of the globe with conditions closer to our own.
My herb garden tour includes photos of favorites, along with comments.
Favorite Culinary Herbs for Central Florida
Favorite Herbs, Notes
With long stiff stems that can be used as barbecue skewers, Barbecue Rosemary is among the best varieties for our area. This plant has survived five summers, and is beginning to show its age. Also See Remembering Rosemary
The tall grassy plant is Vetiver. I will divide the clump in the fall, and replant in my slopping back yard to help fight erosion.
Sweet Lavender is the finest variety I’ve grown for fragrance and Florida durability. The fragrance is wonderful, sweeter than traditional English lavender. I have three of these, and it is possible that not all will survive this summer. This being their third year, however, they have already performed admirably. They bloom all summer, although the flower spikes only open a few buds at a time. Let’s be honest. There is no lavender that is “ideal” for Florida, considering our high humidity. We can only make the best selection among available varieties. Some gardeners may prefer to grow it as an annual. Get a couple of starter plants in the fall, and enjoy them until the summer humidity does them in. If they survive summer, give them bonus points.
Cardinal Basil is a tender perennial, and among my favorite basils to grow. The leaves have a really refreshing flavor, although maybe not exactly right for pesto, in my opinion. The large burgundy flower heads are attractive, and beloved by pollinators. Like other basils, Cardinal will not survive a freeze, but it’s easy to start new plants from seed or cuttings.
A close relative of Sweet Almond Verbena, Lemon Verbena is a tender perennial that thrives in full sun.The leaves may drop after a frost, but a good trimming in early spring will nudge the plant into fresh growth. Of the three lemon-scented herbs I routinely grow – Lemon Balm, Lemongrass and Lemon Verbena – Lemon Verbena has my favorite fragrance.
Lemon Verbena is toxic to cats, and can cause stomach upset. What this means, realistically, is that you wouldn’t want to grow it where indoor cats have no more desirable options for fresh greenery to nibble. Outdoors, I can’t imagine cats would give it any notice.
I have a real passion for Ginger and Turmeric, and will have plenty more to say in other posts. Briefly said, give them good fertile soil and plenty of water during the growing season, and they will thrive.
This is a Jamaican Mint, also called Marley Mint, and is currently my favorite to grow. The plant is thriving, and the fragrance/taste is excellent.
Other mints that grow well in Central Florida include Mojito Mint (aka Cuban Mint) Vietnamese Mint, Black Stem Peppermint and Apple Mint. Mints appreciate a little shade, fertile soil and plenty of water.
Pineapple Sage is among my favorites to grow. A reliable perennial, I find the fragrance refreshing and soothing. It is easy to grow, so long as the roots have plenty of space. Additional plants are quickly rooted from stem cuttings.
Berggarten Sage is much like common sage in texture and flavor, but with rounder leaves. It also holds up better to our summer humidity.
Bay Laurel does very well in Florida, although it is slow to take off during the first few years. Be patient. The bay will eventually grow into a small tree. Also see Bay Laurel.
The perennial Culantro offers year-round cilantro-like flavor.
Garlic Chives is a long-lived herb that thrives in our climate. Easily started from seed, and useful to chop into a variety of dishes.
The Variegated Cuban Oregano is such a pretty plant. I grow it in pots on my porch. This is an easy-to-grow perennial in Central Florida, but frost will knock it back. It will recover in the spring, in the Orlando area, but I’m not sure how much farther north this is true. The good news, it is very easy to start new plants from cuttings.
Portuguese Oregano looks very similar to the variegated Cuban, but the flavor is milder. The leaves are softer. While the leaves of the variegated Cuban are cream in the middle with a green border, the Portuguese has green in the center with gold around the edge. Much could be done with these two beauties in the Florida herb garden. Fill an unused space, grow for added visual interest.
Garlic Chives, started from seed in the fall,may flourish for several years. It is much better adapted to our climate than regular chives.
I always grow a few Genovese Basil on my porch, so that rainwater can’t pool up and rot the leaves. This is my favorite basil for Caprese salad and pesto.
African Blue Basil brings loads of pollinators to my vegetable garden. The bees love it. This basil is sterile, so you need to start with a plant or cuttings. Like other basils, cuttings are easily rooted.
Over the past couple of years I have become interested in Caribbean seasoning peppers. This summer I grew a heatless habanero called Habanada Sweet Pepper. This is a very sweet, flavorful pepper without heat. I dehydrated and ground a small quantity last week to find out how they might taste as a seasoning. The ground-up pepper retained its sweetness, and the smoky, fruity flavor intensified. There are several such spice peppers worth trying. They are very well suited to our climate, and while they tend to take longer to fruit than other peppers might, they are very productive and long lasting. Give them frost protection, and they could last for years.
I start the seeds in the fall, and then keep the small plants in 1-gallon containers through winter. This makes it easy to protect from frost. They go into my garage on the coldest nights, and are then ready to take off in March, when planted in the garden. Considering their various uses, they deserve a place in the Florida vegetable and herb garden.
Our two cats are strictly indoor, but they enjoy spending time in the screened pool enclosure. For this reason I only grow cat-safe plants in that location. If they felt like nibbling on mints, lemon balm or scented geraniums, I wouldn’t mind. But the Lemongrass and Catnip are their favorites. Lemongrass is easy to grow. I prefer to keep it in containers, so that it doesn’t spread out of control.
Catnip grows easily, so long as the roots have plenty of space. It is easily replenished form seed or rooted stem cuttings.
A few more favorites worth growing in the Florida herb garden include Greek Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, French Thyme, Lemon Balm, Flat-Leaf Parsley, Mexican Tarragon, Fennel and Elephant Garlic. All of these should be started in the fall, and need no special winter protection. Dill and Cilantro can be started from seed from fall through early spring.
Where to Purchase Seed and Starter Plants for the Florida Herb Garden
As always, I only include links from sources where I personally shop online.
Seminole Springs Antique Rose & Herb Farm is always my first stop when buying starter plants for herbs best suited to Central Florida.
Whitwam Organics, A local grower that offers a selection of herb plant starts and seed, including Rutgers Devotion and Rutgers Obsession Downy Mildew Resistant basil. Well worth consideration for Florida friendly vegetables, flowers and herbs.
Southern Exposure is always worth a look when searching for open-pollinated vegetable, herb and flower seed for Southern gardens.
Baker Creek offers an impressive collection of heirloom vegetable, herb and flower seed from around the globe. They are always worth a look.
