Major Cities:
Baton Rouge LA, Brownsville TX, Charleston SC, Corpus Christi TX, Daytona Beach
FL, Ft. Lauderdale FL, Galveston TX, Houston TX, Jacksonville FL, Key West FL,
Laredo TX, Miami FL, Mobile AL, Monterrey MEX, New Orleans LA, Orlando FL,
Sarasota FL, Savannah GA, Tampa FL, Tallahassee FL, and West Palm Beach FL.
The Region.
The Coastal and Tropical South region follows its namesake bodies of water and
extends inland as far as the sea's influence moderates the climate. The Gulf
Coast bends upward from Brownsville and Laredo Texas, east across southern
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to the Florida panhandle and northern
Florida. The Lower Atlantic Coast draws a narrower swath along coastal Georgia
and South Carolina to the North Carolina border. The tropical areas include
Central and Southern Florida and the Florida Keys.
The Climate.
The Coastal and Tropical South region is solidly subtropical and tropical. The
Gulf Coast and Lower Atlantic Coasts are not as hot as the true tropics or cold
for as long as those just north of us. With about 100+ days each year above 86F,
even where sea breezes prevail, the predominant weather is hot and humid.
Precipitation is heavy and frequent with annual rainfall averages between 40 and
60 inches a year. It's marked by high humidity, year round lush growing
conditions, and little variation in the seasons.
Central and South Florida have a distinct wet and dry climate typical of many
tropical and subtropical areas of the world. The summer wet season is hot and
humid. It usually begins in early June and ends around mid-October. The winter
dry season starts in mid-October and continues until the beginning of June. We
receive at least 2/3rds of our 50 to 65 inches a year average annual rainfall
during the wet season with southeast, interior Florida experiencing the heaviest
rains. Tropical rainfall can be intense with high winds and flooding a real
problem in low lying coastal and southern areas. This is especially true during
hurricane season from August to November. Inland areas can receive frost in
December and January while coastal areas, such as Ft. Lauderdale, are always
warmer and some rarely receive frost. The Keys are truly frost-free.
The Growing Season.
Most of this region will not experience frosts most winters. However, the
summer's are oppressively hot and humid, making annual vegetable and flower
growing difficult. The best growing season for annual flowers and vegetables is
fall (September) through spring (May). It is often dry in winter permitting
virtually any annual flower or vegetable to be grown with concerns about the
frosts dependent on where in the area you're located.
It's also possible to grow a broad range of temperate and tropical fruits, such
as citrus, strawberries, and avocado, in warmer areas. The lack of a prolonged
winter and intense summer heat often limits the type of ornamental trees and
shrubs that can survive and flourish in this climate to subtropical ones. Live
oaks, citrus, palms, magnolias, oleanders, and gardenias are but a few of our
classic landscape plants. Tropical foliage plants thrive in southern
Florida.
The summer has high heat and humidity making it hard for most vegetables to
survive. Summer weather features temperatures along the coast in the 80Fs and
low 90Fs and inland in the mid to upper 90Fs. Frequent thunderstorms often
temporarily lower the heat.
Major Cities: 
Published by the National Gardening Association