Every spring I watch the same thing happen at garden centers across Central Florida. People buy rosemary, cilantro, French tarragon, and chervil. By July, most of it is dead or bolted. It is not their fault — those herbs are marketed as easy to grow, and they are, in climates nothing like ours. Florida's combination of intense heat, high humidity, and afternoon thunderstorms creates conditions that some herbs simply cannot survive.

But here is the thing: some herbs absolutely thrive in this environment. The trick is knowing which ones belong in which category and understanding the science behind why. After growing herbs commercially at Wholly Water Farms and in my own garden for years, I have a clear picture of what works and what does not.

Which Herbs Grow Best in Florida Heat?

The herbs that perform well in Florida summers share a common trait: they evolved in tropical or subtropical climates with heat, humidity, and abundant rainfall. These are your reliable choices from May through September.

Basil is the undisputed warm-season champion. Sweet basil, Thai basil, lemon basil, and holy basil all love Florida heat. Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora) deserves special attention because it is slower to bolt than sweet basil and handles humidity better. Pinch flower buds as they appear to keep plants producing leaves longer.

Culantro (Eryngium foetidum) is one of the most underappreciated herbs in Florida gardens. It is a tropical perennial in the Apiaceae family with a flavor profile similar to cilantro but significantly more concentrated. Unlike cilantro, culantro thrives in heat and humidity. Its long, serrated leaves keep producing through the hottest months. It also retains flavor when dried, which cilantro notoriously does not. If you cook Caribbean, Central American, or Southeast Asian food, culantro belongs in your garden.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) grows like a weed in Florida. Plant a division in spring and by fall you will have a clump three feet across. It needs space and regular water, but almost nothing kills it. The stalks store well in the freezer, and the leaves make excellent tea.

Mint grows vigorously in Florida — too vigorously. Grow it in containers, period. Plant mint in a garden bed and it will colonize everything within reach. Spearmint and peppermint both perform well in partial shade. Cuban mint (Plectranthus amboinicus) is technically not a true mint but serves a similar culinary role and handles full Florida sun.

Rosemary can work in Florida, but it demands excellent drainage and hates wet feet. Raised beds, sandy soil mixes, and locations where water never pools are essential. I have lost more rosemary plants to root rot during summer afternoon storms than to any other cause. If you can provide the drainage, rosemary survives our heat fine — it just cannot tolerate standing water around its roots for even a few hours.

Why Do Mediterranean Herbs Struggle in Florida?

This is where the science gets interesting. Most of the herbs that fail in Florida summers — cilantro, French tarragon, chervil, oregano (to some degree), and thyme — belong to families that evolved in the Mediterranean basin. The Lamiaceae family (mint family, which includes rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, and lavender) and the Apiaceae family (which includes cilantro, chervil, and parsley) both have deep evolutionary roots in regions with dry summers and mild, wet winters. That climate pattern is essentially the opposite of Florida's.

The core problem is humidity. Mediterranean herbs produce their essential oils in structures called glandular trichomes — microscopic hair-like glands on the surface of leaves and stems. These trichomes synthesize and store volatile compounds like monoterpenes, the molecules responsible for the aroma and flavor of herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Research published in Acta Physiologiae Plantarum has shown that essential oil production in these trichomes is closely linked to moderate stress conditions, including lean soil and controlled water deficit — exactly the conditions of a Mediterranean summer.

Florida inverts every one of those conditions. Our summers bring daily rain, 80 to 95 percent humidity, and consistently wet soil. The trichomes still produce oils, but the wet, warm environment around the plant promotes fungal pathogens. Root rot, powdery mildew, downy mildew, and various Fusarium species all thrive in the same conditions that Mediterranean herbs have no evolutionary defense against. The plant weakens, oil production drops, and flavor declines even before the plant shows obvious signs of disease.

The Bolting Problem

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is the herb I get asked about most. It bolts — meaning it flowers and goes to seed — as soon as temperatures consistently exceed 75°F. That happens in Florida by late March or early April. Once cilantro bolts, the leaves turn feathery and bitter. There is no slow-bolt variety that can survive a Florida May, let alone July. The workaround is culantro, which I described above, or growing cilantro microgreens indoors where temperature is controlled.

French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa) requires a period of cold dormancy below 40°F to regenerate. Florida rarely provides that, and the plant simply declines over time without it. Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida) is a viable substitute with a similar anise flavor that handles heat well.

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is another cool-season annual that bolts rapidly in heat. Treat it as a winter herb in Florida, planted in October and harvested through February.

What Growing Strategies Help Herbs Survive Florida Summers?

For the herbs that can work in Florida with some help, these strategies make a measurable difference.

Raised beds with fast-draining soil. Blend sandy soil with perlite and a small amount of compost. Mediterranean herbs want lean, gritty soil that dries out between waterings. Avoid rich garden soil mixes that hold moisture.

Afternoon shade. A spot with morning sun and afternoon shade protects heat-sensitive herbs from the worst of Florida's summer intensity. Even basil benefits from shade after 2 PM during July and August.

Container growing. Containers give you total control over soil mix and drainage. You can also move containers to sheltered locations during heavy storms. Rosemary, oregano, thyme, and sage all perform better in containers in Florida than in the ground.

Herb microgreens. This is the approach that bypasses every seasonal limitation entirely. At Wholly Water Farms, we grow basil, cilantro, and other herb microgreens indoors year-round. The environment is controlled — 70°F, consistent light, managed humidity — so bolting, fungal disease, and heat stress never enter the picture. You can learn more about microgreens on our complete microgreens guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you grow cilantro in Florida during summer?

Not outdoors. Cilantro bolts once temperatures exceed 75°F, which happens by late March in most of Florida. For summer cilantro flavor, grow culantro (Eryngium foetidum) outdoors as a heat-tolerant substitute, or grow cilantro microgreens indoors under controlled conditions.

Why does my rosemary keep dying in Florida?

Rosemary almost always dies from root rot caused by excessive moisture, not from heat. Florida's daily summer rains saturate the soil around rosemary roots. The solution is raised beds or containers with fast-draining, gritty soil mixes and locations where water never pools.

What is culantro and how is it different from cilantro?

Culantro (Eryngium foetidum) is a tropical perennial herb with long, serrated leaves and a flavor similar to cilantro but more concentrated and pungent. Unlike cilantro, it thrives in heat and humidity, produces through Florida summers, and retains its flavor when dried.

Why do Mediterranean herbs struggle in Florida?

Mediterranean herbs evolved in climates with dry summers and lean soil. Their essential oils are produced in glandular trichomes that function best under moderate stress. Florida's high humidity, daily rain, and wet soil promote fungal diseases that these herbs have no evolutionary defense against, leading to decline in both plant health and flavor.