Sending flowers to BayCare St. Joseph's Hospital
St. Joseph's in Tampa delivers fresh flowers to patients on regular floors, but some departments such as the ICU can be off limits. Here is how to plan around that.
- Flowers in roomsAllowed, with limits
- Units without flowersICU (may be restricted)
- Latex balloonsNot published
- Foil balloonsNot published
- Live plantsNot published
- Deliveries go toNot published
BayCare St. Joseph's Hospital sits on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in Tampa, a 615-bed not-for-profit hospital that shares its campus with St. Joseph's Children's Hospital and St. Joseph's Women's Hospital. That shared campus matters more than you might think when you send flowers: three hospitals, one address, and a lot of patients with similar names.
The short version is good news. The hospital runs a free in-hospital delivery service, so arrangements clearly do reach patient rooms. The catch is that hospital regulations can block deliveries to certain departments, and the ICU is the one BayCare names.
What BayCare St. Joseph's Hospital allows
The hospital's delivery page is the closest thing St. Joseph's publishes to a flower rule. It says fresh flowers and other gifts can be brought straight to the patient. Right next to that, it warns that hospital regulations may limit deliveries to some departments, with the ICU given as the example, and that food and other edible items can't be delivered to patients.
What we read from that:
- Regular floors: flowers are part of normal life here, since the hospital delivers them in house.
- ICU: expect a no, or at least a hold at the nurses' station. If your person is in intensive care, wait until they move to a regular room.
- Food: leave out the chocolate, fruit or cookie add-ons. They won't be handed over.
BayCare doesn't say anything specific about latex balloons or potted plants at St. Joseph's. If either matters to your order, ask when you call.
Based on the hospital's own website, checked October 29, 2026.
Where the delivery goes
Because three hospitals share the campus, write "St. Joseph's Hospital" on the order, not just "St. Joseph's", and add the patient's full legal name. A room number helps if the family has one. Include your own phone number so the courier or front desk can reach you if something doesn't match.
Timing matters. Order from a local florist and try for a morning drop so the arrangement arrives while visitors are around (BayCare's visiting hours are 8am to 8pm every day). Short stays are common after surgery, so check with the family that the patient won't be discharged before the flowers show up. Our same-day cutoff guide explains how late you can usually order.
If flowers aren't an option
For a patient in the ICU, a card or a note to the family often lands better than flowers that will sit at the desk. You can also hold the order and send it once they are moved to a step-down or regular floor. Non-flower gifts are fine too, as long as nothing is edible.
What to send to a patient here
A compact vase arrangement that fits on a narrow bedside table is the safe pick for an adult ward. Bright, lightly scented flowers like gerberas, alstroemeria or roses work well; heavy lilies can be a lot in a shared space. If the patient is a new mother at the Women's Hospital on the same campus, make sure the order names that building instead. For card ideas, see what to write on the card, and for more picks, our get-well flowers guide.
Send flowers to Tampa today
Order by 2 p.m. Eastern timeA florist near BayCare St. Joseph's Hospital arranges the bouquet and delivers it the same day. Put the patient's full name and room number on the order, and check that they are not in ICU (may be restricted).
Order within --:--:-- for delivery today in Tampa
Same-day cutoff is 2 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays.
Yes, deliver todayConfirm the patient is still admitted before you order.
Questions people ask about flowers at BayCare St. Joseph's Hospital
Do flowers reach patient rooms at St. Joseph's?
Yes. The hospital offers free in-hospital delivery to patients on regular floors. The ICU and some other departments may be restricted.
Can I send flowers to someone in the ICU at St. Joseph's?
Probably not. BayCare notes that hospital regulations may restrict deliveries to some departments like the ICU. Send a card instead or wait until the patient moves to a regular floor.
Can I add chocolates or a fruit basket?
No. The hospital says edible items may not be delivered to patients, so order flowers or a non-food gift only.
What should the florist put on the order?
Write St. Joseph's Hospital, not just St. Joseph's, plus the patient's full legal name, room number if known and your phone number. The main line is (813) 870-4000.
Sending somewhere else in Tampa? See flower delivery in Tampa for cutoff times and other local hospitals.