It’s always exciting to witness the first flowers of spring. Long summer days allow for a wealth of colorful blossoms. By the end of summer, many flowering plants are starting to fade away, and vegetation turns yellow and brown. But wait, there’s still autumn! Before you think about scarecrows and pumpkins, plenty of fall flowers are ready to brighten your autumn garden.
Many flowering plants will continue blooming beyond summer and into autumn, while other plants start to flower as the temperatures cool. Annuals, perennials, grasses, vines, and shrubs offer fall interest in the landscape.
Many perennials, ornamental grasses, and shrubs attain peak beauty in autumn and can be maintained as permanent fixtures in your landscape. Other annuals or short-lived perennials can start from seed to be transplanted into your garden.
You don’t have to be a gardening expert to grow beautiful autumn-blooming flowers. All you need is space, time, sunlight, and soil. Then, you can choose from various plants that best suit your needs. Grow them from seed or buy them from your local garden center, then have fun planting them and watching them grow and flourish!
If you’re ready to add some color to your landscape this fall, or perhaps the next, keep reading to learn more about 37 colorful flowers you can grow for a fabulous fall garden.
American Beautyberry
This native shrub thrives in partial shade to full sun and tolerates drought.
 | botanical name Callicarpa americana |
|---|---|
 | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
 | height 3-6 feet |
 | hardiness zones 6-12 |
American beautyberry is a medium-sized deciduous shrub native to the southeastern United States. It typically grows in moist woodlands but is tolerant of various environmental conditions. This shrub prefers partial shade but can handle sun, too. It prefers moist soil but will tolerate some drought once established.
American beautyberry blooms in the summer, but the flowers are small and inconspicuous. The colorful fall fruits are the standout ornamental feature of these plants.
From September through November, clusters of small, round, bright pinkish-lavender fruits line the stems with a highly showy autumn display. The fruits attract birds; any that birds don’t eat will persist on the plant into early winter.
‘Black and Blue’ Salvia
This hardy perennial blooms deep blue flowers from late summer to the first frost, attracting hummingbirds and bees.
| | botanical name Salvia guaranitica |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2-5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 7-10 |
‘Black and Blue’ salvia is an easy-to-grow perennial that produces stunning deep blue flowers from late summer into fall, typically blooming non-stop until the first frost. The tubular flowers have prominent lips and are a favorite of hummingbirds and bees. The leaves of this salvia have a distinctive, slightly minty fragrance and are not bothered by deer or rabbits.
Grow ‘Black and Blue’ salvia in a sunny location. They grow well with afternoon shade but will have longer stems and may not flower as profusely. Stake or prune any stems that fall over.
This salvia prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil. In ideal conditions, it will spread freely by underground rhizomes. If you live in a colder region, grow it as an annual or take cuttings each fall. Allow them to root and overwinter indoors and plant them outside again the following spring.
Black-eyed Susan ‘Indian Summer’
This native perennial grows easily from seed, self-reseeds, and has a short lifespan.
| | botanical name Rudbeckia hirta ‘Indian Summer’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2-3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3-7 |
Black-eyed Susan is native to the eastern and central United States. This plant is a short-lived perennial that is easy to grow from seed and readily re-seeds itself, so you probably won’t even notice that each plant lives only two or three years. Remove unwanted seedlings each spring to keep your flower patch manageable, or allow them to self-seed freely to create an extensive mass planting.
Sow black-eyed Susan seeds in the early spring, and you will have flowers in late summer, continuing to bloom until the first frost. One of the many varieties of black-eyed Susans, ‘Indian Summer’ produces an abundance of bold yellow flowers with dark brown centers. The flowers make excellent cut flowers and attract plenty of butterflies and bees.
Celosia
This annual plant is great for cutting and drying.
| | botanical name Celosia spp. |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1-2 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2-11 |
Celosia is a familiar annual easily grown from seed and is often found as a bedding plant in garden centers. There are many colorful varieties of celosia, with widely varied floral shapes and colors. The flowers are excellent for cutting, and some make attractive dried flowers. Celosia is a good candidate for brightening up perennial flowers in your raised beds and is a welcome addition to any garden planting.
Grow celosia in a sunny location with well-drained soil. These plants prefer moist soil but will tolerate some dryness. The flowers will bloom throughout the summer and until the first frost.
Deadheading spent summer flowers will help prolong the blooming season. Some varieties of celosia will self-seed and reappear each year in your garden. Pull any unwanted seedlings each spring to help keep your celosia patch tidy.
Cliff Goldenrod
This flowering plant thrives in well-drained soil and blooms in late summer and early fall with small, bright yellow flowers.
| | botanical name Solidago drummondii |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1.5-3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-8 |
Goldenrods are a diverse group of flowering plants, many of which bloom in late summer and fall. Some goldenrods can grow quite tall, but the cliff goldenrod is a smaller, compact variety. Cliff goldenrod also doesn’t become weedy or spread aggressively as some other goldenrod species.
Cliff goldenrod is native to the central and southeastern United States. It is easy to grow and blooms in late summer and into early fall. The flowers are bright yellow and small and appear along the end lengths of the leafy stems.
This plant can attractively drape over edges and walls or form a dense mass planting. The flowers will attract butterflies, bees, and many other insect pollinators.
Dahlia
These beloved tuberous perennials require rich, well-drained soil.
| | botanical name Dahlia spp. |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1-6 feet |
| | hardiness zones 7-10 |
Dahlias are much-loved tuberous perennials that are winter-hardy in warmer climates. In colder climates, dig and store tubers in a frost-free location over the winter months and replant them the following spring.
Grow your dahlias in bright sun. In hot climates, they may appreciate some afternoon shade. Give them rich, medium-moisture, well-drained soil. Taller varieties can benefit from staking to help keep them upright.
A spectacular assortment of dahlia cultivars is available in different shapes, sizes, and colors. The flowers are often large and extremely showy. Dahlia flowers attract butterflies and make excellent flowers for cutting.
Flowers typically start blooming in mid-summer and can continue blooming until mid-fall. Dig your dahlia tubers in cooler climates at the end of the growing season and store them in a cool, dry, frost-free location. They can then be re-planted outdoors the following spring.
Floss Flower
This showy annual blooms from mid-summer to the first frost and can be grown from seed or purchased as bedding plants.
| | botanical name Ageratum houstonianum |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 0.5-2.5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2-11 |
Floss flower is a showy annual that blooms from mid-summer until the first frost. Floss flowers can be grown from seed or purchased from garden centers in the springtime as an annual bedding plant.
Grow floss flowers in sun or partial shade with average-quality, moist, well-drained soil. Floss flowers will readily re-seed in the garden, so be prepared to remove any unwanted seedlings each spring.
There are a few floss flower cultivars with white, pink, or purple flowers. Smaller varieties make excellent container-grown plants and look great along borders and edges. Taller varieties can be grown alongside pollinator-friendly plants to attract butterflies and bees to your landscape.
Fountain Grass ‘Red Rocket’
This ornamental grass with reddish seed heads is great for erosion control.
| | botanical name Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Red Rocket’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2.5-3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-9 |
‘Red Rocket’ fountain grass is an ornamental grass that brightens the fall landscape with its reddish-hued seed heads. Many ornamental grasses can spread aggressively by self-seeding, so you must regularly remove unwanted new plants. On the other hand, because of its ability to spread freely, this is an ideal plant for erosion control on sloping areas and along streamsides.
Grow fountain grass in average, medium-moisture soil. This is a good plant for creating a grassy edge or to use as a central accent surrounded by other summer and fall-blooming perennials. Plenty of fountain grass cultivars are available in an attractive range of flower and leaf colors.
Gaillardia
These flowers offer various colors and attract butterflies and bees.
| | botanical name Gaillardia spp. |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1-1.5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2-11 |
Gaillardia, also known as Indian blanket, is a genus that contains both annuals and perennials. These plants will bloom anywhere from mid-summer until the first frost. This plant is easily grown from seed, will re-seed in ideal conditions, and can become weedy if allowed to self-seed freely.
Gaillardia has bright and colorful flowers in red, orange, and yellow shades. The flowers are abundant and attract butterflies and bees. These plants appreciate dry to medium-moisture, well-drained soil. If you want to help extend the blooming time of your Gaillardia, deadhead spent flowerheads.
Hardy Chrysanthemum
These popular fall flowers offer a variety of colorful blooms.
| | botanical name Chrysanthemum spp. |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1-2 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-9 |
Hardy chrysanthemums are one of the most popular fall-flowering plants available. You can find them for sale in full bloom each autumn, alongside bales of hay, scarecrows, and pumpkins. Although many people grow these plants as annuals, they are perennials in zones five through nine and will come back to bloom each year.
Chrysanthemums come in a dazzling array of bright and colorful flowers, including white, yellow, pink, purple, red, orange, and bronze. Deadhead spent flowers to keep them looking their best.
Chrysanthemums are easy to grow in containers and raised beds for a single season of fall color. If you want them to come back year after year, plant them in your garden as soon as possible to allow them time to establish. Chrysanthemums prefer rich, moist soil. These plants appreciate mulch to protect the roots in the winter and retain moisture in the summer.
Ironweed
Consider ironweed for larger sunny areas with consistently moist soil, as it’s easy to grow.
| | botanical name Vernonia noveboracensis |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 4-6 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-9 |
Consider ironweed if you have a larger area with plenty of sunlight and consistently moist soil. These plants are easy to grow and will thrive in wet soils in a rain garden, moist meadow, or alongside a stream or wetland. This plant is native to the eastern and central United States and blooms in late summer and early to mid-fall.
Ironweed plants can grow tall and would be a dramatic addition to your landscape. In full bloom, a mass of ironweed is a beautiful sight. The fluffy-looking purple flowers are a magnet for butterflies and other pollinators.
Ironweed is easily grown from seed and will readily self-seed in ideal conditions. The spread is easy to control by pulling any unwanted plants each spring.
Japanese Thimbleweed
Its pink flowers with yellow-orange centers bloom in late summer and early fall.
| | botanical name Anemone hupehensis |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 1.5-2.5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4-8 |
Japanese thimbleweed is a beautiful fall-flowering perennial that’s a bit picky about its growing conditions. It grows best in a sunny spot, although it appreciates some shade in warmer climates. Japanese thimbleweed needs well-drained soil.
The soil should stay consistently moist throughout the growing season. Wet soil will promote root rot, and plants will not tolerate dry soil conditions. It also appreciates winter mulching.
Japanese thimbleweed is a wonderful addition to the fall garden if you can provide a good growing environment for this plant. The six-petaled flowers bloom in abundance in late summer, continuing into early fall. The blossoms are pink with prominent yellow-orange centers. Plants will spread over time, forming attractive colonies.
Lantana
These fast-growing woody shrubs act as annuals in cooler climates and perennials in warmer ones.
| | botanical name Lantana camara |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2-6 feet |
| | hardiness zones 7-11 |
Lantanas are fast-growing woody shrubs. Grow lantanas as annuals in cool climates. In warmer climates, they can be grown as perennials, although they may need to be pruned low each year when the above-ground vegetation dies back. In frost-free zones, lantanas are evergreen shrubs. The leaves have a distinctive odor and are not bothered by browsing deer or rabbits.
Grow your lantana in rich, moist, well-drained soil. The beautiful flowers bloom in rounded clusters that attract butterflies.
Lantanas can flower continually from mid-summer until the first frost. They are readily available in the spring as garden plants and can be easily propagated by soft-wood cuttings.
Little Bluestem
This native clump-forming grass excels in naturalized areas, erosion control, and soil stabilization.
| | botanical name Schizachyrium scoparium |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2-4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3-9 |
Little bluestem is an attractive clump-forming grass native to eastern North America. Little bluestem is a good plant for a naturalized area and is excellent for erosion control and soil stabilization on hillsides.
This plant tolerates browsing deer, drought, and poor soil conditions. Little bluestem is found naturally in grasslands and prairies.
It blooms in the fall, giving this plant a somewhat feathery look. Late in the season, little bluestem develops attractive reddish stems, which give it an ornamental appeal in the landscape. Leave it standing throughout the winter for decorative value, or trim it low after it dies back if you prefer a more tidy look.
Marigold
These common warm-season annuals come in various sizes and vibrant yellow and orange shades.
| | botanical name Tagetes patula |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 0.5-1.5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2-11 |
Marigolds are familiar warm-season annual bedding plants. They bloom throughout the summer and until the first frost. You can easily grow various colorful marigolds from seed or buy multi-packs of young plants from nurseries and garden centers.
Marigolds come in different sizes, with many brightly colored flowers in shades of yellow and orange. The plants and flowers have a strong fragrance that can help repel deer and other garden pests, making marigolds great companion plants.
Marigolds also help attract butterflies and beneficial insects. Enjoy marigolds in raised beds, window boxes, containers, and planted throughout your garden.
Narrow-leaf Mountain Mint
This plant forms minty-scented colonies with white, tiny flowers from mid-summer to mid-fall and attracts pollinators.
| | botanical name Pycnanthemum tenuifolium |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2-3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4-8 |
Narrow-leaf mountain mint is native to eastern North America. This attractive plant can form dense colonies of minty-scented foliage, which is not bothered by deer or rabbits. The flowers bloom profusely from mid-summer into mid-fall. The tiny and white flowers grow in dense clusters that attract bees, butterflies, and many other insect pollinators.
Mountain mint is hardy and easy to grow. Choose a sunny location with average-quality, well-drained soil. This plant appreciates some soil moisture but tolerates drought and poor soil quality.
This is a good plant for growing in raised beds and containers. It also looks great when allowed to naturalize in a larger area. Like most mints, this plant will spread quickly by rhizomes, so be prepared to pull any unwanted spreading stems.
Nasturtium
These easy-to-grow annuals add color to a wide range of garden spaces.
| | botanical name Tropaeolum spp. |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1-2 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2-11 |
Nasturtiums are easy-to-grow annuals that will brighten your garden throughout the entire growing season. Nasturtium is a great choice for containers, window boxes, raised beds, herb gardens, and seasonal flower beds.
Nasturtiums grow readily from seed, and the seeds you sow in the spring will be in full bloom by mid-summer. Nasturtium flowers are brightly colored, typically orange and yellow, and trumpet-like. The flowers are showy, fragrant, edible, and attract butterflies and bees. These plants are not bothered by deer or rabbits.
Ornamental Cabbage
Ornamental cabbages and kales thrive in cool autumn weather, offering vibrant color for fall-themed plantings.
| | botanical name Brassica oleracea |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 0.5-1.5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2-11 |
While ornamental cabbages and kales aren’t technically flowers, they are brightly colored and thrive in cooler autumn weather. Ornamental cabbages look great in fall containers and add plenty of hardy color and variety to seasonal fall-themed planting.
You could incorporate ornamental cabbages into your landscape in many ways, but one of the most popular is growing them in large planters. Many varieties stay low and compact, making them desirable to grow in smaller spaces.
Use these plants as a temporary, late-season space filler to brighten your fall landscape. Cabbage leaves come in amazingly bright colors, including various shades of green but also white, pink, and purple.
Ornamental Peppers
Pepper plants offer colorful fruits and are suitable for vegetable gardens, raised beds, containers, or autumn-themed plantings.
| | botanical name Capsicum annuum |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1-4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2-11 |
Pepper plants are technically perennials in their native region of Central and South America, but throughout North America, they can be grown as warm-season annuals. There is a tremendous variety of colorful peppers, many of which can be used as showy garden plants, highlighting their bunches of brightly colored fruits.
Ornamental peppers thrive during summer heat; your plants will be covered with pepper fruits by late summer and fall. Use ornamental peppers in your vegetable or herb garden, grow them in raised beds and container gardens, or create autumn-themed plantings with other showy fall-blooming plants. If you have a sunny indoor location, you can overwinter your pepper plants inside and bring them out again the following spring after all danger of frost has passed.
Panicle Hydrangea
This deciduous shrub blooms in late summer and early fall with large clusters of white flowers.
| | botanical name Hydrangea paniculata |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 8-15 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3-8 |
Panicle hydrangea is a deciduous shrub that blooms in late summer and into early fall after many other shrubs bloom. Panicle hydrangea grows well in both full sun and partial shade, making it a versatile plant for the home landscape. Grow it in medium-moisture, well-drained soil, and watch out for leaf bacterial and fungal diseases in humid climates.
You can allow panicle hydrangea to grow naturally with many longer branches or prune it to a more compact shrubby form. Pruning also helps promote better flowering because these plants bloom on the current year’s growth. If you prune, use sharp and sturdy pruners and do your pruning in late winter or early spring while the plant is dormant. The panicle hydrangea produces large clusters of showy white flowers.
Pansy
These low-growing, colorful plants are suitable for ground cover or winter gardening in warmer regions.
| | botanical name Viola x. wittrockiana |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 0.5-0.75 feet |
| | hardiness zones 6-10 |
Pansies are popular cool-season flowers. Pansies are typically grown as annuals and enjoyed for their spring and fall blooms. In warm climates, they will die in the summer heat.
Buy fresh pansies in the fall to enjoy their colorful late-season flowers in your garden, raised bed, or container garden. You can also start pansies from seed and enjoy them as one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring or one of the last flowers to bloom in the fall.
Pansies are extremely showy, low-growing plants. They make a great ground cover or winter space-filler for gardening in warmer climates. The brightly colored flowers come in a rainbow of colors to brighten any smaller space after your warm-season summer flowers have faded away. Rabbits like to eat pansies, so a tall container is the perfect place to keep them out of reach of hungry bunnies.
Petunia
These classic garden flowers are perfect for sunny window boxes, containers, or raised beds and attract pollinators.
| | botanical name Petunia spp. |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 0.5- 1 foot |
| | hardiness zones 10 -11 |
Petunias are classic garden flowers that are low-maintenance and easy to grow in various conditions. One of the many great things about petunias is that they will bloom almost continually from late spring or early summer until the first frost. Petunias are perennials in the tropics but grown as annuals in North America.
Petunias are great for a sunny window box, container, or raised bed. The flowers attract hummingbirds and many insect pollinators. Deer and rabbits don’t generally bother these plants. Check out the many varieties you can grow from seed, or buy some bedding plants from your local garden center when you’re ready to plant them.
Pink Muhly Grass
This clump-forming, fall-blooming grass is a striking addition to your landscape.
| | botanical name Muhlenbergia capillaris |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-9 |
Fall-blooming grasses are a great way to spice up your landscape design. Pink muhly grass is a spectacular fall-blooming grass, coming into its peak display as the rest of the garden is fading away for the season.
Pink muhly is a clump-forming grass native to the central and western United States. Its thin blades stay silvery-green throughout the growing season. At the peak of autumn, plants are topped with a mass of feathery, misty pink blooms that practically glow in the afternoon sunlight.
Pink muhly grass is easy to grow, yet doesn’t spread rapidly and become invasive. The dense grassy clusters will enlarge over time, and plants will occasionally self-seed in the immediate vicinity. Use this grass for beautiful mass plantings or as an accent plant in your autumn flowering garden.
Rose Mallow
This medium-sized shrub thrives in wet soil and features large, showy pink or white flowers in late summer and early fall.
| | botanical name Hibiscus moscheutos |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 3-7 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-9 |
Finding attractive plants to fill a wet area in your landscape can be challenging. Rose mallow, also known as swamp mallow, is a medium-sized shrub that thrives in wet soil and tolerates periodic flooding.
Rose mallow does well in medium-moisture soil but does not tolerate dry soil. New plants may be somewhat slow to establish, but once they start growing, they develop quickly. Prune these plants in late fall to encourage bushier growth each year.
Rose mallow has very large, showy flowers that bloom in late summer and early fall. The flowers are several inches across, typically pink or white, with a darker pink center. The flowers attract plenty of pollinators and would be an attractive addition to your fall-blooming garden.
Russian Sage
This hardy plant produces fragrant, light purple flowers along tall stems.
| | botanical name Perovskia atriplicifolia |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 3-5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-9 |
Russian sage is an easy-to-grow plant. It is tolerant of drought, deer, and poor soil quality. Plants can tolerate partial shade but will develop weak stems and won’t flower well. Avoid wet soils that will quickly lead to root rot.
Russian sage loves heat and sun. It will bloom non-stop in ideal conditions from mid-summer until the first frost. The tiny and light purple flowers bloom along tall, branched, flowering stems.
The leaves are fragrant, and the flowers attract many pollinators, especially bees. Prune plants down in the late winter or very early spring to encourage bushier and more compact growth.
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
This is a low-maintenance perennial succulent with long-lasting, pale to rosy pink flowers that attract late-season pollinators.
| | botanical name Hylotelephium ‘Autumn Joy’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1.5-2 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3-9 |
Sedum, also known as stonecrop, is an herbaceous perennial succulent that is low-maintenance and easy to grow. ‘Autumn Joy’ is a cultivar with pale, rosy pink flowers that bloom as a dense cluster each fall. The flowers are long-lasting and showy, attracting late-season butterflies and pollinators.
These plants are tolerant of poor soil and drought. Avoid wet, saturated soils that will quickly lead to root rot.
Many attractive sedum cultivars are readily available for purchase or can be easily propagated from stem cuttings. If your plants grow long and leggy, prune them back to encourage bushier growth.
Shrub Rose
Shrub roses produce colorful, showy flowers and thrive in full sun with well-drained soil.
| | botanical name Rose spp. |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 3-4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-9 |
There are far too many rose cultivars to list, but all produce colorful and showy flowers. Shrub roses are deciduous shrubs readily available at nurseries and garden centers. Encourage good air circulation, avoid overhead watering to help reduce foliage diseases, and buy disease-resistant varieties for hardier, easy-to-grow plants.
Roses can bloom non-stop from early summer until the first frost. To encourage a long bloom season, remove spent flowers throughout the summer. Roses make excellent cut flowers; many varieties have a pleasant fragrance and attract pollinators. Prune your roses to help keep them more compact, and mulch in winter to protect the roots from extreme cold.
Silver and Gold Chrysanthemum
This fall perennial blooms with dense yellow flowers on upright stems, attracting late-season pollinators.
| | botanical name Ahania pacifica |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 1-2 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-9 |
‘Silver and Gold’ chrysanthemum is a hardy and attractive fall-blooming perennial. Check out other hardy chrysanthemum species if you can’t find them at your local garden center.
As the weather starts to cool, this plant comes into full bloom. The dense yellow flowers bloom in small clusters atop upright leafy stems. The flowers attract late-season butterflies and other pollinators. The leaves are silvery-green and complement other surrounding vegetation.
In warmer climates, they appreciate some afternoon shade. Give these hardy chrysanthemums medium-moisture, well-drained soil. If the stems of your plant appear too long and scraggly, prune them back in early summer to encourage them to branch and stay more compact. Plants will spread over time, creating attractive colonies.
Snapdragon
Snapdragons bloom continually from late spring to the first frost, attracting pollinators and providing long-lasting color.
| | botanical name Antirrhinum majus |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 0.5-3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 7-10 |
Snapdragons are easy and fun to grow and will tolerate a wide range of conditions. In warmer climates, they are herbaceous perennials, but they are also easily grown as annuals.
The showy flowers bloom nearly continually from late spring until the first frost. Grow them with assorted colorful annuals to attract pollinators and brighten your landscape with long-lasting color.
Snapdragons are easy to grow from seed and thrive in the year’s cooler months. Use dwarf varieties in containers, patio gardens, and raised beds. Taller varieties are great for butterfly gardens and cottage gardens. Give these plants medium moisture and well-drained soil, and you can enjoy their prolific blooms throughout the entire growing season.
Sneezeweed
It thrives in moist, sunny conditions and can be pruned in early summer for bushier growth and abundant fall blooms.
| | botanical name Helenium autumnale |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 3-5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3-8 |
Sneezeweed could be a good choice if you are looking for a fall-blooming plant for a moist area in your landscape. This plant can grow rather large, up to five feet tall and about three feet across, making it a good choice for a larger area.
Grow it in a moist, sunny area that won’t dry out. Prune plants in early summer to encourage bushier growth and more abundant fall flowers.
Sneezeweed produces abundant bright yellow flowers with large, rounded, central disks. The flowers are very attractive to pollinators and will encourage butterflies and bees to visit your landscape. Deer don’t bother this plant. And don’t worry, sneezeweed probably won’t make you sneeze.
Strawflower
This low-maintenance annual offers colorful cultivars that bloom from early summer to the first frost, and it thrives in full sun.
| | botanical name Xerochrysum bracteatum |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1-5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 8-10 |
In tropical climates, strawflower grows as a perennial, but it is an easy-to-grow, low-maintenance annual in temperate regions. Strawflower, also known as everlasting flower, is a group of flowering plants with various colorful cultivars. Strawflowers bloom from early summer until the first frost, making them a long-lasting and interesting addition to your garden.
This plant is a great choice for container gardening. Strawflower does well in raised beds and window boxes and tolerates drought. These plants make wonderful, long-lasting cut flowers and can be dried or used in craft projects.
Sweet Alyssum
This herbaceous perennial and ground cover produces fragrant flowers that bloom profusely in spring and again in the fall.
| | botanical name Lobularia maritima |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 0.25-0.75 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-9 |
Sweet alyssum is an herbaceous perennial that makes an excellent ground cover. It is a wonderful addition to any garden. Grow it along borders as a colorful edging plant. Sweet alyssum flowers are fragrant and can blossom so abundantly as to cover the foliage with their showy beauty.
Sweet alyssum typically blooms most profusely in the springtime, but after taking a summer break, it regains some vigor and re-blooms in the fall. You can also sow seeds in mid-summer for fresh plants and an autumn bloom. If you live in a temperate climate, there’s a good chance your plants will return year after year for plenty of repeat blooms.
Tartarian Aster
This late-blooming plant features mauve-pink flowers with yellow centers, attracting butterflies and pollinators.
| | botanical name Aster tataricus |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 3-6 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3-9 |
Tartarian aster is a late-blooming aster native to eastern Asia. In ideal growing conditions, these plants can spread quickly by underground rhizomes. Unless you want a large naturalized patch of these asters, you will want to divide them every few years to prevent unwanted spread and keep your patch looking tidy and well-maintained.
Tartarian aster has showy mauve-pink flowers with prominent yellow centers. They are relatively small but bloom profusely on large plants that reach up to six feet tall. This variety continues blooming until the first frost. The flowers also make good cut flowers you can enjoy indoors and out.
Turtlehead
This plant features dusty-pink flowers but offers various hybrid colors, attracting pollinators, particularly native bees.
| | botanical name Chelone obliqua |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Partial shade |
| | height 2-3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5-9 |
Turtlehead is a moisture-loving perennial native to the United States. This native species has dusty-pink-colored flowers, but many hybrids are available with different-colored flowers.
The flowers are tubular and hooded. They attract many pollinators, especially native bees, that crawl inside to reach the nectar-rich depths. These plants bloom as the days become cooler, adding autumn color to the garden.
Turtlehead thrives in organically rich soil with constant soil moisture. This is a great plant for a rain garden or along the edge of a stream or pond. Taller plants may require staking if they become top-heavy or prune them back slightly in late spring to encourage more compact growth. These plants are easily grown from seed and will self-seed in ideal conditions.
Woodbine
This flowering vine produces fragrant, pollinator-attracting white flowers from late summer to mid-fall.
| | botanical name Clematis virginiana |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 12-20 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3-8 |
Woodbine is a flowering vine native to eastern North America. This plant is easily confused with the invasive ‘sweet autumn clematis’ (Clematis terniflora), which you should not plant because of its aggressively spreading tendencies. Woodbine can also spread quickly by self-seeding and root suckers, but it is not considered invasive. Woodbine needs moist but well-drained soil.
Grow this native clematis on a trellis or arbor, or allow it to climb along a fence. Woodbine blooms on the current year’s growth, so you can prune it in late fall after flowering or in late winter or early spring before the plants break dormancy. Highly prolific clusters of tiny white flowers appear in late summer and persist into mid-fall. The flowers are sweetly fragrant and attract pollinators.
‘Wood’s Purple’ Aster
This compact herbaceous perennial blooms with small violet-pink flowers, attracting late-season butterflies and pollinators.
| | botanical name Aster ‘Wood’s Purple’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1-1.5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4-8 |
If you’re looking for a smaller variety of aster, try ‘Wood’s Purple.’ This plant typically stays under two feet tall and forms compact clusters that are easy to incorporate into your fall-blooming garden. ‘Wood’s Purple’ is low-maintenance except for some mid-season thinning to help promote air circulation and encourage plants to bloom profusely on bushier stems.
This herbaceous perennial blooms from late summer into autumn and will continue blooming until the first frost in some climates. ‘Wood’s Purple’ flowers are relatively small yet abundant, with violet-pink petals and dark yellow centers.
There are other similar cultivars, ‘Wood’s Pink’ and ‘Wood’s Blue,’ with corresponding flower colors. These aster flowers all attract late-season butterflies and pollinators.
Zinnia
This colorful and easy-to-grow annual blooms from summer to frost, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.
| | botanical name Zinnia spp. |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 0.5-4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2-11 |
Zinnias are a fun and easy-to-grow annual that will bloom throughout the summer and until the first frost. There are numerous cultivars with a wide range of vibrant colors.
Grow smaller varieties in containers and raised beds. Grow larger varieties in your pollinator garden, intersperse them with perennials, or dedicate an entire area to zinnias. The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds and make excellent, long-lasting cut flowers.
Once established, these plants are tolerant of some drought. Rabbits will nibble on young plants but typically don’t bother larger, more mature plants. If you have room in your landscape for some zinnias, these beautiful flowers won’t disappoint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Buying fall-blooming plants from your local garden center is the best way to incorporate some quick color into your garden. Check out readily available and easy-to-grow plants such as fall-blooming chrysanthemums, snapdragons, and pansies. These plants will give you quick access to some fall colors. Create a colorful seasonal planter arrangement, or plant them directly into your garden and enjoy them until the first frost.
If you are growing seasonal annuals, remove the entire dead plant after frost and compost it. If the plants show obvious signs of pests or diseases, don’t put them in your compost. Dispose of diseased plant materials in a location that won’t risk infecting your garden in the future. Herbaceous perennials can be left standing through the winter and pruned back in late winter before new spring growth appears.
Depending on where you live and how cold your winters get, you may be able to overwinter perennials in containers and raised beds. In cold climates, you will probably have the best success overwintering your plants in the ground and giving them an extra layer of mulch to help protect them from the cold. In milder climates, some perennials will overwinter just fine in large containers and raised beds. You can still add a layer of mulch to protect them, and with smaller containers, you can keep them in a cool, dark, protected location during the winter, such as an unheated garage, and bring them out again the following spring.
Final Thoughts
Don’t give up on your garden by the end of summer. Fall is a fabulous season for planting and enjoying abundant, fresh, and beautiful autumn colors. Some plants will bloom non-stop from summer into fall, while others will suddenly burst into full bloom as the weather cools. You can start some plants from seed in the spring or summer for fall blooms, start perennial seeds in the fall for next year’s bloom, or buy young nursery-grown plants to transfer immediately into your home garden. Whichever method you choose, you will have plenty of options to brighten your landscape this fall!
