As summer fades, many gardens lose their color and become brown and dormant. But they don't have to! With the right autumn flowering plants, you can extend the beauty of your garden well into fall. These late-season bloomers provide vibrant color when most other plants are winding down, and they're often surprisingly easy to grow.
Why Plant Autumn Flowers?
- Extend the season: Enjoy color from September through November.
- Support pollinators: Late-season nectar is vital for bees and butterflies preparing for winter.
- Add interest: Autumn flowers often have rich, warm colors like gold, bronze, purple, and deep red.
- Easy care: Many autumn bloomers are tough, low-maintenance plants.
Top 15 Autumn Flowering Plants
1. Autumn Anemone (Japanese Anemone)
Height: 2-4 feet
Blooms: September - October
Light: Partial shade to full sun
These elegant perennials produce saucer-shaped flowers in shades of pink, white, and rose on tall, slender stems. Their dark green, lobed foliage provides structure all season. Autumn anemones are excellent for bringing height and movement to the late-season garden.
2. Chrysanthemums (Garden Mums)
Height: 1-3 feet
Blooms: September - November
Light: Full sun
Mums are the classic autumn flower. Available in nearly every color except blue, they provide incredible fall color. They're excellent in borders, containers, and as seasonal decorations. Hardy varieties will come back year after year.
3. Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
Height: 1-2 feet
Blooms: August - October
Light: Full sun
This popular succulent produces large, flat flower heads that start pink and turn copper-bronze as they mature. The dried flower heads are attractive through winter and provide interest in frost. It's incredibly drought-tolerant and deer-resistant.
4. Asters
Height: 1-5 feet (depending on variety)
Blooms: September - October
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Asters are daisy-like flowers in shades of purple, blue, pink, and white. They're a critical late-season nectar source for pollinators. Choose compact varieties like 'Wood's Blue' for borders or taller types for the back of the garden.
5. Helenium (Sneezeweed)
Height: 2-5 feet
Blooms: August - October
Light: Full sun
Heleniums produce warm-toned flowers in shades of gold, bronze, orange, and mahogany. Their dark centers add to their appeal. They're excellent for attracting butterflies and make great cut flowers.
6. Toad Lily (Tricyrtis)
Height: 1-3 feet
Blooms: September - October
Light: Partial to full shade
Toad lilies are unique shade-loving plants with orchid-like spotted flowers. They're excellent for woodland gardens and shady borders, providing color when other shade plants have finished blooming.
7. Japanese Anemone
Height: 2-4 feet
Blooms: September - October
Light: Partial shade
Another anemone favorite, the Japanese anemone has larger flowers than the autumn variety, in pink and white. They're elegant, long-blooming, and tough.
8. Hardy Begonias
Height: 1-2 feet
Blooms: August - October
Light: Partial shade
Hardy begonias (Begonia grandis) have pink flowers and attractive, wing-shaped leaves with red undersides. They're one of the few begonias that are hardy in cold climates and they naturalize well in shady areas.
9. Salvias
Height: 1-4 feet
Blooms: Late summer through fall
Light: Full sun
Many salvia species bloom into late autumn. The blue and purple spikes are stunning and highly attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.
10. Ornamental Peppers
Height: 1-2 feet
Blooms: Fruit lasts into fall
Light: Full sun
Ornamental peppers offer colorful fruit in shades of red, orange, yellow, and purple that persists through autumn. They're excellent for containers and seasonal displays.
11. Autumn Crocus
Height: 4-6 inches
Blooms: September - October
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Unlike their spring cousins, autumn crocuses bloom in fall. They produce small, cup-shaped flowers in pink, purple, or white. They're perfect for naturalizing in lawns or under trees.
12. Goldenrod (Solidago)
Height: 2-5 feet
Blooms: August - October
Light: Full sun
Goldenrod is often blamed for allergies (it's actually ragweed that's the culprit!), but these bright yellow flowers are a valuable late-season nectar source. They're tough, easy to grow, and excellent for naturalized gardens.
13. Echinacea (Coneflower)
Height: 2-4 feet
Blooms: July - October
Light: Full sun
While they start blooming in summer, coneflowers continue well into fall. The seed heads provide winter interest and food for birds. Choose newer varieties in colors like 'Cheyenne Spirit' for a mix of warm tones.
14. Schizostylis (Crimson Flag)
Height: 1-2 feet
Blooms: September - November
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Also known as Hesperantha, this South African plant produces bright red, pink, or white spikes of flowers in autumn. It thrives in moist conditions and is excellent for bog gardens.
15. Heath and Heather (Erica)
Height: 6-24 inches
Blooms: Varies by variety, many bloom in fall
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Winter heath and summer heather provide color in the autumn garden. Their small, bell-shaped flowers appear in profusion, and their evergreen foliage is attractive year-round.
Designing with Autumn Flowering Plants
Create Contrast
Pair autumn flowers with the changing colors of fall foliage:
- Plant purple asters beside goldenrod for a striking contrast.
- Use pink anemones with deep burgundy foliage plants.
- Combine orange helenium with ornamental grasses.
Layer for Interest
- Back: Tall asters, goldenrod, or helenium
- Middle: Sedum, mums, or Japanese anemones
- Front: Autumn crocus, toad lilies, or low-growing sedums
Extend the Show
Leave seed heads and dried flower stems standing through winter for added interest and wildlife food.
Frequently Asked Questions
What plants bloom in autumn?
Many plants bloom in autumn, including chrysanthemums, asters, Japanese anemones, sedum 'Autumn Joy', goldenrod, and autumn crocuses. These provide vibrant color from September through November.
What are the best autumn flowering plants for shade?
Toad lilies, Japanese anemones, hardy begonias, and autumn crocuses are excellent choices for shaded gardens. They provide color where other plants may struggle.
Do autumn flowers come back every year?
Many autumn-flowering plants are perennials, including anemones, sedum, asters, and helenium. These return year after year with proper care. Chrysanthemums can be perennial in warmer climates or treated as annuals in cold regions.
What's the latest blooming autumn flower?
Chrysanthemums and winter heather can bloom well into November in many areas. Hardy begonias and toad lilies continue until the first hard frost.