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It’s September, and the weather is starting to cool. This doesn’t mean the end of your gardening season. In fact, it’s still an excellent time to plant beautiful flowers. Fall isn’t just about the changing leaves—it’s also a season to showcase stunning flowers. These fantastic fall-blooming plants can bring vibrant color to your garden, keeping it lively and beautiful throughout autumn.
While colorful flowers are often associated with spring and summer, fall offers its own stunning perennials that provide endless autumn color to your garden. The flowers on this list either bloom through the fall, can be planted in summer for autumn blooms, or thrive in cooler temperatures. Here are the best fall-blooming flowers for your garden.
Anemone
Fall-blooming with simple, poppy-like white flowers that are soft and delicate looking. It is best to plant in partial shade in fertile, moist soil that drains well but doesn’t dry out quickly. Divide clumps every few years to maintain vigor and produce more plants.
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Ranunculus
Ranunculus plants have delicate, crepe-paper-like petals that come in stunning colors. They are excellent for cut flower arrangements. Plant ranunculus bulbs in cool spring or fall weather in well-drained soil. These flowers thrive in full sun to light shade and bloom from late winter through spring. Deadheading spent flowers can encourage them to rebloom.
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Aster
Asters come in various shades of purple, pink, and yellow, making them perfect for fall gardens. These daisy-like flowers attract pollinators and are beloved for their abundant late summer and fall blooms, adding a burst of color to any garden.
These hardy perennials are adaptable and thrive in various soil types, moisture levels, and USDA hardiness zones 3-9. They prefer full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Asters attract pollinators like butterflies and bees, contributing to garden biodiversity.
Lenten Rose (Helleborus ×hybridus)
The Lenten rose is a robust, evergreen perennial plant with dense mounds of large, leathery leaves. This low-maintenance plant produces flowers in shades ranging from white and pink to deep purple, and even when not in bloom, the foliage remains a key feature in the garden.
Tickseed (Coreopsis)
Coreopsis is known for its bright, daisy-like flowers in shades of yellow, gold, orange, and sometimes red or pink. This hardy, drought-tolerant plant blooms from early summer to fall, adding lasting color to the garden. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it an easy-care option for various settings. Zones 4-9
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Black Eye Susan
With their striking yellow flowers, Black-Eyed Susans are excellent at attracting butterflies. These hardy, sun-loving plants can thrive in various conditions, making them a versatile choice for any butterfly garden. They are relatively pest-free, blooming in midsummer until hard frost. Use this beautiful plant as a border plant, ground cover for sunny spots, or plant it in large groups in the flower or vegetable garden. Zones 3-9
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Peony
Large, often fragrant blooms that are bold and brilliant in their display. They are perfect for planting in September. Peonies require full sun and well-drained soil. Plant at the correct depth (no more than 2 inches above the root ball) to ensure flowering. Avoid moving once planted, as root shock can kill the plant. Zones 3-8.
Cornflowers
Cornflowers tolerate cold temperatures well and, if sown now, will produce gorgeous blue flowers in early spring.
Helenium
Also known as sneezeweed, Helenium blooms in late summer to fall, featuring rich, warm orange, red, and yellow tones. Its bright, daisy-like flowers add vibrant colors to the garden. Zone 3-10
Marigolds
Marigolds are also edible and make a stunning garnish or addition to baked goods. We don’t typically consider marigolds self-seeding, but they are indeed. A month before you expect the first frost, stop deadheading your marigolds and allow the seed heads to dry on the plant. They will burst open and drop their seeds.
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Sedum (Autumn Joy)
Sedum varieties are completely maintenance-free and love the sun. They provide late-season blooms and are excellent for attracting butterflies. These flowers are long-lasting and dry well for winter arrangements. Zones 3-9
Speedwell
Speedwell displays spikes of vivid blue flowers and is appreciated for its durability and long blooming period. It prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade and needs well-drained soil. Speedwell is easy to care for, requiring only occasional watering once established, and adds vertical interest to gardens. Zones 3-8.
Pansies
Pansies produce a delightful, showy display of color through fall and winter in mild climates. Seeds will germinate quickly if started in modules in August, and they will be ready for transplanting as the heat of summer subsides.
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Goldenrod is a plant that blooms in late summer, showcasing tall spikes filled with small, bright yellow flowers. It does best in conditions ranging from full sun to partial shade. The vivid yellow flowers of Goldenrod act like a magnet for bees and other pollinators.
Calendula
Calendula seeds sown in August will produce a glorious display of early spring blooms, ideal for pollinating insects as they emerge from hibernation.
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums, often called “mums,” are popular fall-blooming flowers cherished for their vibrant colors and diverse shapes and sizes.
These perennial plants thrive in USDA hardiness zones 5-9, prefer well-drained soil and full sun, but can tolerate partial shade. Mums are known for their resilience and ability to withstand cooler temperatures, making them ideal for adding color to autumn gardens.
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Snapdragons
A cottage garden favorite, summer-sown snapdragons will produce lovely tall spikes of blooms to herald the arrival of spring. This cool season perennial provide loades of color in the garden and can grow right through winter in certain zones.
Phlox
Phlox blooms are classic garden plants with a sweet fragrance that is irresistible to bees. It comes in many colors, including purple, white, lavender, and pink, with some varieties having a central eye of contrasting color. Zones 4-8
Autumn Crocus
Autumn crocus, colchicum, or meadow saffron is a captivating bulb flower that blooms in late summer or early fall. The flower is delicate, goblet-shaped in purple, pink, or white shades.
This unique plant emerges directly from the soil without any foliage, earning it the nickname “naked lady.” While admired for its ethereal beauty, autumn crocus is important to handle carefully, as all parts of the plant are highly toxic if ingested.
Violas
Violas are one of the earliest flowers of spring, and sowing seeds now will guarantee a beautiful carpet of these delicate blooms as soon as winter comes to an end.
Liatris
Liatris, also known as blazing star or gayfeather, is native to North America. It is characterized by tall spikes of densely packed purple or pinkish-purple florets that bloom from top to bottom in summer and early fall.
Because of its shape, Liatris attracts pollinators and adds vertical interest to gardens. Liatris thrives in USDA hardiness zones 3-9, preferring full sun and well-drained soil.
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Gladiolus
These summer-flowering bulbs are a favorite for adding vertical interest to garden beds. Plant them in spring for a spectacular display of blooms from mid-summer to fall.
Gladiolus are low-maintenance; they thrive in USDA hardiness zones 7-10 and need regular watering and fertilization for healthy growth. Gladiolus attracts pollinators like bees and hummingbirds.
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