Are you tired of planting mums and pansies for fall color? Try one of these 10 flowering plants to get fall color – some are annuals and some are perennials.
To get those fall blooms, you’ll need to plan ahead and find your plants when they are available for planting in the summer and get them in the ground. You might not be able to find them in stores during their blooming period.
But a little planning goes a long way – with colors from red to purple and yellow, these fall blooms are worth it. This list of fall-blooming flowers that you can add to your garden for fall color is specific to the Southeast, but many of these plants grow in other parts of the country. Just be sure to check out the zone requirements before you add them to your garden.
Perennial Fall Flowers
Pineapple Sage
Salvia elegans
Perennial | Zones 7b to 10
Pineapple sage has small tubular red flowers that grow at the end of the tall branches; their bright color is quite appealing. It flowers in summer to fall and is easy to grow. It prefers rich, well-drained soil and can grow to be 4 or 5 feet tall and equally as wide.
Mexican Salvia
Salvia leucantha
Perennial | Zones 7 to 11
Also known as Mexican bush sage, this salvia produces great fall color (purple and white) that attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. It thrives in full sun but will tolerate some afternoon shade. It gets to be about 3-4 feet tall and just about as wide, so give it plenty of room when you plant it.
Hot Lips Salvia
Salvia microphylla
Perennial | Zone 8 to 10
A profusion of red, red-white, and white blooms cover this shrub-like sage. Hot lips salvia is a perennial plant that grows 3-3.5 feet tall and equally as wide. This salvia prefers full sun and well-drained soil. This plant is a hummingbird favorite in my garden.
Clematis
Clematis spp.
Perennial | Generally zones 4 to 9
Not all clematis vines bloom in the fall, but there are some that do, and do it spectacularly with pink, white, purple, or red blooms. This purple and mauve striped clematis blooms twice – once in early summer and once in fall. Clematis prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Some varieties are particularly hardy. Check the description of each clematis to find one that will bloom in fall.
Lantana
Lantana spp.
Perennial | Zone 8 to 11 (with some Zone 7)
Some lantana varieties keep blooming well into fall. Flowers can be pink, red, yellow, and even purple. Drought tolerant, deer resistant, and heat tolerant – what’s not to love. They do best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Lantanas grow to a variety of heights, so check the variety before you buy. You might end up with a 6 inch height or a 6 feet height.
Narrow-leaf sunflower
Helianthus angustifolius
Perennial | Zone 6a to 9a
This native sunflower is blooming profusely this October. Everywhere I drive, I see it growing in the fields or on the side of the road. It produces a lot of tall yellow blooms on one plant. It’s also known as swamp sunflower, which indicates its preference for moist soil. It can grow from 6 to 8 feet and prefers full sun. It attracts bees and butterflies.
Turk’s Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Perennial | Zones 7 to 10
Turk’s cap is drought tolerant, quite hardy, and very adaptable. It can be grown in a variety of soils, including moist soils, and anywhere from full shade to full sun. However, plants grown in full sun might show puckered or quilted leaves and plants may be smaller.
Asters
Symphyotrichum spp. and Aster spp.
Perennial | Zones 4 to 8
Fall-blooming asters come in pinks, purples, reds, and whites. They prefer full sun, even watering, and well-drained soil. For a nice shape, you’ll need to pinch the buds to keep them from growing too tall.
Fall Flowering Annuals
Marigolds
Tagetes spp.
Annuals
Easy to grow from seed, these plants produce lots of flowers in shades of yellow, orange, red, and gold. With so many kinds, you’ll find one that is the right height for your garden – from a few inches to several feet in height. Plant in full sun in well-drained soil. They’re relatively drought-tolerant and deer-resistant.
Snapdragons
Antirrhinum majus
Annuals
I just love these flowers. If you squeeze gently on the sides of the flower, it will open up and then snap shut. The flowers come in a mix of colors – yellow, pink, red, white, and mixed colors. Plant them in full sun in well-drained soil. To keep them blooming, be sure to deadhead the flowers. They can withstand cold temperatures fairly well, so they will last longer than some of the other fall bloomers.
Fall Flowers Infographic
Download and share this infographic about fall-blooming flowers that you can add to your garden for fall color. If you add it to your website or blog, please give me credit. Thanks!
