Gardening Plants & Flowers Flowers

24 Best Fall-Blooming Flowers for Your Perennial Garden

balloon flower

The Spruce / Margot Cavin 

To have an abundance of fall-blooming flowers in your perennial garden, you need to do some planning early in the gardening season. For perennials to thrive, plant them in the late fall for blooms next year or in early spring so they have time to become established. For each plant, check its growing zones. In warm climates, some of these perennials will bloom in mid-summer, and for colder zones, be certain they will bloom before frost hits. Your local nursery or county extension service office can offer advice if you are unsure. Here are 24 fall-blooming flowers for your perennial garden.

perennial fall flowers

The Spruce 

  • 01 of 24

    Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale)

    Autumn Crocus (Colchicum speciosum)

    Jacqui Hurst/Getty Images

    Autumn crocus bulbs are planted in late summer and bloom the next fall. The flowers appear first, blooming for two to three weeks, and then they die back. The next spring, long leaves will sprout and then disappear as summer heats up. The plant remains dormant throughout the summer and blooms in early fall. The flowers are about four inches across, and each plant blooms in a cluster of up to four blossoms. The bulbs benefit from being divided every four years or so to keep the clumps healthy and prevent the center of the clump from dying out. All parts of the plant are toxic to humans, cats, dogs, and horses.

    • Name: Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: Pink, lavender, white
    • Deer Resistant: No
  • 02 of 24

    Autumn Joy Sedum

    Tall Sedum in Flower

    Xuanyu Han/Getty Images

    Autumn Joy Sedum (Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude' Autumn Joy) comes as close to perfection as any plant can. It looks good all year, requires minimal maintenance, and attracts few problems. The only drawback of sedum, commonly known as stonecrop, is it's not deer resistant. Pruning the plant in early July can encourage bushier and sturdier growth.

    • Name: Autumn Joy Sedum (Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude' Autumn Joy)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3a to 10 b
    • Light: Full sun
    • Soil: Dry, well-draining, sandy, rocky
    • Flower Color: Yellow, red, pink, lavender, white
    • Deer Resistant: No
  • 03 of 24

    Autumn Phlox 'Laura'

    Close-up image of the vibrant summer flowering pink/purple Phlox paniculata 'Laura'

    Jacky Parker Photography/ Moment/ Getty Images

    In addition to the cultivar, 'Laura, Autumn Phlox is available in various colors and blooms from mid-summer to mid-fall. It grows from two to four feet tall and is clump-forming. Removing faded flower panicles will prolong blooming and prevent self-seeding as cultivars do not come true from seed. It attracts birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. In winter, plants should be cut to the ground and removed from the garden to minimize possible powdery mildew infection for the following season.  

    • Name: Autumn Phlox (Phlox paniculata 'Laura')
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a to 8b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled sun
    • Soil: Moist, neutral
    • Flower Color: Purple, pink, blue, red, white
    • Deer Resistant: No
  • 04 of 24

    Autumn Sneezeweed

    helenium

    ​The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Sneezeweed blooms look like small, russet-toned coneflowers. Many can grow quite tall and will need to be staked or pinched. The plant likes cool feet and hot heads, meaning you should use mulch to keep the roots cool but plant it in full sun to keep the top of the plant warm.

    • Name: Autumn Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3a to 8b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled sun
    • Soil: Moist, neutral
    • Flower Color: Orange, yellow, gold, copper, brown
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 5 of 24 below
  • 05 of 24

    Balloon Flower

    balloon flower

    The Spruce / Margot Cavin 

    Balloon flower mostly blooms in the summertime, but it also can bloom in the fall if you deadhead it. It starts as a puff or bubble and pops open when it is ready to bloom. Balloon flower is a profuse bloomer and the plants spread slowly, filling in without becoming a nuisance. Other than cutting the plants back in the spring or fall, virtually no other maintenance is required.

    • Name: Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3a to 8b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: Pink, lavender-blue, white
    • Deer Resistant: No
  • 06 of 24

    Bengal Tiger Canna Lily

    Canna americanallis var. variegata Bengal Tiger Canna

    Usman Ahmed/ iStock/ Getty Images Plus

    Grown from a bulb and often called arrowroot, cannas can grow up to eight feet tall and six feet wide. Bengal Tiger cannas have yellow and green striped leaves and an orange bloom. Other varieties are prized for their foliage as well as the range of bloom colors that appear from July to October. They prefer organically rich, well-drained soil and a site that receives full sun to partial shade. They make great mass plantings to grow as hedges, backgrounds, or borders. 

    • Name: Bengal Tiger Canna Lily (Canna americanallis var. variegata)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a to 11b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: Red, yellow, orange, pink, cream, variegated
    • Deer Resistant: No
  • 07 of 24

    Blue Mist Shrub (Caryopteris x clandonensis)

    Caryopteris (Blue Mist Shrub)

    Marie Iannotti

    The blue mist shrub typically blooms in late summer or fall. It slowly opens its blossoms with dazzling flower clusters that butterflies and bumblebees love. The blue mist shrub should be cut back in early spring to maintain its size and shape and to remove any dead or diseased portions. The plant blooms on new wood, and the gray-green foliage is attractive all season.

    • Name: Blue Mist Shrub (Caryopteris x clandonensis)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: Blue
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 08 of 24

    Blue Pitcher Sage

    Salvia azurea Blue Sage Pitcher

    Tessa57/ iStock/ Getty Images Plus

    Blue sage is a delicate herbaceous, clumping perennial with sky-blue, showy two-lipped tubular flowers. Flowers appear from mid-summer to fall for long-lasting interest in the garden. Cut the stems back by 1/2 in the late spring to promote fuller more compact growth.

    • Name: Blue Pitcher Sage (Salvia azurea)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, sandy
    • Flower Color: Blue
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 9 of 24 below
  • 09 of 24

    Goldenrod

    goldenrod

    The Spruce / Lindsay Talley

    Goldenrod is one of the last flowers to bloom in the fall, with its bloom period generally stretching from August to October. There are more than 100 species in the goldenrod family. The plants typically reach around five feet tall and display clusters of tiny yellow flowers at the tops of their stems when they are in bloom. Bees and butterflies love these flowers. Goldenrod is fairly low-maintenance and can be an aggressive spreader in the garden. So if you want to control its spread, remove the flower heads before they go to seed.

    • Name: Goldenrod (Solidago)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 2a to 8b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, acidic
    • Flower Color: Gold, yellow
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 10 of 24

    Japanese Anemone

    Closeup of Japanese anemone

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Japanese anemone starts blooming in late summer and goes straight through until frost. The paper-like blooms are white or pink with yellow stamens in the center, and they're known to attract butterflies. This plant requires little maintenance once it's established, though some taller plants might need staking to prevent flopping. Plus, if you live in a cooler part of its growing zone, it can be helpful to add a layer of mulch before cold weather to keep the roots warm.

    • Name: Japanese Anemone (Anemone x hybrida)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a to 8b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, acidic
    • Flower Color: Pink, white
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 11 of 24

    Joe Pye Weed

    Joe Pye weed

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Joe Pye weed is a native plant that grows in erect clumps up to six feet tall. It can make a wonderful backdrop to a garden border. In midsummer to early fall, tiny mauve blooms appear in round clusters or florets. Each plant has around five to seven of these florets, and the flowers give off a light vanilla scent. To prevent the plants from becoming overgrown and flopping over, cut them back in the late winter.

    • Name: Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: Purple, pink
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 12 of 24

    Leadwort

    Leadwort Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

    TonyBaggett/ iStock/ Getty Images Plus

    An aggressively spreading low, perennial ground cover, leadwort is grown for its true blue flowers and bronze-red fall leaf color. To winter over in cooler climates, provide a light winter mulch. Plant it in rocky areas in full sun. Space plants 10 to 16 inches apart when you plant. The plant has an aggressive root system and can spread freely, however, is not considered invasive.

    • Name: Leadwort (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: Blue
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 13 of 24 below
  • 13 of 24

    Mexican Bush Sage

    Salvia leucantha Mexican Bush Sage

    Moment/ Getty Images

    Mexican bush sage or Velvet sage is a herbaceous perennial that prefers rich, evenly moist, well-drained soil. It grows two to three feet tall and wide. The flower stalks bear persistent flowers that are velvety and purplish with short-lived, white corollas that do not appear until late summer. The showy, bicolor flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

    • Name: Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7b to 10b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: Lavender, purple, white
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 14 of 24

    Mums

    hardy mums

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

    Mums are a common sight of fall in the garden with brilliant and profuse blooms. While mums are showcased in garden centers in the fall, to grow as a perennial, it's best to get mums in the ground in the spring to become established before cold weather hits. Make sure your plant is well watered, especially in hot weather. And put a layer of mulch around the planting site before cold weather to keep the roots warm.

    • Name: Mums (Chrysanthemum)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: Yellow, orange, white, red, purple
    • Deer Resistant: No
  • 15 of 24

    New England Aster

    New England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

    apugach / Getty Images

    Growing three to seven feet tall, New England Asters produce large, purple flowers with a yellow center from August to October. The flowers attract bees and butterflies and make great cut flowers. Cut plants to the ground after flowering to promote strong new growth.

    • Name: New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a to 8b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Tolerates clay soil, neutral
    • Flower Color: Purple
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 16 of 24

    New York Aster/Michaelmas Daisy

    Symphyotrichum novi-belgii New York Aster

    apugach / Getty Images

    These delicate daisy-like blossoms start popping open in late August and continue until frost. Pinching back the stems in the early summer can turn these plants into dense mounds with dozens of flower buds. The many Asteraceae varieties range in size from eight inches to eight feet; the taller varieties should be staked to prevent them from flopping over.

    • Name: New York Aster/Michaelmas Daisy (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a to 8b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Tolerates clay soil, neutral
    • Flower Color: Gold, yellow, pink, lavender
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 17 of 24 below
  • 17 of 24

    Perennial Sunflower

    Helianthus (Perennial Sunflower)

    DEA/G. NEGRI/Getty Images

    Many gardeners are familiar with annual sunflowers, which can grow up to 12 feet tall and display plate-size flowers. But Helianthus includes perennial sunflowers that bloom in the fall. The perennials generally produce smaller daisy-like flowers than the annuals but in larger quantities. Varieties include H. simulans, H. schweinitzii, H. divaricatus, and H. angustifolius.

    • Name: Perennial Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Moist, neutral
    • Flower Color: Gold, yellow
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 18 of 24

    Russian Sage

    Russian sage

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

    Russian sage flowers can last for weeks, with the plant typically blooming at the end of the summer to early fall. The blooming begins slowly, and the flower color gets more brilliant as the small blooms fully open. Pruning should be done in the late winter to early spring, as the flowers form on new growth. Make sure to pick a planting site with full sun, as too much shade can cause the plants to flop over.

    • Name: Russian sage (Salvia yangii)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun
    • Soil: Dry, neutral
    • Flower Color: Blue, lavender
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 19 of 24

    Strawflower

    Xerochrysum bracteatum Strawflower

    Massimiliano Finzi / Getty Images

    Strawflower or everlasting daisy can be grown as a short-lived tender perennial or as an annual with blooms from late spring until frost. The flowers retain their shape and color when dried and are grown for the dried flower market. Most plants grow two to three feet tall. Deadhead regularly to encourage side shoots and blooms.

    • Name: Strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a to 10b
    • Light: Full sun
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: White, yellow, orange, red, pink
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 20 of 24

    Sweet Alyssum

    Lobularia maritima Sweet Alyssum

    Wirestock / Getty Images

    Sweet alyssum makes a colorful ground cover of tiny flowers that is easy to grow from plants or seeds. It can be grown as an annual or perennial but sweet alyssum is a cool-season flower. Most varieties will fade in the heat but bloom again in the fall. It is an invasive plant in California and can grow aggressively in other parts of the United States.

    • Name: Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun, part shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: White, pink, purple
    • Deer Resistant: No
    Continue to 21 of 24 below
  • 21 of 24

    Stonecrop 'Lidakense'

    Sedum cauticola Lidakense succulents

    Viktoriya Kraynyuk / Getty Images

    Stonecrop is an herbaceous perennial ground cover with a horizontal, creeping habit. It grows 2 to 4 inches tall and 8 to 12 inches wide. The plant may be trimmed after flowering to maintain its shape. Stonecrop spreads by underground stolons and is suitable for coastal, cottage, rock, and pollinator gardens.

    • Name: Stonecrop (Hylotelephium cauticola 'Lidakense')
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: Pink, lavender
    • Deer Resistant: No
  • 22 of 24

    Sweet Autumn Clematis

    Sweet Autumn clematis

    DTrisel / Getty Images

    While its fragrant, snowy blooms are beautiful, Sweet Autumn clematis is an aggressive, woody, self-seeding perennial vine that is considered invasive in some states. The flowers attract pollinators and songbirds use the vine as a nesting site.  This plant can be cut to the ground in fall or spring because it flowers only on new wood.

    • Name: Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis paniculata)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3a to 8b
    • Light: Full sun, dappled shade
    • Soil: Moist, well-draining
    • Flower Color: White
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 23 of 24

    Tickseed

    Coreopsis Flowers

    Michele Casoni / Getty Images

    Tickseed or Coreopsis is available in many cultivars that range from dwarf to nine feet tall. Most bloom periodically throughout the summer season. But if you prune back your plant after it flowers it will put on a glorious fall floral display. Bees and butterflies tend to love the daisy-like blooms. Most diseases and pests avoid the plant. Watering usually isn't essential unless you go for a long stretch without rainfall.

    • Name: Tickseed (Coreopsis)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a to 9b
    • Light: Full sun to dappled shade
    • Soil: Well-draining, neutral
    • Flower Color: Yellow, gold
    • Deer Resistant: No
  • 24 of 24

    Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii)

    Chelone (Turtlehead)

    Marie Iannotti

    Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii) got its common name from its blossoms, which are shaped like turtles' heads. It is a fall-blooming perennial that does not handle excessive dry heat well. But it is perfect for a damp area in your garden. Turtlehead is not unruly. It grows in a dense clump with attractive foliage and flowers that bloom for weeks attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. You can prune it lightly to shape it in the late fall or spring.

    • Name: Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3a to 8b
    • Light: Full sun, dappled shade
    • Soil: Moist, well-draining
    • Flower Color: Gold, pink, purple
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Colchicum autumnale. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  2. Autumn Crocus. ASPCA.

  3. Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude' Autumn Joy. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  4. Phlox paniculata 'Laura'. Missouri Botanical Garden.

  5. Helenium autumnale. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  6. Platycodon grandiflorus. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  7. Canna americanallis var. variegata. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  8. Caryopteris x clandonensis. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  9. Salvia azurea. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  10. Solidago. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  11. Anemone x hybrida. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  12. Eutrochium purpureum. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  13. Ceratostigma plumbaginoides. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  14. Salvia leucantha. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  15. Chrysanthemum. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  16. Symphyotrichum novae-angliae. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  17. Symphyotrichum novi-belgii. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  18. Helianthus. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  19. Find a Plant. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  20. Salvia yangii. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  21. Xerochrysum bracteatum. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  22. Lobularia maritima. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  23. Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  24. Hylotelephium cauticola. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  25. Clematis paniculata. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  26. Coreopsis grandiflora. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.

  27. Chelone lyonii. North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox.