15 Fall Flowers for a Strikingly Colorful Garden
As we say goodbye to summer’s green, don’t think your garden needs to lose its color.
With a few smart picks, you can have those blooms popping and leaves looking sharp well into the cooler months.
As a master gardener, I’ve been tending to flowers long enough to know a thing or two about stretching that color all the way into fall.
Here are the 15 best fall flowers to keep your garden blooming long after summer fades!
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Sunflower
- Scientific name: Helianthus annuus
- Growing conditions: Full sun
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Summer to early fall
- Hardiness zones: 2-11
Sunflowers are iconic, towering plants that I’ve found bring a cheerful presence to any garden.
These lovely blooms will keep flowering right into September and October, as long as you live in a place with longer stretches of warm weather.
These fall favorites add a pop of color and some serious height to your garden, and they make fantastic cut flowers, too.
To ensure they bloom in the fall, I advise planting the seeds in late summer—those seeds need about 60 days to show off their blooms.
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Chrysanthemum
- Scientific name: Chrysanthemum spp.
- Growing conditions: Full sun
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Late summer to first frost
- Hardiness zones: 5-9
Mums, as they’re affectionately called, are the quintessential fall flower.
I’ve grown these flowers in a dazzling array of colors, from classic yellows and oranges to vibrant pinks, reds, and purples.
Plus, they look fantastic in pots by your door or window boxes.
Chrysanthemums are also low-maintenance and a favorite among butterflies and bees.
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Pansy
- Scientific name: Viola tricolor var. hortensis
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Early fall to first frost
- Hardiness zones: Annual in all zones
Pansies are beloved for their cheerful, colorful blooms and heart-shaped leaves.
They thrive in cooler temperatures and bloom from early fall until the first frost.
These annuals are perfect for pots, window boxes, or any garden that needs a little pick-me-up.
Pansies come in a range of colors from yellow to deep burgundy, and will add a vibrant touch to any fall garden.
I’ve grown some pansies that can tolerate light frost, and even provide winter blooms in mild climates.
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Sweet Alyssum
- Scientific name: Lobularia maritima
- Growing conditions: Open sun to partial shade
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Spring and fall
- Hardiness zones: 9-11 (perennial), 5-8 (annual)
Sweet Alyssum is a low-growing plant that blooms into clusters of tiny, fragrant flowers.
This plant hugs the ground and explodes with flower clusters of white, pink, or purple.
The best part? It blooms twice—in spring and again in fall!
I’ve found that Sweet Alyssum isn’t a fussy plant. It just needs well-drained soil, and can even handle a little frost.
Plant it in pots by your door, window boxes, or any garden that needs a burst of color.
Alyssum’s flowers attract pollinators, making it a great addition to any fall garden.
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Hardy Fuchsia
- Scientific name: Fuchsia magellanica
- Growing conditions: Partial shade to full sun
- Soil type: Well-drained, moist soil
- Bloom time: Summer to fall
- Hardiness zones: 6-9
Hardy Fuchsia produces stunning, two-tone flowers that hang delicately from the branches.
These perennials bloom from summer to fall, thrive in well-drained, moist soil, and add a unique touch to fall gardens.
Hardy Fuchsia also attracts pollinators, including hummingbirds.
You can plant them along your garden borders for an eye-catching display or pop them into containers to bring the magic closer to your home.
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Calibrachoa
- Scientific name: Calibrachoa spp.
- Growing conditions: Full sun
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Spring to fall
- Hardiness zones: 9-11 (perennial), annual elsewhere
Calibrachoa, or Million Bells, is a miniature petunia that blossoms profusely from spring to fall.
In my experience, these flowers are low-maintenance and add a vibrant touch to fall gardens.
These plants are perfect for pots and hanging baskets, where they can cascade over the edges.
Calibrachoa thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. The flowers come in various shades, providing continuous color.
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Asters
- Scientific name: Aster spp.
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil type: Well-drained, loamy
- Bloom time: Late summer to fall
- Hardiness zones: 3-8
Asters are like fireworks for your fall garden! These daisy-shaped beauties come in a ton of colors, from pinks and purples to lavender and white.
They’re a magnet for butterflies and bees, and they come in all sorts of heights, making them perfect for either your border or garden bed.
However, I advise giving the taller ones a little support with a stake so they don’t tip over.
Asters are perennials, so they’ll return year after year with a little sunshine, or some shade.
They’re not picky about soil as long as it drains well.
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Goldenrod
- Scientific name: Solidago spp.
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Late summer to fall
- Hardiness zones: 2-8
Goldenrod is often unfairly blamed for causing hay fever, but the native ragweed is actually the culprit.
On the contrary, I’ve found that Goldenrod is a hardy and easy-to-grow native perennial with clusters of bright yellow flowers that look like fireworks.
Be mindful that although it’s often seen as a weed due to its spreading behavior, some varieties are not invasive—like the US’ native Solidago.
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Marigold
- Scientific name: Tagetes spp.
- Growing conditions: Full sunlight
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Late spring to fall
- Hardiness zones: 2-11
Marigolds come in all sorts of shades, from sunshine yellow and lime green to creamy white, orange, and even bronze— they’re essentially a fall color palette explosion for any landscape!
These plants are tough and will do well in both cool and warm climates.
As a bonus, they help keep pests away from your other plants!
Plant marigolds in open sun and well-drained soil for continuous blooms from early spring planting throughout the first hard freeze.
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Helenium
- Scientific name: Helenium autumnale
- Growing conditions: Full sunlight
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Late summer to fall
- Hardiness zones: 3-8
Helenium, also known as sneezeweed, brings the vibrant colors of fall right into your garden with its bright, daisy-like blooms in yellow, orange, and red.
These hardy and disease-resistant perennials thrive in well-drained soil, and I highly recommend them if you want to keep your garden looking lively from the end of summer through fall.
They’re a hit with butterflies and bees, making them essential for pollinator-friendly gardens.
Sneezeweeds are ideal for adding a splash of warm fall hues. They also adapt well to warm climates and keep blooming until the first freeze.
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Toad Lily
- Scientific name: Tricyrtis hirta
- Growing conditions: Part shade to full shade
- Soil type: Moist, well-draining soil rich in organic matter
- Bloom time: Late summer to fall
- Hardiness zones: 4-9
Toad Lily is a shade-loving perennial with exotic-looking flowers that bloom from late summer to fall.
They are easy to care for and provide unique, speckled blossoms. Toad Lilies are perfect for adding interest to shady spots in the garden.
Remember, they won’t survive a freeze, so I strongly suggest planting them where they’ll get protection during winter. But other than that, they’re a breeze to care for!
These flowers are a conversation starter and add an exotic touch to fall gardens.
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Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
- Scientific name: Hylotelephium spectabile
- Growing conditions: Partial to direct sun
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Late summer to fall
- Hardiness zones: 3-9
‘Autumn Joy’ sedum is a gorgeous perennial that produces large clusters of pink, red, and white flowers.
This succulent is perfect for adding texture and color to the fall garden.
These fall-blooming perennials come in various shapes, sizes, and flower colors, including pink, red, and yellow.
Even after the flowers fade, Autumn Joy’s interesting foliage keeps my garden interesting. It’s also drought-tolerant and requires minimal care.
I suggest planting them in borders, pots—anywhere that needs a pop of fall color!
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Colchicum
- Scientific name: Colchicum autumnale
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil type: Well-draining
- Bloom time: Early to mid-fall
- Hardiness zones: 4-8
Often called ‘autumn crocus,’ colchicum is a surprising and delightful fall bloomer.
Unlike true crocuses that emerge in spring, colchicum produces vibrant crocus-like flowers in shades of pink, purple, and white in the fall, with leaves appearing only the next spring.
Planting colchicum corms at the end of summer will result in blooms by fall without any foliage, as I’ve noted that their leaves emerge in spring and die back by summer.
These fall-blooming flowers are excellent for planting beneath deciduous trees.
Warning: All parts of colchicum are poisonous, so ensure they’re planted in areas out of reach of children and pets.
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Garden Cosmos
- Scientific name: Cosmos bipinnatus
- Growing conditions: Partial sun to full sun
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Summer to fall
- Hardiness zones: 2-11
Cosmos are airy, daisy-like flowers that add a delicate touch to fall gardens. They bloom from summer into fall, offering hues of pink, white, and purple.
These annuals are easy to grow from seed and often attract bees and butterflies.
I adore these plants and recommend them for adding height and color to garden beds and borders.
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Dahlia
- Scientific name: Dahlia spp.
- Growing conditions: Direct sun
- Soil type: Well-drained
- Bloom time: Summer to fall
- Hardiness zones: 8-11 (typically grown as annuals in cooler climates)
Dahlias are awesome because they come in many shapes, sizes, and colors.
To grow well, they need lots of sun and good soil that drains well. They bloom in the summer and keep it up until fall.
And here’s a secret: the more you cut the flowers, the more they bloom!
Just a heads up, if you live in a place with cold winters, you’ll need to dig up the bulbs and store them safely indoors until spring.
But trust me, they’re worth the little extra effort!
Other Guides from Planet Natural:
Ghost Orchid: How to Plant, Grow and Care for Ghost Orchids
25 Brilliant Summer Flowers for a Gorgeous Garden Bed
29 Types of Colorful Flowers to Brighten Up Your Garden
Melissa Pino is a biologist, master gardener, and regular contributor for Planet Natural. Melissa’s work focuses on promoting environmentally-friendly practices, helping people create healthy gardens and finding ways to achieve overall health and wellness.
