Add an extra season of interest with fall-blooming flowers, colorful shrubs, and other plants that are at their best in the fall. Here are some Almanac picks for spectacular fall color.
Perennials
Fall-blooming perennials often showcase the jewel tones of the season with beautiful reds, golds, and russets.
- Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
- S. 'Matrona'
- Canadian burnet (Sanguisorba canadensis)
- Blue monkshood (Aconitum carmichaelii)
- Hardy chrysanthemum 'Venus'
- Hardy chrysanthemum 'Sheffield'
- Lycoris (Lycoris squamigera)
- Boltonia asteroides 'Snowbank'
- Black cohosh, snakeroot, or bugbane (Cimicifuga racemosa)
- Bugbane 'Hillside Black Beauty'
- Aster x frikartii 'Monch'
- A. x frikartii 'Wunder von Stafa'
Ornamental Grasses
Add texture and form to your garden, especially in the fall when flowers may not be the focal point.
- Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'
- Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder'
- M. sinensis 'Purpurascens'
- M. sinensis 'Morning Light'
- M. sinensis 'Zebrinus'
- Bouteloua gracilis 'Blue Grama'
- Chasmanthium latifolium 'Wild Oats'
Vines
Vines are a wonderful way to add interest to your garden—they add height, depth, and personality.
- Sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora)
- Clematis 'Ville de Lyons'
- Clematis 'Henryii'
- C. orientalis
- Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)
- Virginia creeper (P. quinquefolia)
Shrubs
Many shrubs are at their best in the fall with berries, fruit, and colorful leaves.
- Enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatus)
- Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum)
- V. 'Chicago Lustre'
- Linden viburnum (V. dilatatum)
- Common witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
- Enkianthus (H. mollis)
- Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) 'Henry's Garnet'
- Fothergilla gardenii 'Blue Mist'
- Beauty berry (Callicarpa)
- C. bodinieri 'Profusion'
- C. japonica
- Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) 'Winter Red'
- Winterberry holly (I. verticillata) 'Red Sprite'
- Winterberry holly (I. verticillata)
- 'Winter Gold'
- Winterberry holly (I. verticillata) 'Chrysocarpa'
Camellias
In the right climate zones, the woody camellia shrub blooms beautiful flowers in cool weather.
- Tea-oil camellia (Camellia oleifera)
- C. oleifera 'Winter's Beauty'
- C. oleifera 'Winter's Dream'
- C. oleifera 'Winter's Sunset'
Reader Comments
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I am wondering if there is
I am wondering if there is any interest in camellias (mostly japonica and sasanqua) even in northern climes? Granted, they do not survive much further north than norfolk, va but I live where they do incredibly well and am always so anxious to share what I know and see on a regular basis being a grower in South Carolina. We had an unbelievable crop this year in spite of the crazy weather which included days on end of freezing temps...unheard of here. I have many beautiful photos. Probably took 600 digital photos this season. Stunning. God is in the camellias!
I may start a blog. Email 2flythecoop@gmail.com if you are interested.
I like camellias, too - they
I like camellias, too - they are so pretty, especially at the times of the year when everything else is so drab...my mom loves them too, and I have been looking for one for her birthday, with no luck...maybe it's not the right time of year to plant them.