These autumn flowers and plants thrive in cooler weather.
Crisp air means it’s time for fall foliage andlate-season bloomsto shine.
But, where to start?
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Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums say fall as much as turkey says Thanksgiving.
Commonlyknown as mums, these blooms are an all-time fall favorite for a good reason.
Place them in a sunny location with soil that stays moist but not wet.
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Remove spent blooms to encourage more flowers throughout the season.
Stake taller varieties of helenium to keep them from falling over after they bloom.
Stake around the clump to provide support.
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‘October Glory’red maple(Acer rubrum’October Glory’).
Leaf color can range from yellow to orange to red.
September is a great time to plant.
Credit: Ralph Anderson
Choose a sunny location because full sun helps it achieve the best fall color.
Alkaline soil will cause the leaves to be yellow instead of red.
It adapts to a variety of soils, as long as there is good drainage.
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Oakleaf Hydrangea
This Southern favorite offers seasonal displays year-round, but it really shows off in autumn.
As a chill hits the air, colorful oakleaf hydrangea leaves can rival neighboring maple trees.
The crimson and gold blaze lasts quite some time, too.
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Choose a sunny planting location because too much shade decreases blooms and growth.
Aster
When summer blooms begin to fade, asters put on a vivid display.
Get more blooms by planting these in a sunny location.
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Give them afternoon shade in hotter climates.
Asters can tolerate dry, rocky, or clay soil.
Some species will reseed themselves.
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Among the first trees to show fall color, its leaves turn scarlet as red berries appear.
Ginkgo
These golden trees of fall are one of nature’s oldest stunners.
Plant in a location that receives at least four hours of sun a day.
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Sedums
For standout fall color that requires very little attention, consider sedum.
Some types of sedum doattract deer.
Plus, they’re practically maintenance-free.
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‘Little Suzy,’ a compact selection growing four to five feet tall, is especially floriferous.
It thrives in sun or light shade and well-drained soil.
You often get all three colors at once.
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Plant Plentifall pansies instead.
These are among the first trailing pansies, each spreading 18 inches.
Plant them in the ground to form solid sweeps, or let them cascade from containers.
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Plentifall pansies survivebelow-zero tempswith little damage, so they should bloom for you from fall through spring.
Blueberry
Think blueberry bushes are just for summer picking?
These shrubs are ablaze with color come cooler months.
Credit: Ralph Anderson
Water at the roots when the top few inches of soil are dry.
Smoke Bush
Expect beautiful hues from this deciduous shrub come fall.
This versatile annual adds seemingly non-stop buds to garden beds and containers alike.Its blooms retain their color when dried.
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Plant in a flower bed with full sun and well-drained soil.
Chelone are native American wildflowers commonly known as Turtlehead for their striking resemblance.
Dianthus
These long-blooming, often-fragrant annuals and perennials grow about one foot tall and twice as wide.
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Give them well-drained soil and room for good air circulation to prevent fungal diseases and root rot.
Spider lily has bright red flowers with long stamens that resemble spider legs.
Surprise lily has pink, trumpet-shaped flowers.
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Both are easy to grow, spread into drifts, and last for generations.
Bulbs are usually available by late spring.
Celosia
Celosia’s flame-like blooms are a real showstopper.
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It loves heat and humidity and tolerates dry soils.
Celosia reseeds, so choose a planting location where its spread will be enjoyed.
Arching stems up to 20 inches high carry rich green leaves edged in white.
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It has small, white, bell-shaped flowers suspended beneath the stems in spring.
In October, the white-edged green leaves turn bright yellow and fade to tan.
Give this plant-rich, woodsy soil.
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Japanese Maple
Japanese maple is the perfect tree for most yards.
For the bestfall color, plant in full sun to light shade in fertile, well-drained soil.
It becomes open and unkempt with time, so prune it back by half or more in winter.
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‘Ruby Slippers’ Oakleaf Hydrangea
‘Ruby Slippers’ is a compact selection of the native oakleaf hydrangea.
It grows about 3-4 feet tall and wide.
Upright spikes of showy flowers open white in late spring to early summer and then age to reddish-pink.
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Large, oak-shaped, deep green leaves turn pink, scarlet, and burgundy in fall.
Give this shrub light shade and acid, well-drained soil.
Sturdy and easy to grow, these flowers first bloom in early summer.
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Cutting encourages them to rebloom late in the season.
Plus, deer usually steer clear.
These flowers reseed themselves so you’ll have a new supply season after season.
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To allow this, don’t cut the seed heads down and let the flowers go to seed.
Goldfinches also enjoy the seeds.
Water the plant tokeep the soil moistbut not soggy.
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When this bright chrysanthemum is in full form, it resembles its namesake ball shape.
Deadhead blooms to encourage more flowers.
Water them regularly at the base to prevent fungal disease.
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It is drought- and deer-tolerant and self-seeds.
Its reddish-purple leaves turn golden yellow in the fall.
Give it full sun or part shade and keep the soil moist but let it dry out occasionally.
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Give them well-draining soil that’s moist but not water-logged and at least six hours of sun per day.
Keep them blooming bydeadheading the flowersto promote more blooms all season.
Pair with mums or violas.
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They’ll last through fall and can last into winter with good care.
Water when the top inch of soil is dry and give them full or partial sun.
They will last until the first frost as they are not frost-tolerant.
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They are mostly planted as an annual but can be overwintered indoors.
Plant in loose soil that’s moist and well-drained in a sunny location.
Blanket Flowers
Enjoy these bright blooms from summer through fall.
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Use these native red, orange, and yellow daisy-like wildflowers to create a cheerful mass planting.
They like sun and tolerate drought and can grow well in poorly draining or heavy soils.
Songbirds will eat their seeds in fall.
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Dahlia
Dahlia blooms are beautiful and long-lasting, flowering from mid to late summer through autumn.
Mahr S. Helenium,Helenium autumnale.
University of Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension.
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North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Hubrichts Amsonia.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Common Dogwood.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Sedum.
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North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Common Witchhazel.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Persimmon.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Confederate Rose.
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North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Blueberry.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Smokebush.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Globe Amaranth.
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North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Verbena.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Chelone.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Dianthus.
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North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Spider Lily.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Naked Ladies.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Cockscomb Celosia.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Variegated Solomons Seal.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Japanese Maple.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.American Beautyberry.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Oakleaf Hydrangea.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Black-Eyed Susan ‘Goldsturm’.
Longwood Gardens Plant Explorer.Chrysanthemum x morifolium’Moira'.
Longwood Gardens Plant Explorer.Chrysanthemum x morifolium’Apricot Courtier'.
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.Dahlia.
