Favorite Fall Bloomers

Fall is a perfect time for planting. In most of the US, the soil remains warm while air temps get cooler. Rain tends to be more predictable, too. Once plants go dormant, their roots continue to grow, giving them a great head start the following spring. And, assuming your new plants have summered outside – as opposed to in a greenhouse – they can go straight into your garden pretty much any time the ground’s not frozen.

The most satisfying gardens provide year-round interest with a palette of spring-, summer-, and fall-bloomers, along with some evergreen species. Bonus points for including deciduous plants that sport interesting seed heads or foliage over the winter.

If the change of seasons has you in a gardening mood, consider adding some native fall-bloomers to your yard. And let’s be generous with the definition of “blooming” so we can include colorful foliage, too. Herewith, a few of my native A-listers:

Photo by Lolly Jewett. Goldenrod (Solidago). There are 120 species of goldenrods, not counting cultivars, so you can find one for pretty much any situation. They blossom anywhere from July through October. Their nectar attracts bees and butterflies, while birds eat their seeds. Contrary to what you may have heard, they are not responsible for your hay fever. Blame that on ragweed.

"New England Aster" by Gene Wilburn is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Aster (Eurybia, Symphyotrichum or Aster). There are more than 100 species of asters native to North America. They come in a full range of whites, blues and purples, never mind the cultivars that widen the spectrum even further. Most of the brightly colored ones love sun, while a few white and pale blue ones thrive in shade. A single plant can have hundreds of blossoms. Blooms occur from August through October – and sometimes beyond, depending on the species and conditions. Conveniently, they pair beautifully with goldenrods.

Photo by Lolly Jewett. Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris). This ornamental grass is somewhat unassuming for most of the year, then it knocks my socks off with its diaphanous rosé plumes in October.

"Backyard • 11-10-2013" by Fred Ortlip is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Threadleaf bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii). Technically this isn’t a blossom. Amsonia’s lovely blue flowers appeared in the spring. Those wispy yellow plumes are formerly green leaves losing their chlorophyll as the plant prepares to go dormant. Talk about going down in flames, though, right?

"National Arboretum in October (15510581740)" by DC Gardens is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Here’s some more Amsonia mixed in with asters. Pretty spectacular, huh?

"Dwarf Fothergilla" by Distant Hill Gardens is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenia). This is another bait-and-switch, as this shrub isn’t actually blossoming. But who cares when the leaf colors are this glorious?

Photo by Lolly Jewett. Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia). Leaves, not flowers. But is there another plant that contains as many colors of the rainbow as this one as it heads into winter?

Alert Bees’ Knees readers will have guessed correctly that each of these plants provides excellent food and habitat for native wildlife, not to mention additional ecosystem services that help us humans survive. What’s native of course varies by geography, so find what’s indigenous to your region get planting!

Tell us in the comments what YOUR favorite fall bloomers are.

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