Perennials with Fall Color that Last Well Until Frost

Enjoy this list of easy to grow perennials for fall color. Plant some today so you will have colorful flowers all the way to winter.

Most gardens have lots of flowering plants during the springtime and summer but what about the fall? Why not plant a few perennial plants that offer color during the autumn months when most everything else in the landscape is dying back for winter?

Fall flowering perennial plants reward you will year after year with their blooms. No need to purchase more flowers for a short time period.

Perennials With Fall Color

Chrysanthemums

The most popular fall blooming flowers are probably mums. They are typically full of blooms in a wide range of colors. And though many are used as annuals, some are perennial and will come back every year.

However, if you are really interested in growing mums as perennials your best bet would be to order some early in the season so that their roots have plenty of time to get established before the cold sets in.

Anemone 'September Charm'

This pretty pink flowering perennial starts blooming in September (sometimes August) as the name denotes. It also has a lot of "charm" in the garden giving it a cottage-like feel. This one also works great in flower arrangements.

Sedum 'Maestro'

Hardy sedums are known for blooming in late summer and throughout the fall. One of the most well-known is 'Autumn Joy'. It has pretty rose colored flowers. However, I have a variety called 'Maestro' (above) and it's equally as beautiful.

Ligularia 'Britt-Marie Crawford'

Another nice perennial that blooms in the fall is this leopard plant. It grows well in the shade. Ligularia maintains a nice mid-size clump in the garden with attractive foliage during much of the season and then shoots out pretty rich golden blooms late in the season.

Begonia grandis

A begonia that is not a houseplant or an annual, this one sports heart-shaped green leaves with pretty red veining underneath and a smattering of small delicate pink blossoms. Another good one for shady areas. This is also a good self-seeder, so you may find more of it each year.

Heliopsis 'Burning Hearts

I particularly love the dark stems in this false sunflower. The gold and red-orange daisy-like flowers are perfectly in step with late summer and fall when they bloom.

Native Perennial Flowers for Fall

In Pennsylvania, we have several wildflower natives that are perennial and can be used in the garden. Many nurseries offer them or hybrids of these hardy beautiful flowering perennials.

Rudbeckia hirta

Though there are many, many hybrids, Rudbeckia, commonly known as Black Eyed Susan is a native to my area and many parts of the US. Its sunny flowers bloom long and strong. Also, the deer and rabbits stay away from this one as the stems and leaves are fuzzy and hairy.

Echinacea purpurea

Purple coneflower is another native that is one of 10 species but countless hybrids have been created over the years. Once established it will grow well and bloom every year and even does well during periods of drought. It's non-toxic to humans and pets and maintains pretty seed heads throughout the winter.

Eutrochium purpureum

Joe Pye Weed is often seen on the sides of the road but it can be a pretty specimen in the back of the border. It grows to seven feet tall but you can find dwarf varieties like 'Baby Joe' in some nurseries. Loved by butterflies and other pollinators for their nectar rich flowers.

Solidago

Goldenrod is another easy to spot late summer to fall bloomer in my neck of the woods. Sometimes confused with ragweed these beautiful golden blooms are not the culprit of allergy sufferers. Goldenrod is easy to grow, drought tolerant, and will grow in poor soil. It's also another one that attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Vernonia novebroacensis

Ironweed is a beautiful rich deep purple that shows up in fields and other places where wildflowers bloom. It grows quite tall up to seven feet, and is another popular plant for pollinators and hummingbirds.

Helianthus divaricatus

Woodland sunflowers can be found just about anywhere around here. We often find it while hiking on walking paths or around local lakes. Pretty, cheerful, and very tall they can grow up to six feet.

Symphyotrichum Novae-Angliae

The last native is this pretty aster. There are many native asters but this one is probably the most colorful with bright purple petals and yellow centers. The stems are fuzzy like black eyed Susans making them deer-resistant, and they also make a nice cut flower for the house.

Perennials with Fall Foliage Color

Just like maples and other beautiful fall foliage from trees, many perennials have foliage that changes during the autumn season.

Epimedium

I really love the way this epimedium looks in the fall. A beautiful plum color with bright green veining is something you might not see otherwise in the garden.

Cranesbill

Many hardy geraniums have foliage that turns shades of orange and red just like the leaves on the trees in the fall. The beautiful flowers are gone but the foliage puts on one last show for the year.

Hosta

Even some of the hosta leaves will turn a pretty shade of gold in the fall before dying back in the winter to come back up again in the spring.

These are just a few of the many perennials that will add color to your garden during the fall. I hope that you have found one or two that you want to add to your own garden so that you can enjoy their beauty until winter comes.