35 Stunning Fall Flowers That'll Add Color to Your Yard
House Beautiful September 23, 2025
Lifestyle
House Beautiful September 23, 2025
Lifestyle
Fall isn't the first season we usually associate with beautiful blooms—foliage, yes, but not flowers. So, you may be surprised to learn that many gorgeous plants reach their peak in autumn, even if their time is fleeting. As with any season, you just need to know the best times to plant fall flowers and where to do so—and we're here to help you out with that. If you're in the market for beautiful fall flowers to plant in your yard, hang from your porch, or display near your front door, you've come to the right place.
Whether you're looking for a perennial or an annual, there's a vibrant and hardy fall flower out there for you. While many types will typically stop blooming after the first sign of frost, others—like sweet alyssum or marigolds—can withstand the chill. There are a few resources you can check to ensure you're planting your fall garden at the right time, such as The Old Farmer's Almanac (which provides the first and last frost dates by your zip code) and your USDA Hardiness Zone.
Keep reading to find 35 of the best fall flowers you can enjoy until the early signs of winter.
This colorful annual will bloom until the first frost, making it an ideal summer-to-fall type of flower. It thrives in full sunlight to partial shade, and it's known as a self-cleaning plant, meaning it drops its spent flowers on its own.
Petunias will typically produce blooms until the first frost. If you live in a climate where the fall season chills quickly, then these annuals won't last as long as they would in a warmer climate. They're generally easy to care for, and they're great for bringing a pop of color to your fall yard.
Also known as vervain, this vibrant fall flower often has an extended growing period. While it typically stops producing blooms in early fall, some species can grow well into the season. They're drought-tolerant plants, as well as deer- and rabbit-resistant.
Thanks to their burgundy color, amaranth plants are pretty synonymous with fall flowers (though they come in many other hues, too). They will only bloom until the first frost but are stunning in fall bouquets.
Also known as blue mist, this flowering shrub typically blooms through September. Pale blue flowers cover the plant during summer and early fall, and once the flowers turn to seed, the birds feast on them. For the best blooms, plant this shrub in full sun.
Also known as echinacea, coneflowers are native American wildflowers beloved by pollinators like butterflies, bees, and even songbirds. They're quite durable and can thrive in moist or dry soil.
While these may look like a tropical, heat-loving bloom, canna lilies actually thrive from late August into the fall. Just be sure to provide them with ample sunshine—at least six hours a day.
With a name meaning "nemesis," this flower sounds much more menacing than it is. The annuals are native to sandy soil and often remain in bloom until frost.
With more than 300 varieties, roses are some of the most versatile flowering shrubs out there. This annual will continue to bloom into late fall, so pick a hue that contrasts with the greenery.
Also called cockscomb for its resemblance to a rooster's feathers, this flower has vibrant, feather-like blooms in warm tones of pink, red, and burgundy.
Also called blue-eyed daisies, African daisies are known for their stunning petal gradient. The white, pink, yellow, red, and purple flowers often have blue or purple centers.
This beautiful perennial blooms for weeks from late summer to fall. It comes in many shades from white to hot pink and slowly spreads via underground rhizomes.
Sweet alyssum has dainty pink or white flowers that look beautiful tumbling over the edges of containers or spilling over walls. Despite its delicate appearance, it's actually quite hardy and will tolerate a light frost.
This clump-forming perennial will add a bit of brightness and sunshine to any yard. They're easy to grow and are a great source of late-season nectar for bees and butterflies.
These hardy annuals can take cool nights and even withstand a light frost. They bloom continuously from planting until a hard freeze, so you really get a lot of flower power. Snap off the seed heads after they bloom and dry so you can save them to plant next spring!
These perennials kick into high gear when everything else in the garden is beginning to fade. They come in shades of blue, lavender, pink, and purple, and start blooming around the same time that mums do.
While not technically a flower, fountain grass perfectly complements most fall flowers. The tall, stately spikes will add texture and interest to any landscaping.
In spite of their reputation for being fussy, roses are hardy plants that require less care than you think. Shrub, or landscape, roses bloom all season long, well into fall, so they provide color into the cooler days of autumn. Newer types are much more disease-resistant.
These gold flowers with brown or black button centers are ideal for fall gardens. Black-eyed Susans usually bloom from mid-summer to mid-fall for months of reliable color. There are annual and perennial types, so read the plant tag or description so you know what you're buying.
These fast-growing shrubs are beautiful in every season! Some boast dark purple foliage. Beautyberry flowers in spring or summer, and the pretty purple berries appear in fall and last into winter.
Grown primarily for its colorful foliage, heuchera, also called coral bells, is a cold-tolerant perennial that comes in every shade from deepest burgundy to lime green and everything in between. The stunning, frilly leaves provide pops of color long after your other annuals have faded.
Helenium was once used as snuff, earning its nickname "sneezeweed." This flower comes in deeply saturated shades of red, orange, and yellow, and blooms from late summer to fall. Butterflies adore this plant. Place it at the back of borders for late-season color.
With yellow petals and brown centers, these pretty, sturdy plants resemble their namesakes, but they're perennial instead of annual! Bees and butterflies flock to this fun plant.
These funny-faced flowers with bright colors prefer cooler weather; they'll even handle a light frost or two. They come in an array of beautiful colors from pastels to deep, saturated oranges and reds.
This upright annual looks great in mixed containers, providing vertical interest. Some types are trailing. Snapdragons come in almost every color and don't mind the cold, blooming until a hard freeze.
Mums are the fall flower! They're sturdy, don't mind a light frost, and come in a rainbow of colors. Technically, they're perennials. But they won't come back if you don't get them in the ground by mid to late summer because they need to get their root systems established before the ground freezes. They're inexpensive enough to enjoy for one season, and some do occasionally return, even if you planted late!
Lobelia has a lovely, cascading form that works well in pots and hanging baskets. Pair it with the bright oranges of fall for a striking planting combination. It prefers cooler weather, so if you planted earlier in the season and it faded over the summer, trim it back slightly to encourage branching and fall blooms.
Sedum, also called stonecrop, provides nice vertical interest to the garden. Butterflies love this plant, and it's an important source of late-season food for many different pollinators. The cut blooms last for weeks in a vase.
Russian sage produces tiny, purple flowers and silvery-green foliage from mid-summer into fall, even in dry conditions. It's a tough perennial that tolerates even poor soils, too. Hummingbirds love it!
Dahlias are some of the most gorgeous flowers, with intricate details and out-of-this-world petals. These perennials are toxic to most pets, so keep that in mind if you decide to plant some in your garden. Make sure to plant them in an area where they receive direct sunlight for about six hours.
Typically blooming from May to September, nasturtiums work well with vegetables, as the flowers and leaves are edible. With colors ranging from orange to red, pink, and more, these will add a brilliant touch to any garden
.
Purple and white in color, toad lilies are perennial flowers with speckled accents. Place these in an area that’s mostly shaded and watch as they bloom to their full potential.
Also known as “naked ladies,” autumn crocus flowers are perennials with no leaves (hence their naked description). Coming in shades of white, purple, and more, these beautiful blooms work best on the border of a garden.
These daisy-esque flowers bloom from summer to fall, with colorful hues hard to miss. Loved by the birds and the bees, cosmos typically come in pink, yellow, white, orange, and red shades.
If you plant zinnias, chances are, the butterflies will flutter in. Coming in almost every color imaginable, these flowers thrive in gardens and are extremely low-maintenance, making them perfect for amateur gardeners.
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