Fall is a good time to plant most perennial flowers. The soil stays warm while the nights turn cool. That mix lets the roots grow before winter. The plants then start strong next spring. Here are 16 perennials to plant in fall, starting with peonies.
1. Peony
Peonies (Paeonia spp.) have large blooms in white, pink, red, coral, and some yellows. Set the eyes (the small buds on the roots) no more than 2 inches below the soil in cold climates. In warm zones, set them at the surface or a little above it. A peony planted too deep may not bloom. My guide on how to plant peonies walks through each step, and new plants can take a couple of years to flower.
Nature Hills sells peonies.
2. Aster
Asters (Symphyotrichum spp. and Aster spp.) bloom in fall with daisy-like flowers. The petals come in purple, blue, pink, white, and sometimes red. Each flower has a yellow, gold, or reddish center. Dwarf types stay about 8 inches tall, and tall species reach 4 feet or more. Plant asters in full sun, and see how to grow asters for care through the season.
Nature Hills sells asters.
3. Hosta
Hostas (Hosta spp.) are grown for their leaves. The foliage comes in deep green, blue-green, and variegated white, yellow, or gold. Leaf shapes run from narrow lances to broad hearts. Tall stalks of lavender or white flowers rise in mid to late summer. Plant hostas in dappled shade with rich soil and steady moisture. Deer and slugs eat them, so plan for both.
Fall is the time for dividing hostas that have grown too big for their spot.
Nature Hills sells hostas.
4. Sedum
Sedum (Sedum spp. and Hylotelephium spp.), also called stonecrop, has thick succulent leaves. Its star-shaped flowers grow in dense, round clusters of pink, red, yellow, or white. Creeping types stay a few inches tall. Upright types like ‘Autumn Joy’ reach 18 to 24 inches. Sedum likes full sun and gravelly or poor soil, but not a waterlogged spot. My list of sedum varieties covers both forms.
Nature Hills sells sedum.
5. Hellebore
Hellebores (Helleborus spp.) bloom in late winter and early spring, when most of the garden is bare. The nodding, cup-shaped flowers come in cream, dusty pink, purple, lime green, and near-black. Some have speckles or picotee edges. Plants grow 12 to 18 inches tall above leathery evergreen leaves. Like peonies, they may not bloom much for the first year or two. Once the roots fill in, they bloom for decades.
See planting hellebores for spacing and soil.
Nature Hills sells hellebores.
6. Coreopsis
Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.) blooms for a long stretch, into late fall. The flowers come in gold, yellow, red, pink, and bicolors. Plants range from 6-inch mounds to 3 feet tall. Give coreopsis full sun and soil that drains. It handles sand, rock, and clay, and it takes drought once established. Butterflies visit the flowers, and it fits my list of drought tolerant perennial flowers.
Nature Hills sells coreopsis.
7. Iris
Irises (Iris spp.) have three upright petals called standards and three drooping petals called falls. Colors include purple, blue, yellow, white, orange, and brown. Many have veining or a contrasting beard. Plants range from 8-inch dwarfs to over 4 feet tall. Give them at least six hours of sun and soil that never stays wet.
Bearded iris rhizomes (the thick roots that run along the soil) like their tops to sit above the soil line in the sun. Siberian iris is best divided in fall. My list of bearded iris varieties shows the range of colors.
Nature Hills sells irises.
8. Echinacea
Echinacea (Echinacea spp.), or coneflower, has a raised center cone with petals that droop around it. Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is the classic. Newer cultivars come in white, yellow, orange, red, and mixed colors. Most plants grow 24 to 36 inches tall. Deep roots help coneflower handle drought, heat, humidity, and poor soil once established. Plant it in full sun or part shade, or start it from seed with winter sowing echinacea.
Nature Hills sells coneflowers.
9. Coral bells
Coral bells (Heuchera spp.) are grown for their leaves as much as their flowers. The foliage comes in purple, silver, green, burgundy, caramel, and peach, with veins or marbling. Leaves form mounds 8 to 12 inches high. Thin stalks of small white, pink, or red bells rise to 18 to 24 inches. Plant coral bells in dappled sun and soil that stays moist but not wet. In hot climates, give them afternoon shade to prevent leaf scorch.
My guide to coral bells covers care through the year.
Nature Hills sells coral bells.
10. Daylily
Each daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) flower lasts one day. Each stalk carries many buds, so the plant stays in bloom for several weeks. The trumpet-shaped flowers come in pastels, red, orange, yellow, and purple, many with patterns or ruffled edges. Daylilies grow in full sun to part shade and handle poor soil and coastal salt spray. Fall planting builds roots for next summer.
Crowded clumps can be dug up and divided. See how to plant daylilies for depth and spacing.
Nature Hills sells daylilies.
11. Gaillardia
Gaillardia (Gaillardia spp.), or blanket flower, has daisy-like blooms in red, orange, and yellow. Many have rings of color that blend from one warm shade to the next. Some come in burgundy or wine red. Plants grow 12 to 24 inches tall, so they fit borders and containers. Gaillardia is native to North America and handles drought once established. Give it full sun and soil that drains.
Nature Hills sells gaillardia.
12. Penstemon
Penstemon (Penstemon spp.) has tubular flowers held in upright clusters. Colors include purple, blue, red, pink, and white. Plants range from compact 1-foot types to 5 feet tall, depending on the species. Give penstemon full sun to light shade and soil that drains. It handles drought once established, which suits a water-wise garden.
Nature Hills sells penstemon.
13. Rudbeckia
Rudbeckia (Rudbeckia spp.), or black-eyed Susan, has gold to orange-yellow petals around a dark brown center cone. Plants range from 12 inches to 3 feet or more. It blooms in late summer in full sun or light shade. Rudbeckia tolerates drought, poor soil, and many pests and diseases. Fall planting builds roots for next summer’s flowers.
To grow it from seed, winter sowing rudbeckia can give blooms in the first year.
Nature Hills sells rudbeckia.
14. Bee balm
Bee balm (Monarda spp.) has shaggy, crown-like flower heads made of dense tubular petals. Colors include deep red, hot pink, purple, and soft lavender. Plants reach 2 to 4 feet tall on sturdy stems. The flowers draw pollinators, as the name suggests. Plant bee balm in full sun to part shade with moist soil that drains. My bee balm guide covers care.
Nature Hills sells bee balm.
15. Shasta daisy
Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum × superbum) have white petals around a bright yellow center. Stems reach 1 to 3 feet tall above a clump of dark green, lance-shaped leaves. They grow best in full sun and soil that drains, and they tolerate part shade. Water them during dry spells, though established plants handle drought. Fall planting sets them up for flowers in late spring and early summer.
Nature Hills sells Shasta daisies.
16. Flowering bulbs that come back each year
Many spring bulbs return year after year. Good choices include daffodils (Narcissus spp.), snowdrops (Galanthus spp.), crocus (Crocus spp.), fritillaria (Fritillaria spp.), and alliums (Allium spp.). Some tulips (Tulipa spp.) come back as well, such as species tulips and some Darwin hybrids. Loosen the soil 8 to 12 inches deep and mix in compost. Plant each bulb two to three times as deep as its height, pointed end up, about three bulb widths apart.
Water the bulbs after planting to settle the soil. In areas with hard frosts or freeze-thaw cycles, mulch the bed. My list of bulbs to plant in fall has more options.
Eden Brothers sells fall-planted bulbs.
How to plant perennials in fall
Plant perennials four to six weeks before the ground freezes. University of Vermont Extension gives that window so roots can settle before winter. Water the plant and the planting spot the day before. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and wider than it. Loosen the roots of plants that spent the summer in a pot.
Skip fertilizer in fall. Spread a couple of inches of compost around the plant instead. Keep watering new perennials until the ground freezes. Hold off on winter mulch until the soil freezes, so the bare soil can soak up daytime heat while the roots grow. For the rest of the fall routine, see how to winterize perennials and my mulching tips.
Tools for planting perennials in fall
Five tools cover the job, from the first hole to the last watering. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Garden trowel
A trowel digs the planting hole for a potted perennial. The Fiskars Ergo garden trowel has a cast-aluminum head that resists rust. A hole in the handle lets it hang on a hook.
Digging fork
A digging fork loosens the soil before planting. It also lifts iris and daylily clumps out of the ground for dividing. The Spear & Jackson stainless steel digging fork has stainless steel tines that resist rust.
Bulb planter
A bulb planter pulls out a plug of soil and leaves a neat hole for each bulb. The Edward Tools bulb planter has depth marks from 1 to 4 inches. Its soil release drops the plug back over the bulb.
Watering wand
New perennials need water until the ground freezes. The GREEN MOUNT watering wand is 24 inches long, so the water reaches the base of each plant. Its shower head has 661 small holes for a soft spray.
Garden kneeler
Planting happens at ground level. The TomCare garden kneeler and seat has a padded kneeling surface and raised handles for standing back up. It flips over to become a seat.
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