As summer winds down and September arrives, your garden can still shine with vibrant colors. Actually, there are late-blooming flowers that will keep your garden looking beautiful well into fall.
These plants not only extend your garden’s blooming season but also bring colors and textures to brighten up those cooler days.
1. Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.)
Asters are known for their daisy-like flowers that come in shades of purple, blue, pink, and white. They have a bushy growth habit and can reach heights of 1 to 4 feet.
- Why Great for September: Asters provide vibrant color and a cheerful appearance as many other flowers start to fade. They are also excellent for attracting late-season pollinators like bees and butterflies.
2. Sedum (Sedum spp.)
Sedum, commonly known as stonecrop, features thick, fleshy leaves and clusters of star-shaped flowers that can be pink, red, or white. The plants can range from ground covers to upright varieties and typically grow 6 inches to 18 inches tall.
- Why Great for September: Sedum’s dense clusters of blooms add a striking color to gardens as they are in full bloom when many other plants have finished. They also have a drought-tolerant nature, which is perfect for the fluctuating weather of late summer and early fall.
3. Japanese Anemones (Anemone hupehensis)
Japanese Anemones are characterized by their elegant, cup-shaped flowers that can be white, pink, or lavender. They typically grow 2 to 4 feet tall and have dark green foliage.
- Why Great for September: These flowers offer a delicate and refined touch to a garden, blooming later in the season when many other flowers have stopped. Their long-lasting blooms add a gentle pop of color.
4. Helenium (Helenium autumnale)
Also known as sneezeweed, Helenium produces vibrant, daisy-like flowers in shades of yellow, orange, and red. The plants grow 2 to 4 feet tall and have a bushy, upright form.
- Why Great for September: Helenium’s bright, warm colors can really light up a garden in late summer and early fall. They also have a long blooming period and attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.
5. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Russian Sage features airy spikes of lavender-blue flowers and aromatic, silver-gray foliage. It typically grows 3 to 5 feet tall with a sprawling habit.
- Why Great for September: Russian Sage’s soft, wispy blooms provide a soothing contrast to the more robust late-season flowers. It’s also very drought-tolerant and can handle the cooler temperatures of early fall.
6. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Goldenrod is known for its bright yellow flower spikes that can add a splash of gold to any garden. The plants typically grow 2 to 4 feet tall and have a bushy, upright form.
- Why Great for September: Goldenrod’s brilliant yellow flowers provide a bold color contrast to other late-season blooms. It is also a vital plant for supporting pollinators and provides excellent visual interest as the season changes.
7. Bush Lily (Clivia miniata)
Bush Lily, also known as Natal Lily or Clivia, has striking, tubular flowers that range in color from orange to red, blooming atop thick, glossy, dark green leaves. The plant grows about 1 to 2 feet tall.
- Why Great for September: Clivias add a vibrant burst of color to the garden when many other plants are winding down. They are also relatively low-maintenance and can thrive in partial shade, making them versatile for various garden conditions.
8. Tatarian Aster (Aster tataricus)
Tatarian Aster produces tall, late-blooming clusters of small, daisy-like flowers in shades of violet or blue. The plant can reach heights of 3 to 4 feet and has slender, lance-shaped leaves.
- Why Great for September: This aster variety extends the blooming season with its late-flowering habit. It adds a beautiful, bold color to the garden in September and attracts pollinators such as butterflies and bees.
9. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
Creeping Jenny, also known as Moneywort, is a ground cover plant with small, cup-shaped yellow flowers that appear in late summer and early fall. Its foliage can turn a striking golden yellow in the fall.
- Why Great for September: This plant provides ground cover and adds a splash of bright yellow to the garden just when many other plants are fading. Its vibrant fall foliage offers additional seasonal interest.
10. Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
Mountain Mint features small, white to pale purple flowers arranged in dense clusters, and its foliage has a distinctive minty fragrance. The plant typically grows 2 to 3 feet tall.
- Why Great for September: Mountain Mint’s late blooms offer a fresh, aromatic addition to the garden. Its unique scent and attractive flowers are great for attracting pollinators and adding a refreshing contrast to the autumn landscape.
By choosing a variety of these flowers, you can enjoy a beautiful garden that continues to thrive even as the seasons change. So, plant these blooms and watch your garden flourish with late-season beauty throughout September.
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Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.