July Is the Last Chance to Plant These 8 Perennials – They'll Keep Your Garden Colorful Until Fall

Spring may be the most popular time to plant perennials, but it’s not the only time. July isn’t too late to get certain heat-tolerant perennials in the ground, help them get established, and enjoy colorful blooms that last well into fall.

If you have some gaps in your beds you want to address or just want to add more fall color to your garden, these perennial plants are our top picks for planting now.

Plus, we'll provide some expert tips to help your July-planted perennials settle into their new homes well and thrive for many years to come.

1. Coneflower

Also known as echinacea, coneflower is a native perennial that flowers through summer and well into fall. Because they tolerate summer heat well and develop strong roots in warm weather, coneflowers can be planted in July.

Purple is the traditional color for echinacea, but new varieties of coneflowers offer red, orange, yellow, white, and pink blooms. Coneflowers are hardy in zones 3 through 9, so most gardeners can grow them. They thrive in full sun and soil that drains well.

You can shop unique, colorful coneflowers from Wayside Gardens.

2. Black-Eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan, also known as rudbeckia, is another native plant that can be planted now because of its good heat tolerance. Like echinacea, it is suitable for zones 3 through 9 and loves full sun and good drainage.

Black-eyed Susan flowers from July through September and even October in some locations. The flowers are golden yellow and daisy-like with a dark center. You can deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowering, but also let some develop seeds to support your local birds.

Get a 3-pack of beautiful black-eyed Susans from the Home Depot.

3. Stonecrop

Also known as sedum, stonecrop is a succulent that thrives in heat and tolerates dry conditions. These characteristics mean you can easily plant sedum in July without causing them too much stress. You can find many different types of sedum, but ‘Autumn Joy’ is an ideal pick for July planting. The flowers are light pink initially, transition to deep red in fall, and even last into winter.

Suitable for zones 3 through 9, sedum needs soil that drains very well. It can even grow in poor, sandy, or rocky soil. You won’t even need to fertilize sedum, which is not a heavy feeder. Just water it regularly as it develops strong roots and enjoy the flowers, which will develop quickly in the hot summer weather.

You can get an Autumn Joy Sedum online from Nature Hills Nursery.

4. Aster

Asters form a large group of daisy-like flowers that bloom in late summer and all through the fall in shades of blue, pink, purple, and white. This is a great late-season pollinator flower, and July is a good time to plant it so it can get settled in just before blooming.

Hardy in zones 3 through 8, asters shine in full sun or partial shade. They bloom best in fertile soil that drains well, but stays consistently moist. Pinch back the stems to encourage bushier growth and to prevent legginess.

Shop a wide variety of native aster plants from Plant Addicts.

5. Blanket Flower

Blanket flower is well-adapted to the heat of midsummer, so you can plant it in your garden now for showy late summer and fall flowers. These daisy-like native flowers have unique rings of color in shades of red, yellow, and orange, and are a big draw for pollinators.

Plant blanket flower in an area with full sun and well-draining soil. It’s particularly well-adapted to dry conditions and will even flower during a drought. Despite the tolerance for drought, water your new plant to help it get established. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage blooms through the fall.

Explore exciting blanket flower varieties online from Wayside Gardens.

6. Sneezeweed

Despite its common name, sneezeweed is not a known cause of hay fever or other seasonal allergies. This native wildflower is traditionally yellow, but modern cultivars come in shades of red, orange, and yellow and can be multicolored, similar to blanket flower.

Sneezeweed will establish readily even in the heat of midsummer. It provides instant blooms from July through fall with colors that match the tones of autumn foliage. Sneezeweed grows in zones 3 through 8 and loves full sun. For soil, it requires a decent amount of moisture, so plan to water your new sneezeweed regularly and frequently after planting.

You can get a sneezeweed plant online from Fast Growing Trees.

7. Russian Sage

Russian sage can be planted in July because it tolerates heat very well and will readily grow strong roots in typical midsummer weather conditions. Russian sage is a beautiful plant with silvery foliage and an abundance of light blue or purple flowers that bloom well into fall.

Although not a North American native, Russian sage is hardy in zones 5 through 9, is not invasive, and supports pollinators. Plant in full sun in soil that drains very well. Even dry or rocky soil will be adequate for this tough perennial.

Shop Russian sage plants online from Fast Growing Trees.

8. Coreopsis

Coreopsis is also known as tickseed. It grows quickly and readily in summer heat, developing strong roots and blooming right away. The flowers of this native perennial are typically shades of yellow, but you can also find red and pink types. They bloom continuously through midsummer and into fall.

Coreopsis is hardy in zones 2 through 11 and can tolerate both extremes of cold winters and hot summers. Grow coreopsis in full sun in an area with soil that drains very well. Plan to water it to get established, but it will then be very drought tolerant. You can deadhead the flowers to encourage more blooms all through fall.

Explore gorgeous coreopsis plants from Wayside Gardens.

Pro Tips for Planting Perennials in July

Because of the potential stress caused by heat and drought, July isn’t really the ideal time to put in new plants. However, it can be done successfully with a little extra care:

• Plant when temperatures are coolest. Wait for a cloudy, cooler day, if possible, otherwise plant new perennials in morning or evening to avoid the highest temperatures.
• Water consistently and deeply. The inch (2.5 cm) of water per week rule doesn’t apply to new summer perennials. They need more deep watering to beat heat stress and develop deep roots.
• Add a layer of mulch around new perennials. This will regulate soil temperature, help keep moisture in the soil, and suppress weeds.

Give new July perennials a strong start with these tips, and you’ll be rewarded with flowers that take you into fall, adding color and supporting wildlife.