Fall Flowers for Pots – 8 Dazzling Options for Autumnal Displays that Last All Season

Containers are essential to the creation of a thriving garden and help create multi-season dynamics. Just because the summer is over, that doesn’t mean you can’t transform a quiet corner of your yard, patio, front porch or window space with glorious, living color in tubs, planters, urns, barrels and hanging baskets.

Grow the right fall flowers for pots and you can celebrate the season right up to first frost, and in some cases, as far as the final weeks of the year. Here are some of the most versatile, reliable and glorious fall container flowers you can grow. These are some of the best plants for container gardening that can light up the fall calendar. They’re guaranteed to turn even modest gardening spots into a cacophony of autumnal splendor.

Choose the Best Fall Flowers for Pots

Choosing the best fall flowers for containers will depend on regional variations, planting zones and container sizes, as well as the needs of selected species. Still, there are plenty of options, covering both those that start flowering in summer and last into autumn, and those that are still flowering well through fall. Careful consideration at planting time will help plants to flourish as you transition from summer through fall. Select species of fall plants and flowers for pots will bloom well through autumn, often demonstrating a preference or tolerance to cool growing conditions.

You may need to select dwarf breeds for certain plants to guarantee that they have the best chance of thriving as autumn flowers for pots. Alternatively, you could upscale your containers to ensure you have plenty of room not only for flowering stems but healthy root systems. Some of these flowers work well in isolation, while others make exquisite combination choices as part of thriller, spiller, filler container arrangements.

Make sure potted fall flowers receive good care after planting in containers, tubs, planters and hanging baskets. Add a slow-release food to nourish plants during autumn while actively blooming. Slow-release spikes such as Jobe’s Flower Fertilizer Spikes from Amazon are highly rated and guarantee the longest lasting blooms and plenty of fresh growth.

1. Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums are among the most popular autumn flowers for pots. Best known for their warm palette and vibrant color, these cold-tolerant perennials are certain to dazzle through fall. If sourcing live mums for pots, look for a plant that is tightly budded. The more buds there are on the plant, the more flowers you can enjoy through the fall. Blooms are likely to last longer in cooler weather, but mums also look great mixed with other plants for a display with sustained autumnal appeal. Buy The Three Company Store Happy Fall Mums as live plants from Amazon.

Mulching these fall flowers through winter can further aid in plant growth, regulating both temperature and moisture throughout the coldest months of the year. Most chrysanthemums will be hardy through USDA zones 4-9. Buy Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch from Amazon for the best fall flowers for pots. Deadhead spent flowerheads using Fiskars Bypass Pruners from Walmart, so your container mums flourish for longer.

2. Asters

Both annual and perennial types of aster are some of the best fall flowers for containers. This is largely due to their prolonged bloom, stretching from mid-summer through the first frost. Their late-season color also gives sanctuary to pollinators such as bees and butterflies in preparation for winter. Though annual species should be planted on a seasonal basis, you can expect perennial types to return dependably. Plants will be hardy through USDA zones 3-8.

Depending on variety, location and container, asters are capable of flowering through October. Aster ‘Wood’s Blue’ from Walmart, available as a live plant, makes a stunning choice. Happy in full sun and well draining soil, it develops masses of purple-blue blooms through fall. For a hot pink twist, buy American Beauties’ Aster ‘Vibrant Dome’ as a live plant from Amazon. Asters make amazing fall flowers if you want plants that will thrive on neglect as well as fill an autumnal gap with color.

3. Calendula

Calendulas are beloved for their early spring bloom. However, their beauty can look amazing in end-of-summer containers, and that their blooms can last well into fall where conditions remain cool. Even in warmer climates, you can have success with successive plantings of calendula in late summer. Plants can mature quickly, blooming in 6-8 weeks. Flowers are beneficial to migrating insects, with flowers persisting well through the arrival of the first frost.

Choose a container with plenty of drainage holes, and give as much direct sunlight as your fall front yard or growing space will provide. You may find that a high phosphorus formula can encourage more blooms, extending the life of your fall containers. It might also help to use a natural product like Garden Safe Slug Pellets from Amazon, as molluscs seem to have a soft spot for calendula plants. You can still buy Calendula Plant Seedlings from Amazon if you hurry.

4. Dianthus

Many species of dianthus make good candidates for fall containers. Most will perform as a perennial or biennial, blooming through summer, but cool weather will help to extend the production of flowers through autumn. Potted specimens such as carnations or pinks are best, maintaining a more compact size. Hardiness and tolerance to cold will vary, but most dianthus are fine through USDA zones 3-9.

Make sure plants receive plenty of sunshine during the flowering season, and a regular supply of water and fertilizer to maintain good health. You may also find it helps to deadhead your potted dianthus to encourage further flowering, depending on variety. The best dianthus varieties for enduring color in fall containers include the Scent First Series featuring ‘Candy Floss’, ‘Sugar Plum’ and ‘Passion’ varieties. Buy Perennial Farm Marketplace’s Dianthus ‘Neon Star’ as live plants from Amazon.

5. Echinacea

Known for their ability to draw pollinators and beneficial insects, echinacea plants are beautiful summer blooming plants that also work well in fall containers. Though many common varieties can grow quite large, several newer introductions are short in stature so thrive in pots and planters. Expect an abundance of brightly colored blooms, persisting well through the arrival of the first frost. Especially popular dwarf varieties of echinacea include ‘Kim's Knee High’, ‘Lilliput Dwarf’ and ‘Paradiso Dwarf’ coneflowers. Echinacea is hardy through USDA zones 4-9.

Coneflowers are naturally drought tolerant, but don’t let container grown coneflowers dry out too much. To allow for as much freedom between plants and roots as possible, opt for the biggest container possible. Deadheading can help you extend the flowering season. Because they are perennials, bear in mind that you will need to divide them and move them to new containers every few years. You can still buy Coneflower ‘Green Twister’ as live plants from Nature Hills if you hurry.

6. Rudbeckia

Several species of rudbeckia are very well-suited to growth in containers. Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) are primarily associated with the arrival of summer, but their vibrant hues last through to autumn, attracting the attention of many pollinators. Especially attractive rudbeckia varieties ‘Goldilocks’ and ‘Sahara’ make a welcome addition to decorative containers near porches or patios.

Hardy in USDA zones 3-9, rudbeckia plants flower best in full sun but are otherwise unfussy container flowers and won’t require fertilizer. For the quintessential autumnal colors, classic yellow is undeniably vivacious, but you can also branch out into other hues, such as deep red ‘Cherry Brandy’ and orange ‘Prairie Sun’ flowers. Buy Perennial Farm Marketplace’s Rudbeckia ‘American Gold Rush’ as a live plant from Amazon.

7. Salvia

Some of the best types of salvia for growth in containers are those which bloom in autumn. Ideal salvia varieties for pots include Salvia greggii, S. leucantha and S. farinacea. Perennial species like these will be tolerant to cold and return dependably. Showy flowers, common in shades of pink and red, will be adored by migrating hummingbirds and a variety of beneficial insects. Most salvia are full sun container plants but they are hardy in USDA zones 3-9, with some variation by species.

Depending on variety, USDA region and growing conditions, salvias are capable of flowering until first frost with an abundance of flower spikes. With color options ranging from midnight blues and purples to jewel-bright pinks, they are an ideal choice for the summer-fall transition, and remain in their prime for as long as there is sunshine. Buy dwarf Salvia ‘Mirage Rose Bicolor’ as a live plant from Amazon.

8. Snapdragon

Popular in beds and mixed borders, snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) may not seem like an obvious choice for fall containers, but it is possible to enjoy their colors and dramatic structural beauty through the seasonal transition into autumn. Shorter varieties will perform best. Popular container snapdragon options include cultivars belonging to the ‘Snappy’ or ‘Snaptini’ series, bred specifically for their compact size.

While mostly sold as annual flowers that bloom in summer, snapdragons can be grown as short-lived perennials in USDA zones 6-11. With the right conditions they can keep going well into fall. Flowers also seed prolifically, so even in cooler climates they will return each season. You can grow snapdragons in combinations of red, orange, yellow, coral, and pink for sizzling seasonal color that will delight for weeks. Buy Mixed Color Snapdragons in double packs of live plants from Amazon.

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