8 Plants for Late Summer Containers That Still Look Amazing Through Fall – Transition Your Pots in Style for Long-Lasting Color

Fall is hands down my favorite season. Leaves on several key plants illuminate the garden in hues of bronze, gold and red, the days becoming cozier, and my warm cardigans are getting pulled out of storage. But the change of seasons does make me worry about my garden, and which plants will continue to thrive. I can’t recall an autumn where my container plants ever looked that great for longer than a few weeks after summer faded. In a year where fall weather has been particularly windy or rainy, the flowers seemed to survive for even less time.

If this resonates with you, and you’re looking for creative ideas for late summer flowers for pots that will still look amazing through autumn, these plants are sure to impress for much longer as we transition into fall. These options for late summer-early fall flowers for pots are especially effective as we head into the cooler months. I can’t wait to try out some bold seasonal colors in containers that can continue to delight and dazzle as we head from high summer into fall.

1. Dwarf Plume Celosia

Dwarf plume celosia plants (Celosia argentea var. cristata) are compact, bushy cockscomb varieties that produce vibrant, large flowers. They’re a popular growing choice for people looking to add long-flowering annuals to their yards, tolerating USDA plant hardiness zones 2-12. They can also thrive as tender perennials in USDA zones 10-11. I love the unique plumes of blooms, and how they come in so many colors from muted oranges to deep reds, vibrant pinks, and sunny yellows.

Jodi Danyo, founder of Cherry Valley Organics, believes dwarf celosia plants are a great pick for late summer container gardening combos that can also add traditional fall color. ‘These beauties will flower until hard frost, and well into late fall in warmer climates,’ says Jack. ‘Plant them in full sun and be mindful of overwatering, as these celosias are drought tolerant,’ he adds. Buy Celosia Flame Flower live plants from Amazon for late summer container plants that are still bold and lively in fall.

To stay on the safe side, invest in a soil moisture meter like the XLUX Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon. This meter tells you whether your container soil is waterlogged, damp or dry, so you can adjust your plant’s hydration needs accordingly.

2. Salvia

There are many different kinds of salvia, from common sage (Salvia officinalis) to rosemary (S. rosmarinus) but all these salvia varieties have something in common: they are long lasting and ideal for blooming in containers through summer and beyond. As well as being stunning container plants for late summer, certain salvias are capable of lasting well into the fall, depending on variety, USDA region and growing conditions.

Andrew Bunting, Vice President of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, loves that salvias are capable of flowering all summer long with an abundance of spikes of flowers. ‘They continue to flower until frost, where they then begin to fade as plants that prefer full sun,’ says Andrew. ‘This makes them an ideal choice for the summer-fall transition, as salvias remain in their prime for some time.’

If you’re after sensational summer flowers for pots that will last into fall, you can buy ’Caradonna’ Salvia from Walmart as live plants. With frequent deadheading and consistent care, their flowers can last well into autumn.

3. Chrysanthemums

Whether you’ve grown them before or not, if you’re into gardening you have likely heard of chrysanthemums (or mums, as they are affectionately known). For many, they are viewed as quintessential fall flowers for planters, as most varieties reach peak growing season in late summer to autumn. If you’re looking to use mums as late summer plants for pots, you won’t struggle for choice. There are plenty of colors and types, from pink double blooms with layers of extra petals to sunset gradient flowerheads.

Chris Link, a plant expert at Plant Addicts, believes chrysanthemums are a dream for adding to late summer containers, especially if you’re looking to inject fall colors into your yard before the seasons change. ‘Mums are a prime pick, available in rich golds, reds and purples,’ says Chris. ‘Just choose hardy garden varieties, not florist types that won’t last.’

In terms of reliable summer-fall mums for pots, varieties like ‘Brennpunkt’, ‘Coup de Soleil’ and ‘Bienchen’ are ideal. Try ‘Mammoth Daisy Red’ Chrysanthemum plants from Burpee for a hot splash of deep red semi-double blooms. It’s also a good idea to prune spent flowerheads using shears like the Fiskars Bypass Pruners from Walmart, so your late summer container flowers flourish well into the fall.

4. Aster

Asters are ideal for adding late-season color to summer containers. Depending on variety, asters typically bloom from August to October in plant hardiness zones 4-8. In shades of pink, purple, white, and red, these blooms have a daisy-like appearance with domed heads or flat tops much-loved by pollinators.

If you are looking to grow asters that will work well as late summer-early fall container plants then Aster ‘Wood’s Blue’ from Walmart, available as a live plant, makes a stunning choice. Happy in full sun and well draining soil, this perennial develops masses of purple-blue blooms well into fall. For an unusual, more feathery aster, try Honeysong Purple Stokes by Pixies Gardens, also available at Walmart.

5. Sedum

If you’re looking for a large container plant that brings the wow factor into fall, Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is a dazzling and enduring flowering option. Growing this sedum, you’ll find it is incredibly hardy, thriving in zones 3-9, and requires little to no maintenance, as long as the container is in full sun. You can enjoy richly tinted blooms that last for months, until they die back in winter. This sedum variety is truly one of the best container plants for late summer transitions into fall.

‘This kind of sedum develops thick, succulent-like foliage and dense flower clusters,’ says Chris. ‘As the plant ages, the clusters develop copper tones, ideal for the fall transition.’ Pink ‘Autumn Joy’ plants are also available if you’re looking for a softer alternative to red. Buy Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ as a potted live plant from Walmart.

6. Autumn Crocus

Colchicum ‘Waterlily’, also known as the autumn crocus, is a beautiful pick for late summer containers, and one of the flowers I love most in this list. Their petals appear almost like tissue paper, in delicate hues of pinks, purples and blues. Large, glossy leaves fade through summer and come September, it’s ready to flower. Blooms continue to look lovely through autumn in USDA zones 4-8.

Tabar Gifford, partnership cultivator and Master Gardener at American Meadows, recommends full or partial sun for these late summer-to-fall flowering bulbs, and says you should also water sparingly. ‘These lovely plants give a surprise burst of color when most flowers have begun to fade later in the summer,’ says Tabar.

Colchicum autumnale blooms at the same time as the autumn crocus, and would pair well together in a container for more visual variety. You can purchase Colchicum autumnnale seeds on Amazon.

7 and 8. Pansies and Violas

Pansies and violas are also among the prime picks for late summer containers. They are hardy in USDA zones 3-8, meaning they can survive freezing and even light snow cover. Late summer, when the edge is taken off the sun, is an ideal time to incorporate these blooms into containers. Violas and pansies can look amazing on small patios or near front doors, creating an instant pop of color that lasts long into the cooler months. They also make gorgeous thriller, filler, spiller plants coupled with grasses, evergreens and trailing ivy.

‘These cheerful flowers handle cooling weather beautifully, offering long lasting blooms into late fall,’ says Chris. ‘It’s best to plant these flowers up while there's still a bit of warmth left to the soil, so late summer is perfect.’ There are loads of gorgeous live plant pansy options available to buy from Burpee, including ‘Cool Wave Raspberry Swirl’, pink ‘Sunrise’, ‘Plentifall Lavender Blue’ and ‘Yellow Blotch’. You can also buy violas as live plants from Burpee, including ‘Brush Strokes’ and ‘Tiger Eye Mixed’, for unexpected color bursts in the fall garden.

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