Fall Blooming Perennials for Texas

August 27, 2013 | By webadmin

We all tend to focus so heavily on the spring and summer blooming season that we often forget about fall! There are many beautiful blooming perennials that can add color to your fall garden, not to mention provide food for pollinators as the weather cools. When choosing perennials for your landscape, it’s important to choose plants with a variety of bloom times so that you have color and interest in the garden year-round.

Some of our favorite fall blooming perennials include Asters. Asters are tough perennials that require little care to thrive. Planted in a sunny location, Asters typically grow to 2- to 3-feet tall in large mounds. Plants bloom in mid- to late-fall and will be covered with purple, pink or white daisy-like flowers. Asters make excellent companions to silver foliage plants such as Artemisia or Lavender.

For a splash of bright yellow color, you can’t beat Mexican Mint Marigold. This culinary herb is one of our latest blooming fall perennials that puts on a heavy show yellow flowers in late fall. In a sunny location, plants can grow to 3-feet tall with dark green foliage. The leaves have the scent and flavor of Anise, which makes it a great substitute for French Tarragon.

If you have a shady spot, consider adding Hellebore, or Lenten Rose. This is one of our toughest and easiest to grow perennials in heavy clay soil. Plants bloom in mid- to late-fall, depending on the variety, and many continue through winter into early spring. These perennials are evergreen and can really brighten up a shady garden.

Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) is another fantastic fall bloomer for our area. This bushy perennial sports lavender to purple blooms atop gray-green foliage, which is a beautiful combination. Plants can grow to 4-feet tall and put on quite the show in fall. Butterflies and hummingbirds love them! They make a perfect companion to ornamental grasses. If you need a more compact version, there is a semi-dwarf called ‘Santa Barbara’ that produces tidy mounds up to 3-feet tall.

Fall is the very best time to plant here in North Texas, so while you're tending your garden be sure to add some of these great fall-blooming perennials to your shopping list!