It’s time to change out summer container gardens for a fall look now that the days are growing shorter and temperatures cooling. Fall is a great time to plant as temperatures are cooler and there is usually plenty of rain. In fall, divide perennials and shrubs before the ground gets too firm. If you are in the market for new plants in fall you can usually find sales at Pantano nursery and landscape supply when we are trying to make room for holiday trees and greens.

 

Amaranthus

Amaranthus is an annual or short-lived perennial plants collectively known as amaranths. Some amaranth species are cultivated as leaf vegetables, pseudocereals, and ornamental plants. Bright pink, rust, and golden brushes of densely packed flowers grow in summer or autumn.

 

Aster

You can grow aster as a beautiful fall perennial in many regions. Flowering in shades of purple, pink, white, and blue, asters are an ideal break for the traditional end-of-the-season color palette. Aster is one of the best plants to feed hungry bees and butterflies in autumn.

 

Black-Eyed Susan

Bold and dramatic, black-eyed Susan offers golden-yellow daisy-shaped flowers with the black center. A favorite of bees and butterflies, it brightens any landscape or container garden planting. Black-eyed Susan looks particularly good with mums and asters.

 

Dahlias

Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, herbaceous perennial plants native to Mexico and Central America. A member of the Compositae family, its garden relatives thus include the sunflower, daisy, chrysanthemum, and zinnia.  Colors range from bright pinks to honey browns.

 

Dianthus

A cool-season enchanter, dianthus offers beautiful flowers and wonderful fragrances. Be sure to plant dianthus close to your deck where you can enjoy their great scent! You’ll find dianthus in a range of colors, from pink and white to red and purple.  Makes great boarders around your deck.

 

Canna

Canna or canna lily is the only genus of flowering plants in the family Cannaceae, consisting of 10 species. Colors range from amber to tangerine.  Canna lilies may come back every year in growing zones 7- 10. Cannas are considered winter hardy.  Canna lilies do best in a rich, moisture-retentive soil in full sun or light shade. In the garden they’re perfect for the back or middle of a mixed or tropical border. Some can reach up to 2.5 feet in height. Even when not in flower, their impressive foliage offers the perfect foil for neighboring flowers.

 

Celosia

Durable and easy-care celosia is a natural for fall because many varieties appear in the autumn color palette. Celosia provides bright yellow, warm orange, scarlet red, and deep burgundy purple accents to your container gardens. And don’t forget to add celosia to your landscape beds. The flame-like plumes of bloom add fun vertical texture to other fall flowers.

Chrysanthemum

Beautiful mums create a cushion of color in festive seasonal shades of red, orange, yellow, and peach, as well as contrasting shades of pink and white. Because of their popularity, you can find these fall flowers in a wide variety of sizes. Look for dainty mini-mums in tiny 2-inch-wide which are pots perfect for table décor or giants that can grow a couple of feet across which are perfect for fence lines.

 

Cornflower

Centaurea cyanus, commonly known as cornflower or bachelor’s button, is an annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to Europe. In the past, it often grew as a weed in cornfields.  Bushy blue flowers grow close to the ground.  The dried flowers are an herb used to make medicine. People take cornflower tea to treat fever, constipation, water retention, and chest congestion.

 

Cosmos

Cosmoses are easy to start from seed and will often self-sow.  Plants are easy to grow and maintain. Cosmos will grow in hot sun and poor soil and will withstand drought conditions.  Cosmoses are beautiful and diverse. The flowers come in an amazing variety of bright colors and unique styles. Plants grow as 12-inch dwarfs up to 4-foot giants.  Flowers attract beautiful friends to our gardens: birds, bees, and butterflies love cosmos.  Cosmos looks good in containers, flower beds and borders.

 

Croton

Croton is ideal for autumn. A plant in warm-weather regions or a shrub in frost-free areas, it also grows well as an annual. Enjoy its flamboyant foliage in rich shades of red, orange, yellow, and purple.

 

Dusty Miller

Known for its silver-grey foliage, it features leaves covered in soft, silvery hairs — these hairs help it to resist drought and hold up to hot conditions like a champ. The silvery color is a neutral in the garden, so you can count on dusty miller to look attractive next to any annual or perennial. Dusty miller will grow 12 to 18 inches tall.  Jacobaea maritima, commonly known as silver ragwort, is a perennial plant species in the family Asteraceae, native to the Mediterranean region.  Dusty miller tolerates light frost with ease but can be damaged by hard freezes. Where winters are mild, dusty miller can be grown as a winter annual or short-lived perennial.

 

Flowering Kale

Also called flowering cabbage, this is one of the toughest plants for fall. It holds up well to frosty temperatures and looks good all winter long in mild-winter areas! Kale offers dramatic color and texture and pairs well with just about every fall flower. Flowering kale is bred for its ornamental appearance, not for taste. We don’t advise consuming flowering kale varieties.

 

Goldenrod

Solidago, commonly called goldenrods, is a genus of about 100 to 120 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Most herbaceous perennial species are found in open areas such as meadows, prairies, and savannas.  A few studies suggest goldenrod may help reduce inflammation, relieve muscle spasms, fight infections, and lower blood pressure. Canada goldenrod contains saponins, which are considered toxic to humans.  Goldenrod flowers contain nectar to attract pollinating insects, and the large, heavy pollen grains attach to the insect bodies. It is an important nectar source for pollinators like bees. Ragweed flowers do not contain nectar, and the plants are dependent on the wind to transfer the small, lightweight pollen.  Do not plant these if you have hay fever.

 

Hardy Fuchsia

Fuchsia magellanica, commonly known as the hummingbird fuchsia or hardy fuchsia, is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family.  Fuchsias are wonderfully versatile and will happily grow in sun or partial shade in any fertile, moist, well-drained soil. However, they do appreciate some shade during the hottest part of the day and a bit of shelter from cold winds.  Prune your hardy fuchsias in late March or April once the new growth begins to show. In colder parts of the country, leave it until all risk of frost has passed.  Colors range from crimson to magenta.

 

Ornamental Pepper

Bred to be looked at rather than eaten, ornamental peppers are perfect for fall. These plants offer colorful fruits in festive shades of red, yellow, orange, and purple. There are different shapes and sizes available, from perfectly round black pearl to the Texan look of hot chili.

 

Pansies

Pretty pansies provide lovely cool-season color in every shade of the rainbow. Wonderfully versatile and heavy blooming, pansies are the perfect fall flower. Old-fashioned varieties grow in tidy mounds. Look for new varieties that trail and are ideal as groundcovers or hanging baskets. Plant pansy in the fall and they will come back to bloom again in the spring.

 

Purple Fountain Grass

While not a flower, purple fountain grass is the ideal accent for other fall flowers. Its burgundy-purple foliage pairs perfectly with other colors. It adds wonderful texture to garden plantings like mums and kale.

 

Sunflowers

The common sunflower is a large annual forb of the genus Helianthus grown as a crop for its edible oil and seeds. This sunflower species is also used as wild bird food, as livestock forage, in some industrial applications, and as an ornamental in domestic gardens. Happy yellow petals surround the brown center.  The tallest sunflower grew to 30 feet, and they are best placed along the fence or the back of the garden.

 

Sumac

Sumac, also spelled sumach, is any of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus Rhus and related genera in the cashew family. Sumacs grow in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world.  Sumac is used as a spice, as a dye, and in medicine.  Species with red berries, including smooth and fragrant sumac, produce edible berries, while species with white berries, including poison ivy, have poisonous berries.

 

Sweet Alyssum

Another flower to grow for its beautiful fragrance, sweet alyssum creeps along the ground creating a carpet of color in the fall. Or use it in containers to spill over the edges like a waterfall. Either way, the effect in enchanting! Sweet alyssum tolerates cool weather well and can bloom all fall and winter long in mild areas.

 

Viola

Violas are cute and charming smaller cousins of pansies. They offer a multitude of flowers in just about every color. Because the blooms are daintier, they hold up better to rain and other weather. Violas come in a wider color range than pansies, making them among the most versatile fall flowers.

 

For more information contact Pantano nursery and landscape supply at (732) 786-8503
143 County Road 522 Manalapan, NJ 07726  https://www.pantanonursery.com/wholesale-perennials/