Fall is the perfect time to refresh your Pennsylvania garden with plants that bring color and life as the season changes. These 16 selections stand out with vibrant leaves, striking blooms, and unique shapes.
They thrive in cooler temperatures and shorter days, keeping your garden beautiful all season. With a little planning, your outdoor space can become a true fall showstopper.
1. Chrysanthemums
Nothing says fall in Pennsylvania quite like these colorful blooms appearing in garden centers everywhere. Available in rich burgundies, sunny yellows, and fiery oranges, they instantly brighten any space.
Plant them in well-drained soil where they’ll get plenty of sunshine. Pennsylvania gardeners love their reliability and how they keep flowering until the first hard frost.
2. Asters
These daisy-like perennials burst into bloom just when other flowers are fading. The star-shaped flowers range from purple to pink to white, creating a meadow-like effect in any garden space.
Many Pennsylvania gardeners appreciate how asters attract late-season butterflies and pollinators. They’re drought-tolerant once established and return reliably year after year.
3. Ornamental Cabbage
Fancy ruffled leaves in purples, pinks, and creams make these edible cousins a decorative standout. The cooler the Pennsylvania weather gets, the more vibrant their colors become.
Use them in containers or border edges where their architectural shapes create interest. Pennsylvania’s fall temperatures are perfect for bringing out their best coloration without the plants bolting.
4. Japanese Maple
Few trees match the fiery display of a Japanese maple in autumn. Their delicate, star-shaped leaves transform into brilliant scarlet, orange, or gold as temperatures drop across Pennsylvania.
Plant one as a focal point where you can appreciate its elegant silhouette. Pennsylvania’s climate provides just the right conditions for these trees to develop their spectacular fall coloration.
5. Helenium
Often called sneezeweed, these native perennials offer daisy-like blooms in rich autumn hues. The copper, gold, and russet flowers stand tall on sturdy stems, dancing in Pennsylvania’s fall breezes.
They thrive in the Commonwealth’s clay soils and attract beneficial pollinators. Despite their common name, helenium won’t make you sneeze – they’re just perfect fall companions for any Pennsylvania garden.
6. Sedum
Drought-tolerant and practically indestructible, sedums are perfect for busy Pennsylvania gardeners. Their succulent leaves form tidy mounds crowned with flat clusters of tiny star-shaped flowers in pink or rusty red.
The flowers gradually deepen in color throughout fall. Even after Pennsylvania’s first frost, the dried flower heads provide winter interest and food for birds.
7. Winterberry
This native holly loses its leaves in fall, revealing branches studded with bright red berries. The striking display lasts well into winter, providing food for birds and color when Pennsylvania landscapes turn brown.
Plant both male and female shrubs to ensure berry production. Pennsylvania gardeners value winterberry for its ability to thrive in wet spots where other plants struggle.
8. Toad Lily
These shade-loving perennials produce orchid-like spotted flowers in late September through October. Their unusual blooms appear just when most Pennsylvania gardens need a fresh focal point.
Plant them along woodland paths where you can appreciate their intricate patterns up close. Pennsylvania’s moderate fall temperatures extend their blooming season longer than in warmer states.
9. Switchgrass
Airy seed heads catch morning light like no other plant in the autumn garden. Native to Pennsylvania, switchgrass turns golden yellow or burgundy as temperatures cool, then stands strong through winter snow.
Use it as a backdrop for fall flowers or in rain gardens. Pennsylvania homeowners appreciate how this grass provides habitat for native birds while requiring almost zero maintenance.
10. Beautyberry
Just when Pennsylvania gardens need color, beautyberry shrubs become laden with clusters of vivid purple berries. The fruit persists long after leaves drop, creating an unexpected color splash in the autumn landscape.
Birds love the berries but usually leave them until late winter. Pennsylvania gardeners find that beautyberry grows quickly and tolerates partial shade better than many fruiting shrubs.
11. Russian Sage
Silvery stems hold clouds of tiny lavender-blue flowers that keep blooming well into fall. The aromatic foliage stands up to Pennsylvania’s variable autumn weather, looking good even after light frosts.
Plant it where afternoon sun will backlight its airy structure. Pennsylvania gardeners value how this drought-tolerant perennial attracts pollinators while deer tend to leave it alone.
12. Caryopteris
Also called bluebeard, this shrub bursts into bloom just when Pennsylvania gardens need a color boost. The powder-blue flowers attract countless butterflies and bees during a time when nectar sources are becoming scarce.
Cut it back each spring for the best fall display. Pennsylvania’s climate is perfect for caryopteris, which needs good winter chill to perform its best the following year.
13. Oakleaf Hydrangea
Large lobed leaves turn brilliant burgundy and purple as Pennsylvania nights grow cooler. The dried flower panicles transition to a rich tan color, creating a beautiful contrast against the colorful foliage.
Plant where it has room to reach its full size. Pennsylvania gardeners appreciate this native shrub’s four-season interest and ability to thrive in partial shade.
14. Goldenrod
Much maligned but rarely deserving its bad reputation, goldenrod lights up Pennsylvania meadows and gardens. The bright yellow plumes attract beneficial insects and provide late-season nectar for migrating butterflies.
Choose garden varieties that stay compact and well-behaved. Pennsylvania native plant enthusiasts know goldenrod doesn’t cause hay fever – that’s actually ragweed blooming at the same time.
15. Witch Hazel
When most plants are shutting down for winter, this native tree is just getting started. Spidery yellow flowers with a subtle spicy fragrance appear on bare branches, often lasting through Pennsylvania’s early snowfalls.
Fall-blooming varieties add unexpected interest to the garden. Pennsylvania homeowners value witch hazel for its unusual bloom time and the way its flowers seem to glow in the low autumn light.
16. Heuchera
Colorful foliage in shades of purple, caramel, and amber brightens shady spots long after flowers have faded. The leaves of these native perennials often intensify in color as Pennsylvania temperatures drop.
Plant several varieties for a tapestry effect in woodland gardens. Pennsylvania’s climate is ideal for heucheras, which appreciate the state’s moderate temperatures and consistent moisture.