As summer fades in Ohio, many gardeners assume their flowerbeds are done for the season. Not so fast! Fall can be just as colorful as spring and summer with the right plant selections.
These autumn bloomers not only extend your garden’s beauty through the cooler months but also provide essential late-season food for pollinators preparing for winter in the Buckeye State.
1. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
The fleshy, succulent leaves of this perennial create a perfect backdrop for its flat-topped flower clusters. Starting pale pink in late summer, they deepen to rusty red by October.
Hardy enough to handle Ohio’s unpredictable fall weather swings, these drought-tolerant plants thrive in poor soil where other flowers struggle. I’ve watched bees crowd around mine until the first hard frost hits.
2. Russian Sage
Airy spires of tiny lavender-blue flowers rise above silvery foliage, creating a misty purple cloud in the garden. This drought-resistant perennial starts blooming in summer but really hits its stride come September.
Around Columbus, I’ve noticed these plants continuing to show color well into October. Deer avoid its aromatic leaves, making it perfect for Ohio’s woodland edges where hungry critters often visit.
3. Goldenrod
Often unfairly blamed for hay fever (that’s actually ragweed’s fault), these native Ohio plants provide essential fall nectar for butterflies preparing to migrate south. Sunny yellow plumes brighten the landscape from August through October.
Many gardeners here in the Midwest now choose well-behaved cultivars like ‘Fireworks’ rather than the spreading wild types. The shorter varieties look particularly striking when planted near purple asters.
4. New England Aster
Daisy-like purple blooms absolutely cover these native plants from late August until frost. Growing naturally in Ohio’s meadows and roadsides, they’ve been cultivated into garden-worthy varieties in various heights and colors.
My Cincinnati garden wouldn’t be complete without these fall standouts. They pair beautifully with ornamental grasses and provide crucial late-season nectar for Monarch butterflies fueling up before their long journey south.
5. Japanese Anemone
Delicate pink or white flowers dance on tall, wiry stems above attractive foliage. Unlike many fall bloomers with daisy or cluster forms, these offer a completely different flower shape for seasonal interest.
Slow to establish but long-lived once happy, they perform beautifully in the dappled shade common in many Ohio yards. During those perfect October days when the air turns crisp, these elegant blooms add a touch of grace to the autumn garden.
6. Toad Lily
Exotic-looking orchid-like flowers speckled with purple dots appear along arching stems in September and October. These unusual shade-lovers bring unexpected interest to woodland gardens when most other plants are finishing up.
Despite their tropical appearance, they’re surprisingly hardy in Ohio’s climate. The variety ‘Sinonome’ has performed exceptionally well in my partially shaded backyard in Cleveland, flowering faithfully even after early light frosts.
7. Helenium
Commonly called sneezeweed (though it won’t make you sneeze), these native perennials offer daisy-like blooms in rich autumn hues of gold, orange, and mahogany. The distinctive petals curl downward around a raised center disk.
Thriving in Ohio’s clay soils, they bloom from August through October. Local garden centers around Dayton often carry ‘Mardi Gras’ – a particularly colorful variety that attracts countless pollinators and makes excellent cut flowers for fall arrangements.
8. Autumn Crocus
Unlike their spring-blooming cousins, these bulbs send up leafless flowers in September and October, seemingly by magic. The goblet-shaped blooms in shades of purple, pink, or white emerge directly from the soil without any foliage.
Plant them in July for fall color, then watch as the leaves appear next spring before dying back in summer. Many Ohio gardeners tuck them among groundcovers where their unexpected blooms can surprise visitors during autumn garden walks.
9. Caryopteris ‘Blue Mist’
Clouds of powder-blue flowers cover this compact shrub from late summer through fall. The aromatic gray-green foliage provides a perfect backdrop for the numerous tiny blooms that bees absolutely adore.
Often called blue mist shrub, it performs beautifully in Ohio’s hot summers and continues flowering into cooler weather. After testing several varieties in my Toledo garden, I’ve found ‘Longwood Blue’ offers the most reliable fall color and bounces back even after harsh winters.
10. Monkshood
Tall spikes of hooded blue-purple flowers give this plant its name – they resemble the cowls worn by medieval monks. Blooming when most other flowers have finished, they’re a rare source of true blue in the autumn garden.
All parts are poisonous, so wear gloves when handling. Despite this caution, they’re valuable for Ohio gardens since deer and rabbits avoid them completely. In my experience, they perform best in locations with morning sun and afternoon shade.
11. Hardy Mums
The classic fall flower, chrysanthemums offer domes of color in virtually every autumn shade imaginable. While many treat them as disposable seasonal decorations, choosing truly hardy varieties means they’ll return year after year.
For best results in Ohio gardens, plant them in spring rather than fall to establish strong roots before winter. The ‘Sheffield’ series has proven especially durable through multiple Midwest winters, surviving even when planted in heavy clay soil common throughout the state.
12. Turtlehead
Named for their unique flowers that resemble tiny turtle heads, these native perennials bloom from late summer through fall. The pink or white tubular blooms appear on upright stems above glossy dark green foliage.
Naturally found in moist areas throughout Ohio, they’re perfect for rain gardens or those tricky spots where water collects after storms. Local butterflies, especially the Baltimore Checkerspot, rely on them for both nectar and as host plants for their caterpillars.
13. Witch Hazel
Unlike most fall bloomers, this native shrub waits until the very end of autumn to display its unique flowers. Spidery yellow blooms with thin, crinkled petals appear just as the colorful leaves are dropping.
Some varieties even flower during winter thaws. The fragrant blooms have a sweet, spicy scent that carries surprisingly far in the cool air. Throughout Ohio’s state parks and natural areas, you’ll find these understory shrubs brightening woodland edges when little else dares to bloom.