Fall in Minnesota brings cooler days and crisp air, but that doesn’t mean your garden has to slow down. I’ve found a handful of plants that absolutely love this season and really brighten up the yard.
These 15 plants are perfect for thriving in Minnesota’s fall gardens. Plant them now and enjoy color, texture, and life in your garden all season long!
1. Asters
These daisy-like blooms burst with purple, pink, and blue colors when many Minnesota gardens start fading. Hardy enough to handle early frosts, they’re perfect for attracting late-season pollinators to your yard.
Minnesota gardeners love asters because they return reliably year after year, adding vibrant color when most plants are shutting down. Plant them in sunny spots with good drainage for best results.
2. Mums
Available in countless colors from bright yellows to deep burgundies, mums create instant autumn impact in any Minnesota landscape. These bushy beauties can handle light frosts and continue blooming well into the fall season.
Throughout Minnesota, garden centers overflow with these seasonal favorites. Choose varieties labeled as ‘hardy mums’ if you want them to return next year after our tough winters.
3. Sedum
Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant, sedums develop eye-catching flower heads that transition from pale green to pink and finally copper. The fleshy leaves store water, making them incredibly resilient during unpredictable fall weather.
Many Minnesota gardeners appreciate how sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ attracts butterflies even as temperatures drop. These sturdy plants stand strong through early snowfalls while providing winter interest in the garden.
4. Ornamental Kale
Frost actually improves the vibrant purple, pink and white colors of ornamental kale, making it perfect for Minnesota’s cooling temperatures. Unlike its edible cousins, this kale is grown purely for its stunning ruffled appearance.
Across Minnesota’s gardens, these decorative plants add texture and color that lasts until serious snow arrives. Plant them in containers or borders where their unique forms can be appreciated up close.
5. Russian Sage
Airy spires of tiny lavender flowers create a purple haze effect above silvery foliage. This drought-tolerant perennial continues looking good even after Minnesota’s first light frosts have damaged other plants.
Minnesota landscapes benefit from Russian sage’s deer-resistant qualities and minimal care requirements. Its aromatic leaves add sensory interest to the garden while the flowers attract beneficial insects throughout the fall.
6. Helenium
Often called sneezeweed (though it doesn’t cause allergies), helenium offers daisy-like blooms in rich autumn hues. The copper, gold, and russet flowers blend perfectly with Minnesota’s changing leaf colors throughout September and October.
Minnesota gardeners find helenium attracts beneficial insects while deer tend to avoid it. For the most flowers, plant these beauties in full sun spots with consistent moisture during the growing season.
7. Coneflower
Even as their petals fade, coneflowers develop distinctive seed heads that add structural interest to Minnesota fall gardens. Birds, especially goldfinches, love to visit these native plants for their nutritious seeds.
Throughout Minnesota, gardeners appreciate how these prairie natives stand strong against autumn winds. Leave the dried flower heads standing through winter instead of deadheading for natural bird feeding stations in your garden.
8. Rudbeckia
Golden yellow petals surrounding dark centers make these flowers instantly recognizable in Minnesota landscapes. Black-eyed Susans and their rudbeckia relatives bloom profusely into fall, creating sunny spots even on cloudy autumn days.
Minnesota gardeners love how these native plants attract pollinators and require minimal care. Their cheerful blooms complement other fall flowers while their seed heads provide winter interest and food for birds.
9. Heuchera
Prized for colorful foliage rather than flowers, heuchera (coral bells) adds rich burgundy, purple, or caramel tones to Minnesota fall gardens. These shade-tolerant perennials maintain their attractive leaves well into the cooler months.
Minnesota gardeners appreciate how heuchera’s evergreen qualities provide interest even after other plants have gone dormant. Their mounding habit works perfectly in containers or as colorful edging along garden paths.
10. Turtlehead
Pink or white flowers resembling turtle heads bloom on tall stems during September and October. Native to wet areas, turtlehead thrives in Minnesota’s damp fall conditions when many other plants struggle.
Across Minnesota’s gardens, these unique flowers provide late-season nectar for pollinators. Their moisture-loving nature makes them perfect additions near rain gardens or in those troublesome wet spots where other plants rot.
11. Switchgrass
Airy seed heads catch morning light while sturdy stems stand tall through Minnesota’s autumn winds and early snows. This native prairie grass turns golden yellow before transitioning to a warm tan that lasts all winter.
Minnesota landscapes benefit from switchgrass’s four-season interest and wildlife value. Birds shelter among the stems while small mammals eat the seeds, creating a mini-ecosystem right in your garden throughout the fall and winter.
12. Japanese Anemone
Delicate pink or white flowers dance on tall stems above attractive foliage from late summer into fall. These elegant perennials add movement and grace to Minnesota gardens when many other plants have finished blooming.
Minnesota gardeners in shadier locations particularly appreciate Japanese anemones for brightening dark corners. Their late blooming period extends the garden season, providing fresh flowers when most plants are winding down.
13. Winterberry
Bright red berries appear after this native holly’s leaves drop, creating stunning seasonal interest. Birds love the nutritious berries, though they often wait until winter when other food becomes scarce in Minnesota landscapes.
Throughout Minnesota, gardeners plant winterberry for its spectacular winter display. Remember that you’ll need both male and female plants to get berries, with one male able to pollinate several females.
14. Viburnum
Fall brings both colorful foliage and berries to these versatile shrubs. Depending on the variety, Minnesota gardeners can enjoy purple, blue, or red fruits alongside leaves turning shades of burgundy and orange.
Across Minnesota, native viburnum species provide important food sources for birds. The American cranberrybush viburnum offers particularly spectacular red berries that persist well into winter, brightening snowy garden scenes.
15. Goldenrod
Contrary to popular belief, goldenrod doesn’t cause hay fever and deserves a place in Minnesota fall gardens. Its bright yellow flower plumes attract beneficial insects and add sunny color when gardens start to fade.
Minnesota native goldenrod species are well-behaved compared to their aggressive cousins. Look for cultivated varieties like ‘Fireworks’ that offer all the beauty without the spreading habit that worries some gardeners.