September in Texas brings a welcome respite from summer’s scorching heat, offering the perfect opportunity to refresh your container garden. As temperatures begin to moderate, many plants thrive in the still-warm days and cooler nights of early fall.
Whether you’re gardening on a patio in Dallas or a balcony in Austin, these potted beauties will bring new life to your outdoor spaces while standing up to our unique Texas growing conditions.
1. Mexican Mint Marigold
Adding a pop of golden yellow to autumn container arrangements, this Texas-tough perennial doubles as both ornamental and culinary treasure. The anise-scented leaves make an excellent tarragon substitute in cooking.
Water sparingly once established as it handles our dry spells with remarkable resilience. Even in Houston’s humidity or El Paso’s desert conditions, this native adapts beautifully.
I’ve found pairing it with purple fountain grass creates striking contrast in my porch containers. The bright flowers seem to capture September’s golden sunshine even on cloudy days.
2. Fall Aster
Bursting with purple-blue blooms just when summer flowers fade, fall asters bring fresh energy to tired container displays. Their daisy-like flowers attract butterflies and beneficial pollinators to your patio space.
Choose compact varieties like ‘Purple Dome’ for containers. Morning sun with afternoon shade works perfectly in our Texas heat, especially in southern regions where afternoons can still scorch even in September.
My San Antonio container garden comes alive when these beauties start flowering. Their natural wildflower appearance pairs wonderfully with ornamental grasses for that meadow-in-a-pot effect.
3. Ornamental Peppers
Resembling colorful holiday lights, these compact plants produce fruits in shades of purple, orange, red, and yellow – often simultaneously on the same plant! The peppers point upward like tiny lanterns among glossy foliage.
Full sun locations bring out their best coloration. Most varieties thrive in our September heat while adding unusual texture to container combinations.
During a garden party last fall, guests couldn’t stop commenting on my patio peppers. They create instant conversation pieces while requiring minimal care – perfect for busy gardeners wanting maximum impact with minimum fuss.
4. Copper Canyon Daisy
Releasing a distinctive marigold-meets-mint fragrance when brushed against, this Texas native explodes with bright yellow flowers in fall. The aromatic foliage alone makes it worth growing, even before the blooming begins.
Drought tolerance makes it perfect for forgotten corners of patios. Simply plant in well-draining soil and watch it thrive with minimal attention through our unpredictable Texas weather patterns.
Last September, my Austin balcony containers featured these alongside blue plumbago. The scent wafted through open windows each evening, creating a sensory connection to the garden even from indoors.
5. Purple Fountain Grass
Graceful plumes catching September’s golden light create movement and drama in container arrangements. The burgundy-purple foliage provides rich color even when the plant isn’t flowering, making it a true double-duty performer.
Handling our Texas heat without complaint, this grass asks only for well-draining soil and occasional watering. The dramatic height (2-3 feet) creates instant vertical interest in container groupings.
During evening gatherings on my Dallas patio, guests often comment on how the backlit plumes seem to glow. Pairing it with trailing sweet potato vine creates a stunning spiller-thriller combination.
6. Russian Sage
Creating a cloud of lavender-blue above silvery foliage, compact varieties of this Mediterranean beauty fit perfectly in larger containers. The airy texture softens arrangements while standing up to our challenging climate.
Absolutely reveling in our Texas heat and sunshine, it requires minimal water once established. The aromatic foliage naturally repels deer and many garden pests – a bonus for suburban gardeners.
My west-facing patio containers showcase these alongside yellow lantana. The color combination practically glows during September’s golden hour, creating a magical atmosphere for outdoor dinners.
7. Firebush
Hummingbirds dart constantly around these flame-colored blooms that intensify as temperatures cool in September. The tubular flowers provide crucial nectar for migrating pollinators passing through Texas.
Heat-loving and drought-tolerant once established, firebush performs beautifully in containers with minimal care. Morning sun with afternoon shade creates ideal growing conditions in most Texas regions.
During family gatherings last fall, we counted six different hummingbirds visiting my patio firebush. Placing containers near seating areas lets you enjoy these aerial visitors up close – nature’s entertainment system!
8. Croton
Foliage resembling an artist’s palette of autumn colors makes this tropical standout perfect for September containers. The leathery leaves in gold, orange, red and burgundy create instant impact without waiting for flowers.
Morning sun produces the brightest colors while afternoon shade prevents leaf burn in our Texas heat. Weekly watering keeps it happy while it brightens your outdoor living spaces.
During a neighborhood garden tour, visitors kept asking about my patio crotons. Their dramatic coloration creates focal points in container groupings – I’ve found they pair beautifully with trailing sweet potato vine for contrast.
9. Sweet Almond Verbena
Releasing a vanilla-almond fragrance that carries across the garden, this Texas favorite produces delicate white flower spikes above lush green foliage. Evening gatherings become magical with its sweet perfume floating through the air.
Container-grown specimens stay smaller than their in-ground counterparts, making them perfect for patios. Regular trimming maintains a bushy shape while providing fragrant cuttings for indoor arrangements.
My Houston apartment balcony features one in a large pot near the seating area. September evenings spent reading beside it have become a cherished ritual – the scent creates an atmosphere no candle could match.
10. Trailing Lantana
Cascading over container edges with a profusion of butterfly-attracting blooms, trailing varieties add movement to static arrangements. The flowers in purple, white, pink or gold seem to intensify their color as September temperatures moderate.
Practically indestructible in our Texas climate, these natives thrive with minimal attention. Weekly watering keeps them blooming continuously through fall’s warm days and cooler nights.
My San Antonio courtyard features them spilling from hanging baskets. The constant butterfly visitors create living decoration – last September, I counted five different species visiting in a single afternoon!
11. Autumn Sage
Sending up spikes of red, pink, or purple tubular blooms that attract hummingbirds and butterflies, this Texas native perks up in September’s cooler temperatures. After summer’s heat, it often experiences a magnificent reblooming period.
Requiring excellent drainage makes it perfect for containers where soil conditions can be controlled. The aromatic foliage releases a pleasant sage scent when brushed against – nature’s potpourri!
During last year’s drought, my container sages outperformed almost everything else. Their ability to bounce back after stress makes them reliable performers for Texas gardeners facing unpredictable weather patterns.
12. Ornamental Kale
Creating living sculptures with ruffled leaves in pink, purple, and cream, ornamental kale brings architectural interest to container arrangements. As temperatures cool through September and October, colors intensify dramatically.
Morning sun with afternoon shade provides ideal growing conditions in our Texas climate. Regular watering keeps leaves crisp and colors vibrant throughout the fall season.
My Dallas townhouse entry features matching containers with these edible beauties. Visitors always ask if they’re real plants – their perfect symmetry and vivid coloration seem almost too perfect for nature!
13. Plumbago
Covering itself with sky-blue flowers that seem to capture pieces of Texas’s famous big sky, this easy-care perennial thrives in containers. The delicate blooms appear almost weightless against the bright green foliage.
Handling our heat and humidity with grace, it performs beautifully in both morning sun locations and filtered light. Occasional deadheading encourages continuous blooming well into fall.
After experimenting with various blue flowers in my Austin containers, this one consistently outperforms the rest. Its informal, slightly wild appearance creates a relaxed cottage garden feel even in the most urban settings.