Fall in New York doesn’t mean the end of flowers if you pick the right shrubs. These beauties keep the garden colorful even as the season cools down.
I’ve walked past gardens where they completely steal the spotlight in autumn. Let’s explore the shrubs that shine this time of year.
1. Witch Hazel
Those spidery yellow blooms appear just as other plants retreat for winter across New York state. Native to eastern woodlands, witch hazel’s unique flowers emit a subtle fragrance that carries on crisp autumn air.
The leaves turn a brilliant gold before dropping, creating a striking backdrop for the unusual flowers. Historically valued for medicinal properties, this shrub thrives in partial shade and can reach 15 feet tall in maturity.
2. Blue Mist Shrub
Late summer into fall brings clouds of powder-blue flowers that New York butterflies simply can’t resist. Also known as Bluebeard, this compact deciduous shrub grows 2-3 feet tall with aromatic gray-green foliage.
Unlike fussier plants, it handles drought like a champion once established. Perfect for smaller gardens where space comes at a premium, Blue Mist adds that rare true-blue color when most flowering has finished.
3. Seven-Son Flower
Rare yet increasingly popular in New York landscapes, this showstopper offers a double feature. First come clusters of fragrant white blossoms in September, followed by eye-catching purplish-red fruits and rosy sepals.
The peeling cinnamon-colored bark adds winter interest long after flowering ends. Originally from China, Seven-Son Flower has adapted beautifully to Northeast growing conditions and can reach 15-20 feet tall.
4. Rose of Sharon
Flaunting tropical-looking blooms well into September, this hardy hibiscus brings vacation vibes to New York gardens. Available in whites, pinks, purples, and blues, the trumpet-shaped flowers feature prominent stamens that attract hummingbirds.
Surprisingly tough despite its delicate appearance, Rose of Sharon tolerates urban pollution and poor soil. Many newer varieties are less aggressive self-seeders, making them more garden-friendly across the Empire State.
5. Summersweet
Despite its name, this native beauty often blooms well into early autumn across New York state. The fragrant white or pink flower spikes smell like vanilla and draw butterflies by the dozens to their sweet nectar.
Happy in wet spots where other shrubs sulk, Summersweet develops golden fall foliage after flowering. This adaptable plant thrives from Long Island to the Adirondacks, making it perfect for rain gardens or woodland edges.
6. Sweet Autumn Clematis
Masses of star-shaped white flowers blanket this vigorous climber from late August through October. The sweet vanilla scent wafts through New York gardens on warm fall evenings, creating an intoxicating atmosphere.
While technically a vine, many gardeners treat it as a sprawling shrub by allowing it to scramble over supports. After flowering, the feathery seedheads create a ghostly, ethereal effect that persists into winter.
7. Beautyberry
Unassuming in spring and summer, this shrub transforms into a showstopper when clusters of vibrant purple berries appear in fall. The jewel-like fruits persist after leaf drop, creating striking stems perfect for fall arrangements throughout New York.
Birds eventually feast on the berries, though they’re not first-choice food. Native to southeastern states, beautyberry has adapted well to New York gardens, with newer varieties offering improved cold hardiness for upstate regions.
8. Panicle Hydrangea
Unlike their spring-blooming cousins, these sturdy hydrangeas save their show for late summer through fall. The cone-shaped flower clusters start creamy white, gradually blushing pink or burgundy as temperatures drop across New York state.
Exceptionally cold-hardy, they thrive from NYC to Buffalo without winter protection. The dried blooms remain attractive through winter, providing structure when snow blankets the garden landscape.
9. Russian Sage
Clouds of lavender-blue flowers hover above silvery foliage from late summer well into autumn’s chill. Though technically a perennial, this plant develops a woody base, functioning as a subshrub in New York gardens.
Deer and rabbits avoid it thanks to aromatic foliage, while bees flock to the tiny blooms. Drought-tolerant once established, Russian sage thrives in the toughest spots, from Brooklyn brownstone gardens to windswept Finger Lakes landscapes.
10. Butterfly Bush
Cone-shaped flower clusters in purples, pinks, or white continue appearing into October, drawing monarchs on their migration through New York. The honey-scented blooms provide crucial late-season nectar for butterflies preparing for long journeys south.
Choose newer sterile varieties that won’t self-seed aggressively in the Empire State. With prompt deadheading, butterfly bush produces fresh flowers continuously until the first hard frost blankets New York gardens.
11. Winterberry Holly
Small white flowers in late summer develop into show-stopping red berries that persist through winter. Though not showy during bloom time, New York gardeners grow this native holly for its spectacular fruit display against first snowfalls.
Unlike evergreen hollies, winterberry drops its leaves, making the berry display even more dramatic. You’ll need both male and female plants to ensure good fruit set in your New York landscape.
12. Camellia
Once considered impossible for New York gardens, cold-hardy varieties now bring their rose-like blooms to autumn landscapes. Newer cultivars like ‘Winter’s Star’ flower from October through December, defying conventional wisdom about camellia growing zones.
The glossy evergreen leaves provide year-round structure and beauty. In colder regions of New York state, plant camellias in sheltered locations with protection from winter winds for best flowering performance.
13. Oakleaf Hydrangea
White cone-shaped flower clusters gradually transform to dusty pink and burgundy as fall progresses across New York. But the real autumn show comes from the large oak-shaped leaves that turn magnificent shades of burgundy, orange and purple.
Native to southeastern woodlands, this hydrangea has adapted well to New York’s climate. Unlike other hydrangeas, the dried flower heads persist through winter, creating natural dried arrangements in the snowy landscape.