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Late-Season Perennials: Home

Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers'; photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen
Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers'; photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Perennials are a wonderful addition to any garden and can provide color and interest throughout the year. The top 5 players in the late-season garden would have to be asters (Aster), chrysanthemums (Dendranthema), goldenrods (Solidago), Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium) and stonecrops (Sedum). Below is a longer list to keep your garden in color throughout the fall season.

Deer-Resistant Plants

Botanical Name

Common Name

Aconitum
monkshood
Agastache
giant hyssop
Allium
ornamental onion*
Amsonia
blue star*
Anemone
anemone
Artemesia
mugwort
Aruncus
goatsbeard*
Asclepias
milkweed or butterfly flower
Astilbe
astilbe*
Baptisia
false indigo*
Bergenia
bergenia*
Boltonia
boltonia
Ceratostigma
plumbago
Chelone
turtleheads
Cimicifuga
bugbane
Coreopsis
tickseed
Dendranthema
chrysanthemum
Echinacea
coneflower
Eutrochium
Joe Pye weed
Euphorbia
spurges*
Helenium
sneezeweed
Helianthus
perennial sunflower
Kirengeshoma
yellow waxbells
Kniphofia
red hot pokers
Ligularia
ligularia
 
ornamental grasses
Perovskia
Russian sage
Ratbida
prairie coneflower
Rudbeckia
black-eyed Susan
Sidalcea
miniature hollyhocks
Solidago
goldenrods
Tradescantia
spiderwort
Vernonia
New York ironweed
Yucca
yucca

*These plants are not in bloom during September and October, but they have ornamental value, for either seedheads or colorful foliage.

Colorful cyathia of Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii 'Shorty'; photo by Ivo Vermeulen
Colorful cyathia of Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii 'Shorty'; photo by Ivo Vermeulen

Colorful Foliage

Botanical Name

Common Name

Amsonia
blue star
Bergenia
bergenia
Ceratostigma
plumbago
Cornus canadensis
bunchberry
Dryopteris erythrosora
autumn fern
Epimedium
barrenwort
Euphorbia
spurge
Geranium
cranesbill
Oenothera
evening primrose
Schizachyrium 'The Blues'
little bluestem

Attractive Seed Heads and Plants that Age Well

Botanical Name

Common Name

Actea
baneberry
Allium
ornamental onion
Artemesia lactiflora 'Guizho'
mugwort
Aruncus
goatsbeard
Asclepias
milkweed or butterfly weed
Astilbe
astilbe
Baptisia
false indigo
Boltonia
boltonia
Echinacea
coneflower
Echinops
globe thistles
Eryngium
sea holly
Euphorbia
spurge
Iris siberica
Siberian iris
 
ornamental grasses
Perovskia
Russian sage
Ratbida
prairie coneflower
Sanguisorba
burnet
Sedum
stonecrop
Yucca
yucca
Kalimeris pinnatifida (Japanese aster)
Kalimeris pinnatifida (Japanese aster)

Classic Fall Bloomers

Botanical Name

Common Name

Aster
aster
Kalimeris
Japanese aster

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Related Guides

  • Chrysanthemum Classifications
  • Deer-Resistant Plants
  • Dividing Perennials
  • FAQs for Fall Gardening
  • Jane Watson Irwin Perennial Garden
  • Long Lasting Perennials for Mid-Summer Sun
  • Organic Perennial Gardening and Pest Control
  • Perennials--The Basics

Perennial Societies

  • Perennial Plant Association logo
    Perennial Plant Association

Noteworthy Books on Perennials

  • Book CoverGrowing Perennials in Cold Climates by Mike Heger; Debbie Lonnee; John Whitman
    Call Number: SB434 .H425 2011
    ISBN: 0816675880
    Publication Date: 2011-04-01
  • Book CoverTall Perennials by Roger Turner
    Call Number: SB434 .T875 2009
    ISBN: 0881928895
    Publication Date: 2009-06-03
  • Book CoverUnderstanding Perennials by William Cullina
    Call Number: SB434 .C795 2009
    ISBN: 0618883460
    Publication Date: 2009-04-09
  • Book CoverWhen Perennials Bloom by Tomasz Anisko
    Call Number: SB434 .A55 2008
    ISBN: 0881928879
    Publication Date: 2008-10-29
  • Book CoverPerennials: the gardener's reference by Ann Lovejoy (Foreword by); Susan Carter; Carrie Becker; Bob Lilly; Lynne Harrison (Photographer)
    Call Number: SB434 .C375 2007
    ISBN: 0881928208
    Publication Date: 2007-03-15
  • Book CoverDiseases of Herbaceous Perennials by Mark L. Gleason; American Phytopathological Society Staff (Contribution by)
    Call Number: SB608.O7 D58 2009
    ISBN: 0890543747
    Publication Date: 2009-01-01
  • Armitage's Garden Perennials by Allan M. Armitage
    Call Number: SB434 .A63 2000
    ISBN: 0881924350
    Publication Date: 2000-03-01
  • Book CoverThe Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust
    Call Number: SB434 .D37 2006
    ISBN: 0881928038
    Publication Date: 2006-07-24
  • Book CoverPerennial Garden Design by Michael King
    Call Number: SB434 .K49 2006
    ISBN: 0881927678
    Publication Date: 2006-03-06
  • Book CoverThe Perennial Gardener's Design Primer by Stephanie Cohen; Nancy J. Ondra; Allan M. Armitage (Foreword by); Rob Cardillo (Photographer)
    Call Number: SB434 .C63 2005
    ISBN: 1580175430
    Publication Date: 2005-02-15
  • Last Updated: Mar 23, 2020 3:58 PM
  • URL: https://libguides.nybg.org/lateseasonperennials
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Subjects: Perennials