Fall blooming shrubs and bushes are an essential part of the autumn landscape. Plants that add late-season color and interest are invaluable to both growers and wildlife as the weather begins to cool. Indeed, they can be some of the best flowering bushes you can grow during the calendar year. But how does one go about creating such a space? Here, we’ll look at some of the most popular and beautiful autumn-blooming shrubs and the characteristics that make them so special.
Choosing the Best Fall Blooming Shrubs to Grow
The best outdoor fall-blooming shrubs are those that add multi-season color and interest to beds and borders. Alongside low-maintenance evergreen shrubs that provide low key color, autumn blooming bushes include those that flower late into the season, produce particularly attractive fall foliage, or yield interesting or colorful seed pods.
A plant’s ability to support pollinators and other local species may also come into play if you are focused on creating a thriving backyard ecosystem. As part of your key gardening tasks for autumn, finding a fall-blooming shrub best suited to growth in your own garden depends greatly on the growing region, and the specific needs of each species.
1. Fall-Blooming Common Witch Hazel
Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is prized for its stunning late-season color, fragrance and vibrancy. Native throughout much of the eastern United States, this hardy shrub is well-adapted and resistant to a wide range of diseases. As part of caring for witch hazel, they perform best under part-shade conditions, or where they can receive strong dappled light through the day. Soil should drain well, with plants preferring a medium that’s slightly acidic. Witch hazel is hardy to USDA zones 3-9.
2. Coyote Brush
Often called coyote brush, Baccharis pilularis shrubs are delightful when grown in water-wise landscapes and xeriscaped beds. This fall-blooming bush has fragrant, fluff-like blooms which attract large numbers of both butterflies and beneficial insects. As the plant is sensitive where winter conditions are harsh, native shrubs may be hardy only to USDA zone 8.
3. Fall-Flowering Camellia
Garden camellias (Camellia japonica) are best known for their early spring bloom. However another species, Camellia sasanqua, offers a memorable fall flower display. These varieties continue to gain popularity, due to their hardiness and adaptability. For anyone looking to grow camellia, cultivars of fall-flowering camellia shrubs include Autumn Moon, Bonanza and Yuletide. Plants are hardy to USDA zones 7-9.
4. Higan Cherry
Higan cherry trees (Prunus subhirtella) make for a beautiful addition to the home landscape. Each spring, anyone looking to grow these cherry trees can expect a profusion of fragrant, white-pink blooms. Vivid copper-red foliage graces the plant in fall, just as the weather begins to cool. Trees will commonly reach 40ft (12m) at maturity, so if you are factoring in structures or electrical lines, avoid planting these fall-blooming shrubs nearby. Higan cherry trees are hardy to USDA zones 6-8.
5. Holly Osmanthus
Sometimes known as false holly, this unique outdoor fall-blooming shrub leaves a lasting impression. Glossy evergreen foliage affords year-round interest and appeal in the garden. Large shrubs begin blooming in late fall, with flowers often persisting into winter. Osmanthus plants are ideal for use in the landscape in the creation of borders and/or privacy hedges. False holly is hardy to USDA growing zones 7-9.
6. Japanese Fatsia
Paper plant (aka Fatsia japonica), is known for its large, evergreen foliage. Mature shrubs make a welcome addition to the landscape, helping to impart a lush, tropical feel. Growers can expect the shrub to begin blooming in autumn, performing best where soils are acidic. Though these plants are hardy to USDA zones 8-10, they are commonly grown in containers and kept indoors as houseplants.
7. Strawberry Tree
True to its name, the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) is loved for its production of bright-red fruits in fall. This makes the shrub attractive to birds and other native species as they continue to browse the plants through winter. Though the plant is considered easy to grow, disease may become a serious issue when planted where conditions are less than ideal. Strawberry trees are hardy to USDA zones 7-10.
If you want a reliable splash of non-flowering red color in your fall garden, scarlet oak from Green Promise Farms really comes into its own at the later end of the year with its medley of vivid red leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Flowering Shrubs be Planted in the Fall?
When it comes to flowering shrubs, planting times will vary. Experienced growers most often suggest planting woody perennials in fall, allowing ample time for root development before the onset of winter. Growers have also found success planting in spring, when shrubs are most widely available at garden centers and nurseries. Though both spring and fall are suitable for planting, experts advise against planting in summer, when conditions may stress or harm new additions to beds or borders.
Can You Trim Flowering Bushes in the Fall?
Determining when to trim flowering bushes and shrubs depends greatly upon the species. A firm understanding of the bloom habit of each plant helps gardeners make informed decisions in regard to pruning. Shrubs that bloom only on old wood are most likely to need late-summer care, deadheading stems immediately after plants have finished blooming.
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