10 Beautiful Bushes That Bloom in Fall to Brighten Up Your Landscape

Fall is a magnificent time of year. The air turns crisp, leaves start changing color and many people enjoy apple picking hay rides, and sipping hot cider. However, as the weather cools, many gardens also start to lose their vibrancy and appeal. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

There are a number of bushes that bloom in fall, providing a splash of late season color just when you need it most. In this article, we’ll explore 10 top options to consider planting in your own yard With the right mix of fall bloomers, you can easily extend your garden’s beauty into the autumn months.

1. Autumn Sage

Autumn sage (Salvia greggii) is a perennial shrub that reaches 2 to 4 feet tall and wide. It is hardy in zones 5-10. This sage bursts into bloom in late summer and fall, bearing tubular flowers in shades of red, pink, purple, orange, or yellow. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Autumn sage is drought tolerant once established. To encourage ongoing blooms, deadhead spent flowers regularly.

2. Japanese Anemone

The Japanese anemone (Anemone x hybrida) has tall stems with single or semi-double blooms that are 2 to 3 inches across. The flowers look like wildflowers. The flowers are white, light pink, dark pinkish-purple, and sometimes black. This plant comes back every year and grows 2 to 4 feet tall and wide. It does best in zones 4–8. It tolerates partial shade but does best in full sun. Japanese anemone appreciates evenly moist, well-drained soil. Deadhead spent blooms to prolong flowering.

3. Bush Clover

Bush clover (Lespedeza thunbergii) is a semi-evergreen shrub that grows 4 to 8 feet tall. Arching stems bear small leaves and tiny purple-pink pea-like blooms. Bush clover is hardy in zones 4-8. For best flower production, grow this plant in full sun and average to dry soil. It’s drought and heat tolerant. Only light pruning is required after flowering.

4. Seven Son Flower

Seven son flower (Heptacodium miconioides), also called seven son shrub, is a graceful, vase-shaped deciduous shrub reaching 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide at maturity. Clusters of tiny white blooms appear on the shrub in late summer/early fall, followed by red calyxes that give a rosy glow. Seven son flower thrives in zones 5-8 in part shade to full sun. Well-drained, evenly moist soil is ideal. Avoid excessive summer watering.

5. Autumn Joy Stonecrop

Autumn Joy stonecrop (Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’) is a succulent perennial with fleshy green leaves and fat flower heads that transition from pink to coppery red over the course of autumn. Growing 12 to 18 inches tall and wide, it blooms August into November and is hardy in zones 3-10. Autumn Joy sedum tolerates drought, heat, humidity, and poor soil. For best results, grow it in full sun with average to dry soil. Deadhead spent blooms.

6. Violet Cloud Sage

From August until the first frost, violet cloud sage (Salvia farinacea ‘Rhea’) has bright violet-purple flower spikes. This perennial herb grows to be 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide. It thrives in zones 9-10. Violet cloud sage needs full sun and very well-drained soil. Periodic watering is required. Cut back flower stems after the first flush of blooms starts to fade to encourage more blooms.

7. Panicle Hydrangea

Plants in the panicle family, like Limelight (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’), have cone-shaped flowers that are white at first and then turn pink or even red. They bloom in late summer and fall on shrubs that grow quickly and get 6 to 10 feet tall and wide. Panicle hydrangea is hardy in zones 3-8. Place it where it will get full sun to part shade and in acidic, moist soil that drains well. Prune in late winter to control size and increase blooms.

8. Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a medium to large deciduous shrub bearing huge, hibiscus-like blooms up to 6 inches wide in late summer and fall. It grows 8 to 12 feet tall/wide and is hardy in zones 5-9. For best growth and flowering, provide rose of sharon with full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Occasional watering is needed. Prune in late winter to shape and improve flower production.

9. Bush Cinquefoil

The bush cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) has small flowers with five petals that are yellow, white, pink, or red. They bloom for weeks in late summer and fall. This small shrub can grow to be 1 to 4 feet tall and wide. It can survive in zones 2–7. Most types of soil are fine for bush cinquefoil, but it needs full sun to bloom well. It requires minimal watering once established. Shear lightly after flowering to shape and stimulate new growth.

10. Smooth Witch Hazel

Smooth witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) bears lightly fragrant yellow, orange, or red ribbon-like flowers along its bare branches in October and November. This large shrub or small tree grows 15 to 30 feet tall/wide and is hardy in zones 3-8. For best flowering, site witch hazel in full sun to part shade with moist, acidic soil. Prune in summer after flowering.

With the right selection of fall blooming bushes, you can easily extend your landscape’s beauty into the autumn months. Give your yard a boost of late season color by incorporating a few of these flowering shrubs that shine just when the rest of the garden starts to fade.