31 Flowers That Bloom In September

These 31 gorgeous fall flowers will bloom in September, bringing brilliant color to your autumn flower beds.  From annual flowers to perennials, this is the best list of flowering plants for September blooms. 

What can you grow?  The types of flowers and plants that will thrive in your area are depended on the zone you live in.  To research your specific zone, use the USDA hardiness zones map here.

Flowers That Bloom In September

Here are 31 September flowers that will thrive in late summer gardens + give you tons of blooms:

1. Black-Eyed Susan

With Halloween hues of yellow and black, Black-Eyed Susan are perfect for the fall garden.

This bright faced bloomer will give you new flowers up until first frost.  Plant Black-Eyed Susan in full sun and give them well-drained soil for best results.

Black Eyed Susan will bloom longer when deadheaded, so be sure to cut them back to the first set of leaves once the bloom is spent.

2. Japanese Anemone

Japanese Anemone feature unique, cheerful flowers in vibrant shades of pink, white and purple.  These lovely flowers feature large mounds of pretty green foliage on elegant stems. 

Blooming in late summer to early fall, anemone can be a statement for your fall flower beds. Give them nutrient rich, well draining soil and keep the soil consistently moist.  Feature anemone in a full sun location. 

These perennial flowers are perfect for cottage gardens and borders.  They are resistant to deer and rabbits but attract beneficial insects like bees!

3. Russian Sage

With long flower spikes in romantic violet tones, Russian Sage is a lovely addition to the fall flower garden.  Russian Sage blooms from late summer to early fall, making it a perfect September flowering plant.

Russian Sage needs full sun in order to thrive.  It is drought tolerant, easy to grow, and attracts pollinators.  The plants should be pruned back in mid to late spring, before growth begins.

Check out our web story on fall flowers here.

4. Balloon Flower

A herbaceous perennial, Balloon Flowers will bring a brilliant colors to your garden every fall. When in bud, Balloon Flowers actually resemble small purple balloons, then open into star shaped flowers.

Balloon Flowers grow best in part sun to shade, and they need a fertile soil in which to grow. This long lived plant is also low maintenance, making it a perfect choice for busy gardeners.

5. Sweet Alyssum

Perfect for the rock garden, Sweet Alyssum is an easy growing annual that will bloom up until October.  Aptly named for their sweet smelling flowers, Sweet Alyssum is easy to grow and attracts bees and butterflies.  

The small white flowers can be encouraged to re bloom by gently pruning the plant.  Feature in hanging baskets, raised beds and planter boxes.  

Sweet Alyssum often reseeds itself and returns the next year!

6. Joe Pye Weed

Joe Pye Weed will add a flourish of colorful blooms to the September flower beds.   This herbaceous perennial can grow up to 8 feet tall and can be used as a statement piece in the garden.

It will bloom from late summer to early fall and should be given fertile, well draining soil in which to grow.  Plant Joe Pye Weed in full sun to partial shade and keep the soil consistently moist!

7. Dahlias

With their big blooms and high flower production, we consider dahlias to be the queen of the flower garden.  These gorgeous flowers love full sun and will bloom until the first frost of autumn.  Dahlias are available in hundreds of hues, bringing lots of color to the September flower beds.

Dahlias are a great choice if you want to make lots of bouquets-they look stunning in autumn arrangements!  

8. Mexican Sunflower

Mexican Sunflower is a vibrant orange, busy annual featuring daisy-like flowers that bloom all through September (up until first frosts). This easy grower is drought tolerant and needs full sun in order to thrive.

Mexican Sunflower has a tall, sprawling growth, and should be planted behind other flowers. Will attract many bees and butterflies!

9. Marigolds

Deer repellent and easy to grow, marigolds are a popular flower that will bloom through September. Regularly deadhead marigolds for healthy plants and lots of flower blooms.

Plant marigolds in a sunny spot next to the vegetable garden in order to attract beneficial pollinators!

10. New England Aster 

With brilliant purple hues and an ability to deter deer, New England Aster will quickly become your favorite September bloom. 

This fall blooming perennial featuring daisy-like flowers available in purple, violet, and shades of pink.  Once established, New England Aster is incredibly easy to grow and packs a bold punch of color for the Autumn season.  

New England Aster prefers moist, well draining soil and full sun to light shade.

11. Autumn Joy Sedum

Blooming from late August through November (depending on the zone), Autumn Joy Sedum is the perfect fall plant.  

This easy growing sedum features beautiful pink flowers that fade to copper as the season wears on.  Autumn Joy Sedum attracts bees and butterflies and is deer resistant.  

Feature Autumn Joy in flower beds and rock gardens.  Make sure to choose a full sun location with sandy, well draining soil.  

12. Sunflowers

Sunflowers are a popular fall flower that are often used to decorate pumpkin patches and harvest festivals.

With their bright yellow faces and cheery foliage, they are a perfect flower for ushering in fall.  

While most sunflowers don’t give repeat blooms, they will grow all until the first frosts of fall.  And if you plant sunflower seeds in mid summer, you will get more blooms in fall!

(Sunfinity sunflowers will give repeat blooms on multi stemmed branches all summer and up until first frost!)  

Tip: sunflowers make excellent cut flowers, with a vase life of 7-10 days!  Grow dwarf (miniature) sunflowers or Sunfinity sunflowers for the best bouquet flowers.

14. Chrysanthemum 

Nothing gives off an autumn aesthetic quite like a chrysanthemum!  These gorgeous fall flowers are the sweetheart of fall, lighting up porches and entryways everywhere with their bold hues.  

Chrysanthemum are easy to grow and care for.  They require care when watering, however: make sure you do not water the blossoms, or they will rot and fall off!  Grow them in partial shade with about 6 hours of sunlight for best results.

Mums can be purchased in early fall. They will bloom until first frost and will even over winter if you give them a warm, dry place during the cold months.

Mums are available in many brilliant jewel toned colors.  Red, white and purple flowers are a few common shades!

15. Shrub Roses

A true workhorse in the flower garden, shrub roses will produce flowers all through September.  And when given the right care, these prolific bloomers will still be producing flowers until the first frost of fall.

Dead head spent flower heads regularly in order to promote new blooms and keep your plant healthy.

With their beautiful foliage and ability to bloom prolifically, shrub roses give a big impact. We consider them one of the best fall flowers!

Shrub roses come in a wide variety of colors and should be planted in the fall for best results.   As a deciduous shrub, roses lose their leaves in the winter, but you’ll get plenty of blooms from early spring until well into fall!

16. Toad Lily 

Featuring speckled flowers and vibrant green foliage, Toad Lily come to life at the end of summer, offering a beautiful fall bloom.  

Their preferred native habitat is shaded woodland areas, so give today lily rich soil and a shady spot in which to thrive.  

17. Zinnias

Zinnias feature beautiful flowers in bright shades of purple, red, pink, yellow and white.  Easy to grow and low maintenance, zinnias will produce fall blooms as long as they are deadheaded correctly. 

Zinnias make a great border plant and look especially cheerful growing alongside a picket fence. They are a great addition to a cutting garden, and make a lovely feature in a fall flower arrangement.

Click here to earn how to deadhead zinnias for more blooms.

18. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)

A vibrant bloomer all through the summer months, Purple Coneflower will keep flowering through September!  Also known as Echinacea, these pollinator attracting plants have a long blooming season.  

Deadhead spent blooms regularly in order to put the plant’s energy into new flower blooms. Give echinacea plants a full sun location with good soil drainage.  These low maintenance flowers are perfect for the busy gardener.

19. Native Wildflowers

Many wildflowers will bloom all the way up until first frost.  From wild daisies to tansy, many flowers will soak up the sun until winter sets in.  

Scatter wild flower seeds in an open area and enjoy their blooms all summer and fall!

20. Nemesia

Like snapdragons, nemesia enjoy cooler weather and come to life with new blooms in September.  Featuring quaint flowers that can bloom prolifically in mild temperatures, nemesia is used as a bedding plant or container flower. These cool-season flowers enjoy rich, well draining soil and full sun.  

Nemesia do not enjoy hot climates but will thrive in the cooler fall months.  Grow them as fall annuals for a splash of beauty in your flower baskets.

21. Upright Fuscias (Hardy Fuscia)

Upright fuscias feature neon pink and purple flowers on elongated, elegant stalks.  These beautiful blooms attract hummingbirds like crazy, and bees will visit them as well!  Choose well draining soil and keep it consistently moist.  

In moderate climates, upright fuchsia can be grown as a perennial.   These hardy perennials die back in late fall but will return against the next season!

22. Petunias

Available in a rainbow of vibrant colors, petunias will bloom until frost hits when cared for correctly.  These gorgeous flowers are commonly featured in hanging baskets, containers and flower beds. 

Plant petunias in autumn themed containers for a splash of summer-meets-autumn.  Make sure petunias get full sun and receive regular fertilizer to support their long blooming season. These popular plants will produce new flowers well into fall when cared for correctly!

23. Pansies

Pansies are famous for their cheerful faces and vibrant colors.  Known for their jewel toned hues, pansies are the perfect September flower.  These colorful flowers crave cooler weather and will often bloom well into fall. 

Pansies can survive a light frost and flower for a long time. To care for pansies, give them fertile, well draining soil and 6 hours of sunlight.  Keep them out of intense heat.  

25. Snapdragons

Snaprdragons are famous for their quirky charm and dragon-shaped flower faces.  One of our favorite fall flowers, you can find snapdragons in vibrant shades of yellow, pink, purple and red!  These bright colors and tubular shaped flowers are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. 

Snapdragons thrive in cooler temperatures: the same snapdragon plant will bloom in mid to early spring, then bloom again in the fall!  Be sure to add snapdragons to your fall decor for a powerful punch of color.

26. Hibiscus

Romantic and prolific, hibiscus are one of our favorite flowers for the fall garden.  Hibiscus, also known as Rose Of Sharon, will produce hundreds of flowers each season.  These gorgeous shrubs will often be blooming until mid September. 

Perennial hibiscus enjoy moist soil and need full sun in order to thrive. 

27. Hydrangeas

Many varieties of hydrangea will produce beautiful new blooms in September.  Hydrangeas feature romantic flowers and lush foliage.  Several varieties that bloom in late summer or early fall.   Candy Apple Hydrangea, for example, will bloom in mid to late summer and the exquisite blooms will last all September!  

Plant hydrangea in a part sun location.  Make sure the soil is fertile but well draining, and water frequently.

Many hydrangea leaves fade to brilliant shades of red and gold, providing colorful fall foliage to delight in.

28. Blanket Flowers

Known for their vibrantly colored daisy-like blooms, Blanket flowers will bloom long into September.   This short-lived perennial is easy to grow and drought tolerant, making it a summer star for low maintenance gardens.

Blooming from early summer into fall, blanket flowers are a good choice for the busy gardener. 

Learn how to properly water your flowers here!

​29.  Cosmos

Cosmos are one of our favorite flowers for the cutting garden.  They have a very long blooming season and can be featured in flower arrangements all throughout September.

Cosmos are available in a wide range of colors: yellow, pink, white, purple and even red flowers.  They thrive in poor soil and like a little neglect, however they need to be deadheaded regularly in order to produce blooms. 

Learn how to get longer blooming season from Cosmos here.

30. Coreoposis (Tickseed)

When deadheaded correctly Coreopsis (Tickseed) will bloom all the way through September and up until the first frosts of fall!

This easy to grow perennial deters deer and attracts beneficial insects. It is available in many vibrant colors and does well in full sun.

31. Salvia

Did you know that many salvia varieties will bloom through September? Deadheading salvia plants will stimulate growth and new blooms.

Check out this list of salvia plants that bloom in fall.

Fall Flower Growing Tips

Fall flower growing tip:  Most of these flowers need to be planted in the spring months in order to enjoy flower blooms in September.  However, if you are looking to buy flowers to bloom starting in September, you should purchase mums, pansies, primroses and asters.

September Flower Decor Ideas

Here are a few ideas on how to incorporate your fall flowers into your decor: 

• Take advantage of zinnias, dahlias and snapdragons for their late season blooms by cutting them and featuring them in your autumn decor
• Offset mums with miniature pumpkins, and set pots of pansies alongside your gourds
• Remove the seeds from a pumpkin and fill it with a pot of flowers for a gorgeous display
• Get more fall flower aesthetic ideas here!

Add Accent Plants For A Fall Garden Aesthetic

Accent autumn flowers with plants like ornamental grasses, kale, and shrubs.  

For a dramatic fall display, plant miniature pumpkins in early spring and have them cascade between clumps of dahlias and Black-Eyed Susan.  

Fall starts on September 21!  Get ready for the best time of year here!

FAQ’s

Final Thoughts

The fall season is always magical and inspiring.  But planting a few September blooming flowers will make the season that much more beautiful!

There are many late summer flowers that bloom beautifully in the September flower beds. Many of them are low maintenance and make good cut flowers. 

We hope this list inspired and encouraged you to get the most out of your gardening season- be sure to add some of these beautiful flowering plants and enjoy them all September!