Chrysanthemums and pansies are classic fall flowers for pots, but several more blooming annuals and perennials can help add rich color to your container gardens throughout autumn. Most of the following plants will keep blooming until your area's first hard frost, and some also offer colorful foliage. Mix and match them in your fall containers to achieve a beautiful display to enjoy all season long.
African Daisy
Also called osteospermums, African daisies are low-growing plants that make great fall flowers for pots because they bloom best in cooler weather. The flowers come in a range of autumnal colors, as well as white and purple.
Amaranth
Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) looks stunning both in fall porch pots and in autumn flower arrangements in your home. Its bold color and upright flowers make it an excellent “thriller” plant for the center of your container garden.
Aster
Fall-blooming asters (Symphyotrichum spp.) produce tons of small, daisy-like flowers in shades of purple, pink, or white. The blossoms attract butterflies and other pollinators. These plants grow best in full sun and average to moist soil conditions.
Balloon Flower
The pretty purple blooms of balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) are an unusual fall flower for pots, because they're more typically grown in perennial gardens. But they'll also grow well in containers in a sunny spot. Deadhead faded flowers regularly to extend the bloom period up until first frost.
Celosia
The long-lasting flowers of celosia make an attractive addition to both your fall container gardens and vases. These annual flowers come in a range of warm colors, such as red, yellow, and orange. They also come in three different types (plume, candle, and crested), each of which can add interesting texture to fall containers.
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums enjoy cooler temperatures when they are in pots and planters, so add them to your garden once fall temperatures arrive. This will ensure that the blooms’ colors do not fade too quickly. To get the most bloom power possible and to prevent the plant from developing diseases, keep your mums in full sun.
Coral Bells
While coral bells (Heuchera spp.) produce wands of tiny flowers in spring and summer, as fall flowers for pots, their leaves add gorgeous color to containers. These perennial plants come in various autumnal colors, such as deep purple, red, and orange, and can take chilly temperatures without missing a beat.
Dahlia
Dahlias are arguably one of the most beautiful fall flowers for pots. They thrive in full sun but can also thrive in a bit of shade if your pots are near trees or on a covered patio. Dahlias come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes, but shorter varieties work best for containers.
Gloriosa Daisy
Gloriosa daisies are a type of black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) with showy, daisy-like flowers from summer into fall. The blooms usually have golden-yellow and rusty-red bicolored petals around a dark center eye. Some double varieties are extra petal-packed, such as 'Goldilocks' (shown here). Gloriosas are short-lived perennials in warmer areas but are usually grown as annuals.
Goldenrod
The feathery yellow flowers of goldenrod (Solidago spp.) appear from late summer into fall. Many types of goldenrod can get very tall, so look for dwarf varieties, such as 'Little Lemon' (shown here), that work well as fall flowers for pots. You can also use the cheery flowers as filler in autumnal floral arrangements.
Pansies and Violas
Cute and colorful pansies and violas are easy to tuck in among larger container plants to fill out the display. They bloom best in cooler seasons and continue to produce flowers throughout the winter months in the southern part of the United States. In colder climates, they may overwinter if you keep your pots in a protected location.
Strawflower
Strawflowers (Xerochrysum bracteatum) bloom from summer into fall in a variety of warm colors as well as pink and white. The flowers have a stiff, strawlike texture that helps them hold up through cold snaps and heat waves alike. Strawflowers are also drought-tolerant, so group them in fall containers with other plants that need the same amount of watering.
Sneezeweed
In late summer to fall, sneezeweed (Helenium spp.) produces sweet little yellow, red, gold, and orange flowers. Pollinators love these perennial plants, but pests generally leave them alone. Deadhead faded flowers to encourage new ones to develop and keep the plant looking tidier.
Stonecrop
Also known as sedums, stonecrops (Hylotelephium spp.) are thick-stemmed, hardy perennials available in different varieties. Many of them bloom in late summer into fall and have colorful foliage of yellow, pink, or red that looks beautiful as fall flowers for pots.
Zinnia
Vibrant, easy-care zinnias bloom from summer into fall. These annuals bloom best in full sun; they produce fewer flowers and are more susceptible to disease if grown in part shade. Look for shorter varieties, such as any in the Profusion series (such as ‘Cherry’ shown here), that will help add a splash of color to your fall containers.
Cool-Season Floral Ideas
Warm up your exterior with window boxes brimming with colorful fall flowers, and add ornamental grasses or lavender for height and dimension. Pumpkins make great planters for an unexpected seasonal touch, especially when paired with succulents. Focus on one color for a chic monochromatic look, such as all-yellow or all-red assortments that make a statement. Winter and its holidays are an opportune time to add holly berries, poinsettia, dried branches, and evergreens to your potted displays, both indoors and outdoors, for a merry and bright welcome to guests.