Finishing the Season
Autumn color extends the season visually which, in turn, extends the season financially. As customers ask about their choices, this trend has become more important. Businesses now seek perennials for commercial plantings, fall programs, landscape projects, and garden center sales. Many perennials showcase their best work in flower and foliage at this time.
Autumn bloom used to be considered a limitation—now it’s considered a strength.
Foliage
Amsonia
This perennial has two seasons of interest. In the spring, it has a lightly blue star flower, but in the autumn the foliage turns a spectacular shade of gold. An important detail: only the hubrechtii species has this golden trait. Other Amsonia species stay green in the fall.
Early Fall
Anemone
Shade is still an issue in autumn, so we recommend Anemones for their abundant blooms and long season of color under trees and alongside homes. Their long stems suit autumn cut flower gardens as well.
Late Fall
Aster
Garden Asters add color, primarily blues and purples, to the fall garden. 'Bluebird' has the lightest blue we sell, 'Pink Crush' has the most vibrant magenta, and 'Grape Crush' has the darkest purple. We also sell the three Wood varieties, well-known for their low carpet of color.
Foliage
Ceratostigma
This well-known groundcover has a less famous trait: bronze foliage in the fall. As the light blue blossoms start to trail off, the foliage turns color in preparation for the colder season. A good all-season underplanting that adds enhanced color around shrubs and trees as well as over bulb gardens.
Late Fall
Chrysanthemum
Among the last to bloom, these perennial Mums end the garden season with bright colors. They bush up better for retail presentation if you give them a pinch midway through their initial growth.
Early Fall
Echinacea
Echinacea pretty much revitalized the market for autumn perennials at the retail level, especially 'Cheyenne Spirit' and some of the late-blooming Butterfly series. Their bright harvest colors and natural bloom time fit the décor season well.
Early Fall
Helenium
Helenium is one of the unsung heroes making the transition from summer to autumn. Established plants tolerate the heat, humidity, and dry spells found at the end of summer yet keep on blooming through early fall. Flowers stay firmly attached to their stems even if watering cycles are skipped. Very durable.
Early Fall
Heliopsis
Another choice to move from late summer into early autumn is Heliopsis. It looks like a miniature Sunflower, or perhaps an over-achieving Coreopsis, but is covered heavily in blooms during the color drought of August. Native to the eastern half of North America, it doesn’t mind the conditions—even the clay soils.
Foliage
Heuchera & Heucherella
A standout performer during the heart of autumn perennial sales, the genera is the staple of many shade programs. Foliage finishes quickly and stays in color for the full season. Some varieties even have maple-like leaves or harvest-style colors to complement harvest themes.
Foliage
Pennisetum
Although not a perennial, we do sell Pennisetum for the vase-like shape that enhances many, many perennial plantings and containers. Plumes are at their finest in autumn. Nothing else complements perennials quite so well.
Early Fall
Rudbeckia
Black-Eyed Susan is the backbone of many autumn programs, so we sell a wide variety. We have tall specimens like 'Herbstonne', mounded versions like 'American Gold Rush', and highly colorful selections such as 'Prairie Gold' and 'Cherry Brandy'. For purists there is the traditional 'Goldsturm', too.
Early Fall
Sedum
Our collection of Upright Sedum adds variety beyond 'Autumn Joy'. Choices range from the variegated 'Autumn Charm' to the black stems of 'Matrona' to the bright magenta blooms of 'Neon'.
Early Fall
Solidago
Practically an icon of autumn is 'Fireworks', the best of the Solidago varieties. Blooms are exactly as the name implies, with horizontal plumes of yellow sprays extending out from central points along the length of an arching stem.
Early Fall
Tricyrtis
An exotic choice for autumn, Tricyrtis blooms about the same time as Anemone. It forms tall stands of stems, whorled with leaves and ending with a spray of highly-spotted, orchid-like flowers.
For our cover, we selected Heucherella 'Pumpkin Spice' to represent Autumn Perennials. One of the innovative cultivars introduced by Walter's Gardens in 2022, this hybrid has the maple leaf shape of a Tiarella with the rich golden tones of Heuchera and an additional overlay of Tiarella veins of mahogany red. The villosa breeding from the Heuchera also means 'Pumpkin Spice' stays golden throughout the entire season with overwintering capabilities in the South. Like other Heucherellas, we find its performance is best in semi-shaded areas.
New to the market and released by Emerald Coast is 'Butterscotch', an Amsonia that turns gold in the fall. That’s putting it mildly, however, as the hubrechtii basics in this cultivar move the quality bar up a notch: the gold is more vibrant, the foliage color lasts longer, the red stems are brighter and more consistent, and the plant is more vigorous. Yes, 'Butterscotch' is the same—it's just better. This significant improvement is the reason why we put it on the back cover of our catalog for 2023.
Shipping Now | CART |
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SED Autumn Joy 50
55 Trays
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SED Abbeydore 50
51 Trays
| GO |
SED Neon 21
50 Trays
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ANE Robustissima 50
45 Trays
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ECH PowWow Wild Berry 72
45 Trays
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SED Vera Jameson 50
40 Trays
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HEU Sweet Tea 72
34 Trays
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RUD Indian Summer 50
31 Trays
| GO |
HEU Pumpkin Spice 72
30 Trays
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SED Autumn Joy 21
30 Trays
| GO |
AMS hubrichtii 72
28 Trays
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NIP nipponicum 72
27 Trays
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HEU Southern Comfort 72
26 Trays
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SED Matrona 50
26 Trays
| GO |
SED Autumn Charm 21
24 Trays
| GO |
SED Autumn Fire 50
23 Trays
| GO |
SED Vera Jameson 21
22 Trays
| GO |
AST Woods Blue 72
19 Trays
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SED Abbeydore 21
19 Trays
| GO |
AST Woods Pink 21
18 Trays
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AMS Butterscotch 72
16 Trays
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AST Woods Purple 72
15 Trays
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PEN Sky Rocket 72
13 Trays
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CAR Longwood Blue 72
12 Trays
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TRI Seiryu 50
11 Trays
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PEN Cherry Sparkler 72
11 Trays
| GO |
SED Autumn Charm 50
11 Trays
| GO |
SED Matrona 21
9 Trays
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ANE Frilly Knickers 50
8 Trays
| GO |
SED Neon 50
7 Trays
| GO |
CHR Brandywine Sunset 72
7 Trays
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HEU Carnival Peach Parfait 21
6 Trays
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AST Woods Pink 72
6 Trays
| GO |
ANE Spring Beauty White 50
5 Trays
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HEU Carnival Cinnamon Stick 21
5 Trays
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AST Woods Purple 21
5 Trays
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HEL Autumn Gold 72
5 Trays
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CAR Longwood Blue 21
3 Trays
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ANE Fantasy Jasmine 21
3 Trays
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ANE Elfin Swan 50
3 Trays
| GO |
HEU Carnival Peach Parfait 72
2 Trays
| GO |
SED Autumn Fire 21
2 Trays
| GO |
PEN Rubrum 72
2 Trays
| GO |
AMS Butterscotch 21
1 Trays
| GO |
PEN Sky Rocket 21
1 Trays
| GO |
RUD Little Goldstar 72
1 Trays
| GO |