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 Neon 21
104 Trays
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SED Abbeydore 50
67 Trays
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SED Autumn Joy 21
66 Trays
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CER plumbaginoides 72
39 Trays
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SED Vera Jameson 50
36 Trays
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SED Autumn Charm 21
36 Trays
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NIP nipponicum 72
35 Trays
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RUD Goldblitz 72
35 Trays
| GO |
ANE Fantasy Red Riding Hood 50
34 Trays
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ANE Frilly Knickers 50
32 Trays
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ANE Dainty Swan 50
31 Trays
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ECH PowWow White 72
27 Trays
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RUD Sahara 50
26 Trays
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HEU Carnival Peach Parfait 72
26 Trays
| GO |
AST Purple Dome 21
21 Trays
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AST Woods Purple 21
20 Trays
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HEU Pumpkin Spice 72
19 Trays
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ANE Elfin Swan 50
19 Trays
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HEL Mariachi Sombrero 72
19 Trays
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HEU Magma 21
19 Trays
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SED Autumn Fire 21
19 Trays
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HEU Sweet Tea 72
19 Trays
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ANE Dainty Swan 21
18 Trays
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ANE Snow Angel 50
18 Trays
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HEL Mariachi Sombrero 21
17 Trays
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AST Woods Pink 21
16 Trays
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ANE Whirlwind 50
16 Trays
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AST Woods Blue 72
15 Trays
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CER plumbaginoides 21
15 Trays
| GO |
RUD Herbstonne 50
15 Trays
| GO |
SED Vera Jameson 21
14 Trays
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HEL Mariachi Siesta 72
14 Trays
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RUD Sahara 21
13 Trays
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ANE Fantasy Jasmine 50
13 Trays
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HEU Forever Purple 21
12 Trays
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HEL Mariachi Siesta 21
11 Trays
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HEU Red Dragon 21
11 Trays
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RUD Prairie Glow 21
10 Trays
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PEN Cherry Sparkler 72
9 Trays
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HEU Plum Cascade 72
9 Trays
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HEU Carnival Peach Parfait 21
9 Trays
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PEN Sky Rocket 72
9 Trays
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NIP nipponicum 21
9 Trays
| GO |
HEU Sweet Tea 21
9 Trays
| GO |
AST Woods Purple 72
8 Trays
| GO |
TRI Samurai 50
8 Trays
| GO |
ANE Fantasy Jasmine 21
7 Trays
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ANE Spring Beauty White 50
7 Trays
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TRI Seiryu 50
7 Trays
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AST Woods Pink 72
7 Trays
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HEU Caramel 21
5 Trays
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ANE Elfin Swan 21
5 Trays
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HEU Carnival Cinnamon Stick 72
4 Trays
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RUD Goldsturm 72
4 Trays
| GO |
ANE Fantasy Pocahontas 50
4 Trays
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RUD Prairie Glow 72
4 Trays
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TRI Samurai 21
4 Trays
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SED Matrona 50
4 Trays
| GO |
HEU Red Dragon 72
4 Trays
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HYP Brigadoon 21
4 Trays
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SED Autumn Joy 50
3 Trays
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HEU Magma 72
3 Trays
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SED Autumn Fire 50
3 Trays
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PEN Fireworks 72
2 Trays
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HEL Mariachi Fuego 72
2 Trays
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CAR Longwood Blue 72
2 Trays
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RUD Indian Summer 21
2 Trays
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PEN Sky Rocket 21
2 Trays
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CHR Brandywine Sunset 21
1 Trays
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SED Matrona 21
1 Trays
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HEL Autumn Gold 72
1 Trays
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RUD Little Goldstar 21
1 Trays
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PEN Cherry Sparkler 21
1 Trays
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RUD Indian Summer 50
1 Trays
| GO |
SOL Fireworks 21
1 Trays
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AMS Butterscotch 72
1 Trays
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SED Neon 50
1 Trays
| GO |
HEU Electric Plum 21
1 Trays
| GO |