Fall Flowers to Plant in Texas

Many people think that when fall comes, the yard work is done until spring. However, here is the truth. You should choose to fall in love with fall by incorporating bright, lively colors to your landscape.

I’m here today to share about fabulous fall flowers that will most definitely increase your property value and add curb appeal to your home. Not to mention, they’ll make you smile happily each time you pull into your driveway.

Let’s take a look at what we have in store:

• Aster
• Salvia/Mexican Sage Bush
• Petunias
• Bluebonnets
• Chrysanthemums
• Snapdragons

Aster

These are daisy-like perennials that come in shades of blues, pinks, and purples. One great thing about fall asters is that the bees and butterflies really appreciate the end-of-season snack.

You can plant asters in full or partial sun. Find these flowers in nurseries and transplant into your landscape.

New England Asters are 3-4 feet tall. New York Asters are a bit smaller, starting around 2 feet, but can still reach up to 4 feet.

Asters enjoy a nitrogen rich slow-release fertilizer. Space these plants 15-18 inches apart. Speaking of this fragrant charmer, any eco-friendly gardening guru will enjoy our List of Flowers that Attract Bees.

Salvia- Mexican Sage Bush

These evergreen perennial plants are 3-5 feet tall and 3 feet wide. They thrive in full or almost full sun. Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies are all attracted to salvia.

This plant is drought hardy and deer resistant. You’ll be able to identify this plant by its green foliage with long pencil-like blooms that are soft and velvety.

Continue to water this plant through the winter, trim it down again in February and it will bloom again through the summer.

If it’s time to clean out your summer garden and make room for autumn arrivals, check out our Flower Bed Cleanup service page.

Petunias

A petunia is an annual with a long flowering period. Petunias love temps under 85 degrees, which makes them a favorite choice for fall planting. They enjoy full sun and water about once a week.  Water the soil, not the flowers.

You will want to purchase these flowers in containers and rehome them sometime in September, which will provide gorgeous flowers throughout the entire autumn season.

Petunias need a fertilizer high in nitrogen and organic soil. They grow 6-18 inches tall and should be planted 18 inches- 4 feet apart. Remove wilted flowers to encourage more growth.

Bluebonnets

Texas bluebonnets are annuals. Sow the seeds in early October. Bluebonnets will grow during winter and flower sometime in mid-March through early May.

These drought resistant flowers take a couple of years to really start producing.  Don’t be discouraged that first year, bluebonnet blooms are worth the wait. Use 8-10 seeds per square foot.

Choose a sunny well-drained location for planting. These native plants have adapted to Texas soil and do not require fertilizer.

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Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums, which are nicknamed mums, originate from the aster family. These perennials need to be planted in early fall, well before the first freeze.

Their height is between 1 and 3 feet. They do best in full sun and come in a range of colors, including, white, orange, purple, red and bi-colors. These flowers are perfect for adding a pop of fall colors.

Mums typically do best in rich well-drained soil, such as vegetable soil. As long as you cover them with a substantial amount of mulch to keep the soil moist, they will not require much water. Because they have a shallow root system; they are great for containers or baskets.

There are garden mums and florist mums.  Garden mums are to be planted outdoors.  Florist mums are for indoor-planted pots and will not survive in outdoor temperatures.  Make sure to double-check the type before buying.

Snapdragons

Next on the list, is a short-lived perennial that is typically grown as an annual, called a snapdragon. The flower shape resembles a dragon and when the flower is pinched correctly, it can snap open, hence the name, snapdragon.

Strong bees are able to force open the flowers and pollinate, but other insects cannot. This flower blooms in cycles, so it needs to be pruned as soon the flowers start wilting.  This allows new flowers to produce.

Flowers can be white, red, pink, yellow, orange, lavender, or multi-color. They bloom best in full sun and well-drained soil. Snapdragons are 6 to 30 inches tall and 10 to 18 inches wide.