It’s hard to believe we have already reached September and that summer is in the rearview mirror. Did you know that Mother Nature sows many seeds in fall? This time of year is a great time for planting! With halloween right around the corner, people often choose mums and other ornamental flowers this time of year but many of these don’t offer much, if anything, to our pollinators, including monarchs that are passing through on their way to Mexico. They, and other insects, need reliable nectar sources. Monarch butterflies have a LONG journey ahead of them, and NEED to fuel up! You can help by adding these native favorites to pots on your deck or beside your front door, or better yet– in your yard or garden. Let them be the star of the show right now and you’ll be rewarded with a front row seat for watching pollinators this year, and beyond.
Here are three fabulous fall-blooming perennials that I highly recommend:
1. Any native species of ASTER.
There are many native species, all of which are gorgeous, like the purple and yellow flowers of New England Aster. Many of the asters are just as attractive as mums, but with the added bonus of helping monarchs and other pollinators. Your local nursery is bound to have many native choices, including, smooth aster, (Symphyotrichum laeve), aromatic aster, (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium), crooked aster, (Symphyotrichum prenanthoides), blue wood aster, Symphyotrichum cordifolium), New England aster, (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae). Some species for shade include, bigleaf, also called large-leaved aster, (Eurybia macrophylla) which makes an excellent ground cover, white wood aster, also called wild star aster, (Eurybia divaricata), and calico aster, (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum.)
2. Any native species of GOLDENROD.
This is the gorgeous yellow flower on tall stalks, often seen beside roads. Goldenrod is a pollinator magnet! And is the host plant for numerous species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths.) Don’t confuse this with ragweed– the plant responsible for fall allergies. Goldenrod is a long-blooming perennial that attracts a variety of wildlife including goldfinches. When there is a lot of it in one place, watch out– it’s a showstopper!
Some great species to include are grass-leafed goldenrod, (Euthamia graminifolia), stiff goldenrod, (Solidago rigida), wrinkle-leafed goldenrod, (Solidago rugosa), old field goldenrod, (Solidago nemoralis), zigzag goldenrod, (Solidago flexicaulis), and wreath goldenrod, (Solidago cause).
But really, ANY species of native goldenrod is a winner– plant it now! And you’ll be rewarded with lots and lots of butterflies, and other pollinators.
3. BLUE MIST FLOWER (Conoclinium coelestinum)
This is a fabulous low-growing flower that does well in part, to full sun. Over time it forms colonies, spread by rhizomes, that are perfect to fill in all of your empty garden spaces. And it blooms forever! From late summer, all the way through the first frost. What’s not to love about that? The fuzzy purple flowers look great next to goldenrod, black-eyed Susans, sunflowers and other yellow flowers. And, as a bonus, it looks great in flower arrangements.
In case you’re wondering where to buy these flowers, here are a few local plant sales coming up this fall: My friend, Kim Bailey, owns a farm called Milkweed Meadows and will be at all of these plant sales, selling these and many other species of native flowers. (She’ll also have Tina James Magic Evening Primrose, a wonderful night-blooming flower that I talked about at several recent programs including at Deerfield Retirement Community, and the Asheville Botanical Gardens earlier this summer.)
Local WNC fall plant sales:
Saturday, September 12, 9 AM – 2 PM
Fall Native Plant Sale
Asheville Botanical Garden, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd., Asheville, NC
Saturday, September 19
Monarch Day ($25 Parking Fee)
The NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC
Sunday, September 20
Pollinator Festival
Treska’s on Highland Lake, 215 Rhett Drive, Flat Rock, NC
Friday, September 25 & Saturday, September 26
Fall Plant Sale & Market ($25 Parking Fee)
The NC Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC
Hope you get out and find some of these great fall flowers! And I hope also that you get to see some migrating monarchs. Enjoy fall and all of the beauty it has to offer!