It might be a bit late to plant your fall flowers to bloom for this year, but it’s never too early to start thinking about next year. Fall flowers can provide a pleasant dash of color in a season where much of the rest of your foliage is fading or dying off, and can help spruce up a lawn that might be fading a bit. One of the best things about flowers that bloom in the fall is that many of them are quite hardy, and can survive the nastiest weather that the Midwest can throw at them. Here are five flowers that look great, and will keep coming back for you in the fall.
Chelone: Also sometimes called Turtlehead, Chelone is an incredibly hardy plant that blooms up through Canada. It blooms in red, purple, white, and pink, and it blooms in clumps. It’s not a fan of dry heat, so during a rough summer they will need some care.
Goldenrod: Often blamed for allergies – falsely – Goldenrod may look somewhat delicate but can survive in poor weather and can bloom through late fall. Thought of by most as a wildflower, and sometimes as a weed, it is a great plant to use as a border around a lawn.
Sedum: This isn’t just a fall bloomer, but a year-round plant that requires little in the way of attention. Certain species are more resistant to the cold weather, so make sure to find those types.
Helenium: A daisy-like flower that blooms in the fall and is drought-tolerant, Helenium is great for the unpredictable Illinois weather. They can grow quite high, sometimes up to six feet, so they do require strategic planting and staking. Like goldenrod, they make great flowers for around the edges of a lawn, as well as against a house. An added bonus is that butterflies love them and are attracted to them.
Chrysanthemum: Classic fall flowers, the hardiest of the bunch are the ones sold as “Hardy Mums” and are generally planted in the spring. An all-around winner, aside from the instant recognizability and the dashes of color, mums are also edible as a green or in tea form. There is an incredible variety of species, so finding one to highlight your lawn and gardens should be easy.
