Native Flowers to Plant in Fall

Even as the brisk chill of autumn sets in, it’s not too late to add a few new additions to your backyard! In fact, many native bulbs and perennials need winter dormancy for early spring growth. Whether you’re building out your pollinator garden or just adding a few accents around your landscaping, there are so many stunning blooms to choose from! Here are just a few of our favorites:

Bulbs

Fall is bulb planting season! While you’re picking up your tulips and irises, be sure to pick up a Wisconsin native or two. Gorgeous and functional, they support our native wildlife in early spring.

Nodding Pink Onion (Allium cernuum)

Nodding pink onions are the perfect addition to any backyard; plus, their pungent flavor means that your local critters aren’t likely to stop by for a snack. Plant nodding pink onion bulbs six inches to a foot apart in fall for stunning blooms in July and August. They’re also a great pollinator plant, so expect some visitors next summer.⁶

Wild Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides)

Wild hyacinth is an endangered prairie plant native to southern Wisconsin.³ Reaching more than two feet tall, wild hyacinth brings height and texture to any garden. Plant wild hyacinth bulbs before the first frost for gorgeous spring interest.²

Perennials

Native perennials are a great way to add beauty to any space year after year. Check out a few options!

Lavender Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)

Lavender hyssop boasts incredibly tall stalks with fragrant lavender flowers. It attracts all sorts of bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies; plus, it’s deer-resistant. A later bloomer, sow lavender hyssop seeds in fall for flowers throughout July, August, and September.⁵

Pasque Flower (Anemone patens)

One of the first arrivals in spring, pasque flowers have a unique beauty with large delicate blooms and soft furry leaves and stems. While they have no problem with a cool spring morning, they do prefer alkaline soil, making them one of the pickier native plants on this list. Sow pasque flower seeds in fall for early spring flowers.¹

Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)

Shooting stars offer strikingly unique flowers that nod downwards. They also have plenty of pollinator appeal during early spring when pickings are still slim. Plant bare roots or seeds in fall for blooms between May and June.⁸

Sources

1. “Anemone Patens Var. Wolfgangiana.” Prairie Moon Nursery. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://www.prairiemoon.com/anemone-patens-var-wolfgangiana-pasque-flower#panel-descrip.
2.  “Camassia Scilloides Wild Hyacinth.” Prairie Moon Nursery. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://www.prairiemoon.com/camassia-scilloides-wild-hyacinth.
3. Doyle, Kevin. “Wild Hyacinth (Camassia Scilloides).” Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/biodiversity/Home/detail/plants/8974.
4. Hampton, Nan. “Ask Mr. Smarty Plants.” Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, August 19, 2011. https://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=7385&frontpage=true.
5. “Lavender Hyssop Agastache Foeniculum.” Prairie Nursery. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://www.prairienursery.com/lavender-hyssop-agastache-foeniculum.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqvinR_wzv3PU0As9vxubGHSCQltW4yzEl7hCCXBUhFmPdqYebE.
6. “Nodding Pink Onion.” Allium cernuum | Prairie Nursery. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://www.prairienursery.com/nodding-pink-onion-allium-cernuum.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqitmp4KyR8SOiYHjxwRwF8EBC0nm8ft5GckX49LL7f7ef4OGrY.
7. “Planting Native Plants in the Fall.” Natural Communities, September 22, 2021. https://naturalcommunities.net/blogs/news/planting-native-plants-in-the-fall?srsltid=AfmBOoqwkHHUqku1GsTC9lrI7vDt74q3nE1U6H98CSjz17qG7wBqMcHg.
8. “Shootingstar – Dodecatheon Meadia.” Prairie Nursery. Accessed September 9, 2024. https://www.prairienursery.com/shootingstar-dodecatheon-meadia.html?srsltid=AfmBOopFj72gbSR0qIzx_gD07niORlMO-gDLqbTNEb2rf-YE9QOg2_Y0.
9. “WI Native Plant List – Grasses and Forbs.” Waushara County Wisconsin. Accessed September 2, 2024. https://www.co.waushara.wi.us/pview.aspx?id=44939&catid=0.