Beautiful Fall Flowering Shrubs
by Mystify on Aug 22, 2009 with 12 Comments
A list of selected fall blooming shrubs by Tanya Kime-Wallace, also including growing information,descriptions and floral images.
Although the Autumn is upon us which really only reminds us of the winter, why not add some much needed color into your garden with these fall blooming shrubs, you never know they may even actually make you forget how close to winter you truly are. The shrubs in which I have selected are not only beautiful, they will be sure to liven up your garden for now and for years to come.
Ceanothus:
Ceanothus X ‘Autumnal Blue’
Description:Height and spread 6-9 feet. Evergreen. Large, glossy, oval leaves. Flowers are blue in rounded clusters in July-October. Best grown in a south or west facing wall or fence. Thus is one of the hardier types of Ceanothus.
Ceanothus X ‘Burkwoodii’
Description:Height 10 feet. Spread 7 feet against a wall. Evergreen with wide-spreading habit.Shiny leaves that are grey on the underside. Lightly scented, deep blue flowers in small clusters but in larger number than ‘Autumnal Blue’ in July-October.
Ceanothus X Gloire de Versallesi’
Description:Height and spread 7 feet or more in favorable position. Deciduous with vigorous arching growth. Large leaves with powder blue flowers in profusion in rounded clusters from June-October. This is one of the most attractive species of Ceanothus.
How to grow:Most do best grown with the protection of a sunny wall but will grow in the open if there is shelter from the wind and plenty of sun. Severe winters can kill them although well-established plants may survive. Grow in well-drained lighter,rather than heavier soil;if chalky add peat or leaf-mold. Prune deciduous kind early spring by cutting previous years growth back to 3 inches of the stem. Evergreens may be cut back a little to tidy after flowering and to maintain bushy habit.
Ceratostigma willmottianum.
Description:Deciduous shrub. Height 2-4 feet. Bristly,purplish stems with small,course green leaves. Dense clusters of absolutely beautiful brilliant blue blossoms in July -October. The Ceratostigma.willmottianum is one of my favorite shrubs in the fall because of its intense blue flowers,simply gorgeous!
How to grow: Plant in free-draining, sandy loam in a sheltered position facing south or west,preferably a the the base of a wall and getting plenty of sun. Can be cut back to ground level in a hard winter. All old growth can be cleared away in the spring when new shoots have emerged.
Choisa ternata-Mexican orange blossom
Description:Height and spread 5 feet, although in favorable conditions it can spread grow up to 8 feet. A very attractive,rounded bush with shiny, aromatic, light -green leaves usually coming in threes. Many clusters of strongly scented white flowers about 1 ¼ inches wide, with orange stamens in May and usually again in the late summer and autumn. Severe winters are likely to kill the shrub back to ground level.
How to grow: Grow in sun or partial shade. Give shelter from strong winds,preferably south or south-west facing. Plant does well in chalky well drained soil.
Hardy Fushia
Description:Beautiful and decoratively flowered shrubs,their natural colors are purple and carmine-red,however;many hybrids have been introduced and they now come in a wide range of colors and variants of white, pink,lilac,blue, red and crimson. All Fushia flowers consist of an outer round with four parts and a corolla of four inner petals,usually coming in a different color.The following are some of the best and hardiest Fushia species; all flower from August to October and depending on the season sometimes longer.
‘Alice Hoffman’ Height and spread 2 feet. Small pink and white flowers produced freely.
‘Corallina’ Height and spread 2 ½- 3 feet. Large scarlet and purple flowers.
‘Lady Thumb’ 1- 1 ½ feet. Small carmine and white flowers.
‘Mme Cornelissen’ Height and spread 1 ½ feet. Large,semi-double white and carmine red flowers.
How to grow: Plant close to a wall or fence in sheltered area in well-drained fertile soil. If dead should have previous years growth cut back to ground level or back to a good pair of buds low down on the stem in November or early spring.
Hebe speciosa
Description: Height 4-5 feet. Spread 4 feet. Evergreen shrub with purple-red or purple blue flowers growing in spikes in July-October. Its many beautiful forms only thrive in sheltered, warm places.
How to Grow: Grow in sunny sheltered site in medium to well-drained soil. Remove shoots killed by frost in spring.
Hibiscus syriacus
Description:Hardy shrub. Height and spread 6 feet. Rich-green, toothed leaves formed late in spring. Funnel-shaped flowers in white,pink, red,purple and blue blooming successionally in August to October. Some great forms are ‘Blue Bird’ which has large blue flowers, ‘Duc de Brabant’ which has double magenta flowers and ‘Hamabo’ which has large white flowers,flushed with pink,with crimson centres.
How to grow:Plant in full sun in a sheltered location. Prefers well-drained reasonably fertile soil. If plants become too large cut back some stems fairly hard in the spring.
Hydrangea paniculata
Description:Ultimately tree-like shrubs with semi-arching habit growing up to 12 feet or more with oval leaves. Variety ‘Grandiflora’ is one of the most spectacular and is a hardy evergreen shrub with massive pyramidal panicles of white flowers that fade to purple-pink, blooming in late August-September. This Hydrangea is very successful in cold climates.
How to grow: Plant in sun with some shade in any fertile soil type allowing a moist root run. Prune back to two healthy pairs of buds in February.
Hydrangea quercifoila- Oak leaved hydrangea
Description: Height and spread 4 feet. Handsome species notable for large scalloped leaves which color subtle shades of purple,crimson or orange in Autumn. Round topped pyramidal white flower panicles in June-September.
How to grow:Plant in sheltered site, preferably North or west facing wall, with a moist root run in any fertile soil type. When spring frosts cease remove dead flower heads and cut stems that have flowered back to strong healthy buds. With older plants remove thin or weak shoots and old woody growth to ground level in spring.
Virburum
Virburum farreri
Description:Height and spread 9-12 feet. Upright deciduous shrub with young bronze leaves, aging to oval mid-green leaves that are pointed and coursly toothed. Fragrant clusters of white flowers, pink in bud appearing in November-March.
Virburum.tinus ‘Eve Price’
Description: Height 6 ½ -10 feet. Spread 6 ½ feet. Bushy,compact, evergreen shrub with oval, mid-green leaves, with lovely clusters of pink scented flowers, blooming from November-May.
How to grow:Grow in full sun in any soil providing it is not too dry. Prune in April.
Shrubs with Berries
Leycesteria.formosa
Description:Height 5 feet. Spread 3 feet. Hollow,green,upright stems. Pendant tassel-like flower-clusters in maroon and white blooming in July-August followed by red-purple berries much favored by birds. Not fully hardy but new shoots grow readily from base.
How to grow: Grow in sun or shade in reasonably fertile soil. Remove dead growth killed by frost and cut out old or weak shoots to ground level in the spring. Alternatively cut all shoots to ground level each spring and manure well.
Pyracantha ‘Dart’s Red’ and ‘Orange Charmer’
(The above image is a pyracantha, however;it is neither of the suggested type,it is the firethorn,the berries are virtually the same as the dart’s red that is why I added it as an example.)
Description:Evergreen shrubs that have shiny branches,bright,small summer flowers and prolific autumn berries and make excellent wall shrubs and hedging plants.
How to grow:Best grown against a wall in well-drained,reasonably fertile soil. Trim wall plants and hedges after flowering. Free standing can be left to develop naturally.
Pernetta mucronata
Description:Height- 4-5 feet. Spread 2-3 feet. This is the only garden species that is specifically grown for its berries. Hardy,evergreen, low-growing shrub, dense in habit, with small pointed, glossy leaves covering stems. White, heather-like flowers, carried on leaf axils in May-June. Clusters of round berries, varying in color from white to pink, red and purple in September lasting throughout the winter. Good forms are ‘Atrococcinea’ which has purple-red berries, ‘Lilacina’ which has lilac colored berries and ‘Bell’s Seedling’ which is hermaphroditic, setting fruits on it own and is dark red in color.
How to grow:Plant in full sun or partial shade in lime-free moist,peaty loam. In winter prune old leggy pants to improve shape and encourage new growth lower down.
Skimmia japonica
Description: Height 3-5 feet. Spread 5-6 feet. Leathery, mid-green leaves, adorning creamy-white scented flowers that appear in clusters in the spring. Eye catching bright red or orange berries are produced in August- September.
How to grow:Plant in sun or partial shade in well-drained soil. Young leaves may be damaged by winter frost so protect them from the cold weather. Remove only dead or damaged wood.
Links of Interest
How To Grow And Care For Perennials
Preparation For Perennials In The Spring
Gardening With Long Term Herbs
How To Utilize Space For A Small Garden
How To Prepare Your Garden For The Winter
Create Your Very Own Rock Garden
Copyright © 2008 Tanya Kime-Wallace
Liked it
Published in: Gardening
ken bultman | Aug 22, 2009 | Reply
As beautiful and throrough as a mail-order catalog compiled by someone who knows her business. Anyone with an interest in fall gardening must print this article for handy reference.
nutuba | Aug 22, 2009 | Reply
This is very well done — beautiful photos and detailed descriptions!
kathie107 | Aug 22, 2009 | Reply
This is just so unique, its very well done!
Diverseblogger | Aug 22, 2009 | Reply
Very good article and the pictures just made the article POP!!! You must really love your flowers lol!!!
Lostash | Aug 22, 2009 | Reply
You certainly know your stuff!!!! I want to visit later in the year please!!!
Joe Dorish | Aug 22, 2009 | Reply
Beautiful, really liked the Mexican Orange Blossom.
Ruby Hawk | Aug 22, 2009 | Reply
Your advice will be a big help to those with gardens. too bad I don’t have one now. I did grow hibiscus, hydrangas, iris, jonquils, old maids, pretty my nights, rose of sharon, roses, forcythia, and others. I loved my flowers.
Ali | Aug 23, 2009 | Reply
Very educational. I live in Kashmir (?) and climatically its so much like BC. Seeing those miles of berry farms there I have been wondering if they could be grown here too.I will be the happiest man if I ccould ever meet you. Great site.
deep blue | Aug 30, 2009 | Reply
Another words of wisdom for the garden in here. Great work my friend.
Jacques Berkeley | Sep 3, 2009 | Reply
That was informative. The flowers are gorgeous!
Sara Fredericks | Sep 6, 2009 | Reply
Not sure what’s going on here. Most of the things you include don’t bloom in the fall, at least not in my area (SE U.S.): hibiscus, viburnum, oak-leaved hydrangea, fuchsia — all these bloom spring or summer. I came to this site because I was hoping to see a list of shrubs which bloom in the FALL.
Mystify | Sep 6, 2009 | Reply
They do bloom in the fall,the oak leaved hydrangea as mentioned above is specifically for the foilage color and the other species as mentioned above do bloom in late summer to fall perhaps you may mean the hydrangea or hibiscus as a common name as in one individual plant/shrub however; there are many species under the name,there is not just one hydrangea, not just one hibiscus, and one virbunum there are many species under these categories of shrubs all blooming at different times of the year and the shrubs mentioned here are fall bloomers.
You may want to research the specific names of the species in which I have mentioned and you will then come to the conclusion there is none here that bloom in the spring, they all bloom from late summer to fall as mentioned above…. I was very specific with the blooming times if you bothered to read the descriptions because I am assuming the only thing you looked at was the scientific name and not the peticular species from within that name.