Top 10+ Perennials That Are Perfect To Plant In September

Give your perennials a head start before the first freeze.

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums

September is the perfect time to use mild weather to your advantage and get your favorite perennials in the ground. "The soil is still warm, nights are getting cooler, and roots get a head start before winter arrives," says garden consultant and content creator Ashleigh Byrne.

You can plant perennials that will give you a quick hit of fall color or work ahead on your early spring garden. Byrne recommends looking for perennials that are easy to plant and low maintenance. "Don’t be afraid when their growth dies down in the winter, come spring they will pop right back up," adds Byrne.

Ready to spend your fall days sowing seeds and planting flowers? Here are the 10 perennials you should plant in September.

01 of 10

Coneflower

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums
  • Botanical Name: Echinacea 
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Soil Type: Well-drained, clay, high organic matter, loamy, sandy
  • Soil pH: Neutral (6.0-8.0)

The vibrant purple blooms of coneflowers are a familiar sight in native gardens from mid-summer through early fall, and you can plant them in September for color that will come back again next year. "Coneflowers are a pollinator's dream come true," says Byrne. "They prefer full sun and are basically care free. I love using them in flower arrangements."

02 of 10

Coreopsis

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums
  • Botanical Name: Coreopsis tinctoria
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Type: Dry to medium, well-draining, poor to average fertility
  • Soil pH: Mildly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.5) 

For cheerful blooms that will bloom in the fall, then add color to your garden again the next summer, plant coreopsis, a hardy perennial that comes in a range of vibrant hues. "Coreopsis comes in a variety of colors and they add so much whimsy to the garden. They are drought tolerant and thrive with very little care," says Byrne. "I do recommend pinching the spent blooms though to promote new growth." 

03 of 10

Lamb's Ear

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums
  • Botanical Name: Stachys byzantina
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Soil Type: Average, well-draining
  • Soil pH: Acidic to slightly alkaline (6.0-7.8)

Lamb's ear adds a soft green, velvety touch to any garden and, in the South and USDA Zones 7-9, it can often be grown as an evergreen. You can plant it in September to let it establish its roots over the winter. "I love adding lamb’s ear in any garden because of the texture it adds to a space," says Byrne. "Plant it in full sun for it to really thrive. Lamb’s ear does act as a ground cover, so be sure to plant it in an area where it can spread out."

04 of 10

Black-Eyed Susan

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums
  • Botanical Name: Rudbeckia hirta, R. fulgida
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Soil Type: Average fertility, well-drained
  • Soil pH: Acidic (5.5-6.5)

Black-eyed Susans will bloom for months, from summer into fall, but you can still plant them in September for color that will extend throughout autumn. Byrne explains, "These bright golden blooms will make any garden feel like fall. When you plant them in September, give them space for airflow and keep deadheading to stretch the bloom season a little longer."

05 of 10

Pink Stonecrop

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums
  • Botanical Name: Hylotelephium spectabile
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Soil Type: Average to lean, dry to medium, well-draining
  • Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline (6.0-8.0)

If you don't want to spend hours tending to your garden, then stonecrop is the flower for you. This pollinator-friendly succulent can be planted in September, as long as you have plenty of time before the first freeze for it to establish its root system. "Plant stonecrop in full sun and watch this spread year after year," says Byrne. "It has a sculptural look and the pink flower heads will look absolutely stunning in your garden or flower arrangement."

06 of 10

Yarrow

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums
  • Botanical Name: Achillea spp.
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Soil Type: Dry to medium, well-draining, lean
  • Soil pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline (6.0-7.5)

The best time to plant yarrow is two months before the first frost, so, if you're expecting a freeze in late November or December, then September is fair game. "Yarrow is a fuss free, deer-resistant perennial with the most beautiful blooms," says Byrne. "Don’t forget to clip back the spent flower stems to promote new growth."

07 of 10

Crocus

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums
  • Botanical Name: Crocus spp.
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Soil Type: Sandy, well-drained
  • Soil pH: Acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

Late September into October is the ideal time to get crocus bulbs in the ground if you're hoping for a flush of vibrant color just as winter's doldrums start to wear on you. The cold weather over the winter will shift the bulbs into dormancy so you'll get colorful flowers as early as February.

08 of 10

Daffodil

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums
  • Botanical Name: Narcissus 
  • Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
  • Soil Type: Average, Well-draining
  • Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.0-7.0)

Daffodils need the winter to prepare for their brilliant spring appearance, and getting them in the ground in late September is perfect timing. Plant the bulbs before the first frost, then cover them with mulch so they'll be ready for their long winter hibernation.

09 of 10

Chrysanthemums

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums
  • Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum spp.
  • Sun Exposure: Full
  • Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
  • Soil pH: Neutral to acidic (5.8 to 6.8)

Chrysanthemums are often thought of as festive fall annuals that you buy in pots each year, but there are also perennial varieties that are hardy and will come back year-after-year. You'll plant these in September, just as you would non-hardy mums, and, the next year, you'll have colorful fall blooms.

10 of 10

Peonies

Coneflower, Coreopsis, Lamb's Ear, Black-Eyed Susan, Pink Stonecrop, Daffodil, Chrysanthemums
  • Botanical Name: Peonia species
  • Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
  • Soil Type: Moist, Well-draining, Rich
  • Soil pH: Slightly Acidic to Neutral (6.5-7.0) 

Peonies may be a favorite fall flower, but they're actually best planted in the fall. Plant bare root peonies in late September, which will give their roots time to get established before cold winter temperatures set in. These shrubby perennials will pop right up in the spring and grace your garden with their lush blooms by June.

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