Here’s why these plants make their move when the seasons change:
- Short day plants: Many fall-blooming plants, like asters and goldenrod, are short-day plants. As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, these plants get the signal to start blooming. It’s nature’s way of ensuring their flowers are timed for reproduction.
- Cooler nights: Cooler fall nights encourage blooms in plants like Mexican mint marigold and Turk’s cap. Others, like Gregg’s mistflower and rock rose, bounce back from the summer heat to flourish as temperatures moderate.
- Weather Changes: Fall rains often follow Central Texas’s dry summers, creating ideal conditions for plants like lantana and Maximilian sunflowers to burst into bloom.
- Evolutionary competition: By blooming in the fall, native plants avoid competition with summer flowers and dominate the pollinator stage.
Some top fall bloomers in Central Texas:
1. Mexican Mint Marigold
- Bright yellow flowers and a licorice-like scent.
2. Gregg’s Mistflower
- Lavender-blue blooms that attract butterflies.
3. Rock Rose
- Drought-tolerant with pink hibiscus-like flowers.
4. Turk’s Cap
- Shade-tolerant with red, hibiscus-like blooms.
5. Goldenrod
- Golden spikes of flowers that support native bees.
6. Maximilian Sunflower
- Tall, showy, golden-yellow blooms.
7. Lantana
- Vibrant clusters of flowers in a range of colors, thriving through fall.
We love planting things, especially fall bloomers that make your yard come alive this time of year.
Contact us today to schedule a planting consultation, and let’s make a plan this fall.