Don't let the changing seasons prevent your garden from growing. These plants will bloom throughout the fall before the first frost.
When fall foliage paints our hillsides in oranges, browns, and reds, it’s the perfect time to go on hikes, cuddle up in a cozy sweater, or maybe even try out a pumpkin ale, so why not add fall color—and more—to your garden?
Whether you’re located in the Southwest, the Pacific Northwest, or any place in between, the Sunset Plant Collection has great ideas for what to plant before the first frost, including ‘Killer Cranberry’ Salvia that will add ruby red and deep coral hues to your garden, and ‘Kaleidoscope’ Abelia with foliage that changes with the season.
The plants in this collection have been carefully crafted to allow you to garden with less hassle. ‘October Magic’ ruby camellias, for example, were bred to need less pruning, while ‘Platinum Beauty’ Lomandra is the first variety with variegated green and white stripes. (An upright grower, Lomandra could add visual interest to a succulent garden.)
Here are nine Sunset Plant Collection plants to try this fall, broken down by planting zone.
In warm winter climates (United States Department of Agriculture zones 9-10) that only experience a light freeze or no frost in a typical winter, look for these:
1 /4Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Cape Town Series’ Tecomaria
‘Cape Town Series’ Tecomariacontinuously flowers until the first frost so you can expect striking red flowers until then. This Tecomaria hybrid attracts pollinators, is heat tolerant, and has an upright growing habit. No pruning is required; dead-heading promotes new growth.
2 /4Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Killer Cranberry’ Salvia
Anyone who’s planted salvia in their garden knows it draws honeybees and hummingbirds; ‘Killer Cranberry’ Salvia‘s bright magenta flowers make it a great plant for attracting pollinators. It’s native to the Southwest, easy to care for, aromatic, deer-resistant, water-wise, and heat tolerant, and it blooms in the fall.
3 /4Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘October Magic’ Ruby Camellia
The Sunset Plant Collection bred this ruby-red camellia to bloom more and require less pruning. It can be used as an accent, in containers, as hedging, for mass planting, and privacy planting. The ‘October Magic’ Ruby camellia has a longer bloom time and features double peony-form flowers.
4 /4Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Platinum Beauty’ Lomandra
‘Platinum Beauty’ Lomandra is easy to care for and is deer-, disease-, and pest-resistant.It’s salt-tolerant and loves to accompany other low-water plants like succulents. The‘Platinum Beauty’ variety is the first of its kind with a green and white striped variegated form.
1 /5Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Orange Rocket’ Berberis
This evergreen shrub will change with the seasons. When planted in the spring, ‘Orange Rocket’ Berberisis a vibrant coral; in the fall, foliage turns red and lasts late into the season. Easy to care for, ‘Orange Rocket’ can be used as a vertical element in borders, landscapes, or containers.
2 /5Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Sunshine’ Ligustrum
‘Sunshine’ Ligustrum is water-wise and non-invasive. An easy-to-care-for evergreen, it has a moderate growth rate and is heat- and salt-tolerant. Use it as an accent, border, container plant, edging, hedge, low hedge, or topiary.
3 /5Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Kaleidoscope’ Abelia
‘Kaleidoscope’ Abelia changes colors with the season, ranging from golden yellow in spring to orange-red in fall. A dwarf shrub, it attracts pollinators while being deer-, disease-, and pest-resistant.
4 /5Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Miss Lemon’ Abelia
‘Miss Lemon’ Abelia changes color with age. When young, the foliage is bright and variegated in yellow with green centers, but when ‘Miss Lemon’ matures the foliage transitions to ivory and green. Once established, this deciduous shrub is water-wise.
5 /5Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Radiance’ Abelia
‘Radiance’ Abelia has many landscape uses, including accent, border, container, foundation planting, garden bed, and mass planting. It’s easy to care for with variegated foliage. Expect white flowers in the late spring that last until fall andattract pollinators.
If you live in low-latitude lying states with light winters (USDA zones 7-10) look for:
1 of 5Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Orange Rocket’ Berberis
This evergreen shrub will change with the seasons. When planted in the spring, ‘Orange Rocket’ Berberisis a vibrant coral; in the fall, foliage turns red and lasts late into the season. Easy to care for, ‘Orange Rocket’ can be used as a vertical element in borders, landscapes, or containers.
2 of 5Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Sunshine’ Ligustrum
‘Sunshine’ Ligustrum is water-wise and non-invasive. An easy-to-care-for evergreen, it has a moderate growth rate and is heat- and salt-tolerant. Use it as an accent, border, container plant, edging, hedge, low hedge, or topiary.
3 of 5Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Kaleidoscope’ Abelia
‘Kaleidoscope’ Abelia changes colors with the season, ranging from golden yellow in spring to orange-red in fall. A dwarf shrub, it attracts pollinators while being deer-, disease-, and pest-resistant.
4 of 5Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Miss Lemon’ Abelia
‘Miss Lemon’ Abelia changes color with age. When young, the foliage is bright and variegated in yellow with green centers, but when ‘Miss Lemon’ matures the foliage transitions to ivory and green. Once established, this deciduous shrub is water-wise.
5 of 5Courtesy of Sunset Plant Collection
‘Radiance’ Abelia
‘Radiance’ Abelia has many landscape uses, including accent, border, container, foundation planting, garden bed, and mass planting. It’s easy to care for with variegated foliage. Expect white flowers in the late spring that last until fall andattract pollinators.