Annuals are plants that complete their life cycles in one growing season and then die, while biennials take two years to complete their life cycles. Perennials, on the other hand, can live for many years. Most perennials bloom for only a few weeks each year, but their foliage remains throughout the year. Some perennials are evergreen, meaning they keep their leaves all year round. Others are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves in the winter and grow new ones in the spring. Read on to learn all about perennials blooming from spring to fall.
1. Symphytum ‘Variegatum’
Another one of the best perennial flowers that bloom from spring to fall is the Symphytum ‘Variegatum’. It’s a clump-forming perennial that blooms from spring to fall. Certain varieties of this plant have medicinal properties. Flowers: Small and tubular. Pale lilac-blue. Leaves: Large, hairy, lance-shaped. Gray-green with broad cream margins. Native Habitat: The green-leaved hybrid occurs in the Caucasus. Cultivation: It produces its best foliage if the flowering stems are removed before they bloom. Propagation: By division in autumn or spring. Zone: 4-9. Height: 3 ft. Spread: 2 ft.
2. Aciphylla Aurea
Aciphylla aurea is also one of the best perennial flowers that bloom from spring to fall. The plant is a rosette-forming perennial that blooms during the late summer. It’s one of the most stunning flower varieties and grows to be quite large. Flowers: Bright yellow, borne in large clusters. Leaves: Long (to 20 inches), spiny, and deeply divided into threadlike segments. Native Habitat: New Zealand. Cultivation: Grows in full sun in moist, well-drained soil. Protect from strong winds. Propagation: By seed, division, or root cuttings in spring or summer. Zone: 7-10. Height: 3-4 ft. Spread: 2 ft.
3. Aconitum Carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’
Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’ is another clump-forming perennial. This plant blooms in the middle of the summer and into the early fall. Flowers: Blue, borne singly on 2-foot stalks. Leaves: Deeply divided into lance-shaped segments. Green with paler undersides. Native Habitat: The hybrid Aconitum x arendsii is of garden origin. Cultivation: Grows in moist soil in partial shade. Propagates by seed, division, or root cuttings in spring or autumn. Zone: 4-8. Height: 2-3 ft. Spread: 18 in.
4. Actaea Racemosa
Next, on our list of perennial flowers that bloom from spring to fall, we have Actaea racemosa. This plant has a habit of growing upright, but it’s still clump-forming. This perennial plant blooms in the late summer. Flowers: White, borne in 6-inch clusters on 3-foot stalks. Leaves: Dark green, deeply lobed, and toothed. 16 inches long. Native habitat: Arkansas. Cultivation: Grows in moist, humus-rich soil in partial shade. Propagates by division in spring or autumn. Zone: 3-9. Height: 2-4 ft. Spread: 2-3 ft.
5. Actaea Rubra
Actaea rubra is another perennial that grows upright. This sturdy plant blooms in the middle of the summer. Flowers: White flowers in spring. Poisonous red berries in the summer. Leaves: Small, green, and elegant looking. Native Habitat: Georgia. Cultivation: Grows in moist, humus-rich soil in partial shade. Propagates by seed in autumn. Zone: 3-9. Height: 2-4 ft. Spread: 2-3 ft.
6. Akebia Quinata
Akebia quinata is a type of climbing vine perennial. This plant blooms at the beginning of spring, continuing into the middle of the season. Flowers: Chocolate brown, borne in clusters of up to five. Leaves: Palmate with five ovate leaflets. Green and hairless above, paler and downy beneath. Native Habitat: China and Japan. Cultivation: Grows in full sun or partial shade in moist soil. Propagates by softwood cuttings in summer. Zone: 5-9. Height: 20-30 ft. Spread: 6-8 ft.
7. Alcea Rosea
Alcea rosea grows sturdy towering spires. This plant blossoms at the end of the summer. Flowers: Pink to white, 2 to 4 inches across, borne singly or in small clusters on 2- to 4-foot-tall stalks. Leaves: Gray-green, palmate, with 7 to 9 lobes. Native Habitat: Turkey. Cultivation: Grows in direct sun, in moist, nutrient-rich soil. Propagates by seed or division in autumn. Zone: 3-8. Height: 2-4 ft. Spread: 2-3 ft.
8. Alcea Setosa
Alcea setosa is another perennial that seems to grow straight up. This plant begins blooming in mid-June and continues until the end of the summer. Flowers: White, 2 to 4 inches across, borne singly or in small clusters on 2- to 4-foot-tall stalks. Leaves: Silvery green, palmate, with 6 to 9 lobes. Native Habitat: Caucasus. Cultivation: Grows in partial or full sun. Only use damp, high-nutrient soil. Propagates by division in the autumn months. Zone: 4-8. Height:1-2 ft. Spread: 3 ft.
9. Trollius X Cultorum (Orange Princess)
This is another one of the best perennial flowers that bloom from spring to fall. The orange princess doesn’t grow straight up, but rather forms clumps. This perennial starts blooming in the middle of the spring and continues into early summer. Flowers: Orange, 2 inches across, borne in clusters of up to five on 1-foot-tall stalks. Leaves: Basal, 2 to 6 inches long, with 4 to 7 lobes. Green with maroon undersides. Native Habitat: Garden origin. Cultivation: Grows in full sun or partial shade. Make sure you’re using nutrient-dense soil. Propagates by seed in spring. Zone: 4-8. Height: 12-18 in. Spread: 18 in.
10. Zantedeschia Aethiopica
Zantedeschia aethiopica stands tall and proud. The perennial begins blooming at the start of the summer and continues well into the fall. Flowers: White, 3 to 6 inches across, borne on 2-foot-tall stalks. Leaves: Long-stalked, arrowhead-shaped, 8 to 10 inches long, and 6 to 8 inches wide. Dark green with white or yellow spots. Native Habitat: South Africa. Cultivation: Grows in partial shade in slightly damp soil. Propagates by division in spring or autumn. Zone: 7-10. Height:1-3 ft. Spread: 1-2 ft.
11. Zephyranthes Candida
Enjoy a clump-forming perennial that covers a lot of ground, Zephyranthes candida. This plant blooms at the beginning of the summer and in early fall. Flowers: White, 3 to 4 inches across, borne singly on 12-inch stalks. Leaves: Linear, 12 to 18 inches long, 1/2 to 1 inch wide. Green. Native Habitat: Mexico. Cultivation: Grows in full sun or partial shade in rich soil. Propagates by bulb offsets or seed. Zone: 7-10. Height: 6-12 in. Spread: 6-12 in.
12. Zephyranthes Atamasca
Zephyranthes atamasca is another type of clumping perennial. This flower blooms at the end of the summer, Flowers: Pale pink with darker stripes, 3 to 4 inches across, borne singly on 12-inch stalks. Leaves: Linear, 12 to 18 inches long, 1/2 to 1 inch wide. Green. Native Habitat: Bottomland Forests. Cultivation: Grows in full sun or partial shade. Only use high-quality soil that’s moist. Propagates by bulb offsets for the best results. Zone: 4-7. Height: 5-8 inches. Spread: 12-24 in.
13. Erigeron (White Quakers)
Erigeron (White Quakers) is a mound-forming perennial that blooms twice a year. Suited for the front or middle of a garden bed, this flower also works well for a herbaceous border. Flowers: White, 1/2 inch across, borne in clusters of up to 60 on 2-foot-tall stalks. Leaves: Basal, 3 to 6 inches long. Native Habitat: Colombia. Cultivation: Grows in moderately fertile soil that’s in full sun. Propagation: By seed division in spring. Zone: 5-8. Height: 1-2 ft. Spread: 1-2 ft.
Up Next:
How to Stop Rabbits From Eating Your Plants and FlowersAre There Any Plants That REALLY Keep Snakes Away?Are Snake Plants Really Toxic to Cats?
