In autumn, geraniums, petunias and other summer flowers are only a shadow of their former self. Now is the time for late-blooming species and varieties that will transform your balcony into a sea of flowers. We looked around Mother Nature's kingdom and discovered these 25 most beautiful late bloomers for you.
Autumn flowers for the flower box
In autumn, warm colors dominate in the fields and forests, which can be found on the balcony with the following species and varieties:
- Bushy autumn aster (Aster dumosus), dark purple ray flowers from September to November; 20-30cm
- Purple bells (Heuchera hybrid 'Mocha'), creamy white flowers over dark red decorative leaves; 25-30cm
- Goldhair Aster (Aster linosyris), golden-yellow flowers from June to November, followed by woolly fruits; 25-40cm
- Golden basket (Chrysogonum virginianum), yellow flowers for the small box until November; 5-25cm
- Spanish daisy (Erigeron karvinskianus 'Bloom Sea'), white-pink flowers until December; 20-25cm
The carpet myrtle aster (Aster ericoides 'Snowflurry') is ideal for a floral snow flurry on the autumnal balcony. The casually hanging tendrils are covered with countless white flowers from September to November. A dense foliage of filigree leaves impressively underlines the splendor of the white flowers.
These bulbous flowers bloom in autumn
Clever hobby gardeners plant the bulbs of autumn bloomers between summer flowers in May. This trick ensures a seamless transition from summer to autumn without having to completely replace the box planting. The following flowers remain invisible in the balcony box throughout the summer, only to take over the floral scepter in autumn:
- Saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), purple-blue, dark-veined flowers from September to November; 10cm
- Chinese autumn anemone (Anemone hupehensis 'Praecox') with purple-pink flowers from August to October; 50cm
- Autumn anemone (Anemone japonica 'Queen Charlotte'), ideal for large boxes and containers; 60cm
The autumn flowers of autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) should only develop where there are no children or pets within reach. The pink to purple flower festival from August to November is unfortunately accompanied by a high level of poison.
Late bloomers for pots and containers
On the large balcony, flowering bushes in the pot create a fantastic long-distance effect that attracts everyone's attention. The following ornamental trees bloom late in the season and usually last until the first frost:
- Ball hydrangea 'Hot Red' (Hydrangea macrophylla), dark red flower balls from June to October; 80-120cm
- Autumn lilac 'Superba' (Syringa microphylla), with 20 cm long flower spikes from September to October; 100-120cm
- Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus), with blue-purple flowers until October and red-black berries in winter; 100cm
- Seven Sons of Heaven Shrub (Heptacodium miconioides), purple flowers from August to November; 300-350cm
The clematis 'New Love' (Clematis) provides convincing evidence that autumn-flowering trees are not limited to climbing varieties. With a height of 60 to 100 cm and a tightly upright habit, the successful hybrid impresses with violet-blue trumpet flowers in a large pot from August to October.
Spectacular and easy to care for – sedums for the autumn balcony
For all hobby gardeners with limited time, stonecrops (Sedum) are the floral patent solution for easy-care autumn blossoms on the balcony. After their flowering period, the following species and varieties also set decorative accents with their pretty seed heads until spring:
- Dark sedum 'Karfunkelstein' blooms from August to October in carmine pink over dark red foliage; 40-50cm
- Blue-leaf stonecrop 'Red Cauli' impresses with red, cauliflower-like flowers and blue-green leaves; 30-40cm
- Plum stonecrop 'Robustum' is characterized by plum-colored shoots and red flowers in autumn; 20-30cm
With the sedum variety 'Autumn Joy', one of the most beautiful sedums is finding its way onto the autumnal balcony. With a height of 60 to 70 cm, the hybrid is well suited for the pot, where it can be presented with old pink, later rust-red umbrella flowers.
Leaf decorations replace flowers in shady locations
Not every balcony has a sunny, south-facing location. This doesn't mean that you have to forego autumnal decorations because there is a lack of sunlight on your balcony. The following plants make us forget the missing flowers with their magnificent decorative leaves:
- Snow-feather hosta (Hosta undulata 'Univittata') with two-tone, twisted heart-shaped leaves until winter; 25-35cm
- Blue-leaved white-edged hosta 'Pizzazz' (Hosta sieboldiana) with yellow-edged, wavy leaves; 30-40cm
- Ostrich goldwort (Ligularia dentata) with late summer flowers and beautiful foliage color in autumn; 50cm
- Silvery wormwood (Artemisia absinthium 'Lambrook Mist') with delicate, silvery leaves for large containers; 80cm
The bulky aster 'Tradescant' (Aster divaricatus) cannot be prevented from producing white flowers from August to October by a shady location. This autumn beauty is therefore perfect to join the recommended foliage perennials, as it remains quite small at 30 cm and has reliable stability.
Tip
Don't want to miss out on colorful flowers on the balcony even in winter? Then the winter viburnum (Viburnum bodnantense) is the right choice. In regions with mild winters and in protected niches, its flowering period extends from November to April. With pink-white umbrella flowers and a seductive scent, the magical winter shrub doesn't leave you feeling melancholy.
