As we move through fall, blooming flowers begin to wink-out one by one. But if you’re looking for just a bit more bright colorful wildflower cheer, here are the latest blooming native plants in our area (and where to find them).
Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)
This may not be the latest blooming wildflower, but its big, showy, blooms for a long time. It blooms through most of October. Another more common sunflower, sawtooth sunflower, can also bloom pretty late. It has narrower leaves, and its most-likely the one you see blooming on the roadside as you drive by.
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| Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) |
Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)
Gentians are a delight in the early fall with their bright blue flowers that really pop-out in a landscape where most other plants are fading. The last of them bloom about when the trees are in the fall colors. Bottle gentian can be found in undisturbed wetlands and is often planted in rain gardens.
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| Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii) |
Hairy Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum)
Another common name for hairy aster is frost aster, because it can bloom through the first frost. It’s a simple white flower with several native look-a-likes. Its unique in its ability to brighten up an otherwise weedy area. This species is our most common white aster, it is sometimes in prairie seed mixes, but spreads very well on its own to any disturbed area, urban or rural.
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| Hairy Aster (Symphyotrichum pilosum) |
Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)
Asters are known as a fall-blooming group in-general. Aromatic aster is one of the last to start blooming, hitting its stride in mid-October, and weather permitting, carrying on into November. In the wild this species lives in dry rocky places, but its quite happy (maybe a little too happy) in regular garden soil.
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| Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) |
Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia)
Though their primary bloom season is in late-spring and early-summer, harebells will often put out additional flowers at other times of year if conditions are favorable, such as high soil moisture content and/or moderate temperatures. The photo below was taken on November 16th! Harebell is typically found in dry prairies.
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| Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) |
Common Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
This shrub’s leaves turn bright yellow in late October. If you look closely at witch hazel during this period, you’ll see the flowers just starting to open. Most bees and butterflies are dead or dormant by this time, so witch hazel is pollinated by small flies and wasps. They may not be the prettiest flower on this list, but witch hazel may be the only plant still blooming when winter officially starts on the solstice. They are most often found in rich moist areas of forests, often on in steep terrain.
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| Common Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) flowers |
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| Common Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) |