Fall is a great time to give your landscaping and gardens some serious trimming and pruning. As we move closer to winter, you might feel the urge to trim back your plants to keep everything looking neat for spring.
Hold on a second! Trimming away old growth and removing spent foliage works well for some plants after summer, but it’s not the best approach for others.
Let’s take a look at the 11 perennials you shouldn’t cut back in fall:
1. Roses
Botanical Name: Rosa spp.
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Height: 1-6 feet
Hardiness Zones: 3-11
Roses are a timeless favorite in every garden and they’re one of those perennials that you definitely want to leave uncut in the fall. Keeping the rose bushes as they are during the colder months helps give them some extra protection from the tough winter weather.
The fallen leaves and petals act like an insulator for the plant’s roots, keeping them warm, while the leftover canes help shield against wind damage. When spring rolls around, you’ll be greeted by a vibrant, healthy rose bush all set to kick off the new growing season.
2. Sunflowers
Botanical Name: Helianthus annuus
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Height: 6-10 feet
Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Sunflowers are such a lively and resilient perennial, adding a splash of color and life to any garden. They’re recognized for their big, bright faces and impressive height. These perennials are one of the 11 that you shouldn’t cut back in the fall.
Sunflowers are great because they offer important winter food for birds and other wildlife. Their dried stalks can provide shelter for beneficial insects to hang out. Keeping them around really helps boost the health and biodiversity of your garden ecosystem!
3. Azaleas
Botanical Name: Rhododendron
Sun Requirements: Partial Shade
Height: 2-8 Feet
Hardiness Zones: 4-9
Azaleas are such a vibrant and lush perennial! They’re famous for their spring blooms that brighten up the garden with a splash of colors. During fall it’s easy for gardeners to feel the urge to prune these lovely plants, but it’s best to hold off on that.
This is because they actually set their bloom buds for the next year during the summer and fall. If you trim them back in the fall, you might miss out on those beautiful flowers in the spring.
Also, the branches help keep the buds safe during the winter, protecting them from tough weather conditions.
4. Lilacs
Botanical Name: Syringa vulgaris
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Height: 5-15 feet
Hardiness Zones: 3-7
Lilacs are known for their fragrant and colorful blooms that brighten up spring. It can be really tempting to clean up your garden by trimming all your plants in the fall, but it’s best to leave lilacs as they are.
These tough plants really thrive when they hold onto their old growth during the winter months. The stems really help keep the plant’s base safe from the tough winter weather. Also, lilacs start forming their buds for next year’s flowers during the summer, so if you prune them in the fall, you might end up with fewer blooms in the spring.
5. Red Hot Pokers
Botanical Name: Kniphofia uvaria
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Height: 3-4 feet
Hardiness Zones: 5-9
Red hot pokers, or torch lilies as they’re sometimes called, really make a statement in any garden with their tall, colorful spikes of tubular flowers.
They’re a bit different from most perennials; you actually shouldn’t cut them back in the fall. These plants are semi-evergreen, which means they keep their leaves throughout the year.
It’s important to note that trimming them back can actually be harmful to the plant. Just leave the plant as it is, and only take off any dead or damaged leaves come springtime. This helps the plant concentrate on growing its roots during the winter, resulting in a healthier and stronger plant when spring arrives.
6. Caryopteris
Botanical Name: Caryopteris x clandonensis
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Height: 2-3 feet
Hardiness Zones: 5-9
Caryopteris, often called bluebeard, really shines in the fall garden with its bright blue flowers and silvery leaves. This hardy shrub is one of the 11 perennials you should leave alone in the fall, since its flowers and leaves add a nice touch to your garden all winter long.
Keeping the plant as it is lets it self-seed, which means you’ll have a fresh batch of plants come springtime! Also, the dried flower heads are a great food source for birds when it gets chilly outside.
As fall transitions into winter, it might be tempting to spruce up your garden, but keep in mind that leaving things a little “messy” can actually help both your plants and the wildlife they attract.
7. Milkweed
Botanical Name: Asclepias
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Height: 2-3 feet
Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Milkweed is a perennial plant that hails from North America, and a perennial you shouldn’t cut back in the fall. This plant is well-known for its importance in the lifecycle of the monarch butterfly and makes a hardy and resilient addition to any garden.
Milkweed’s lovely clusters of pink and purple flowers not only serve as a food source for pollinators but also bring a vibrant touch to your garden. Keeping the plant as it is during the fall helps it to reseed on its own, which means you’ll have new plants popping up in the spring!
The plant’s seed pods also offer food and shelter for different wildlife throughout the colder months. So, it’s a good idea to wait on any pruning until early spring, after the last frost has gone by.
8. Rhododendrons
Botanical Name: Rhododendron
Sun Requirements: Partial Shade
Height: 4-12 feet
Hardiness Zones: 4-9
Rhododendrons really brighten up any garden with their beautiful, big flowers and rich, green leaves. These tough perennials do really well in cooler climates and are great at handling those harsh winters.
Pruning them during this time can actually reduce your spring blooms. These plants actually like to be pruned right after they finish blooming. This way, they can set buds for the next year!
Just a heads up, Rhododendrons don’t need a lot of heavy pruning. A light trim is usually all you need to keep them looking great!
9. Coneflowers
Botanical Name: Echinacea purpurea
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Height: 1-3 ft.
Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Coneflowers, or Echinacea purpurea, are a popular choice for gardeners thanks to their bright colors and resilience. These are a kind of perennial that you definitely want to leave uncut in the fall.
Keeping the coneflowers as they are in the fall and winter not only gives birds some tasty seeds but also adds a nice touch to your garden during the colder months. So, instead of grabbing your pruning shears when the temperatures start to drop, let these beauties stay standing tall. They’ll bring nourishment to local wildlife and add a lovely touch to your snow-dusted garden.
10. Peonies
Botanical Name: Paeonia
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Height: 2-3 feet
Hardiness Zones: 3-8
Peonies are a favorite in lots of gardens, known for their big, fragrant flowers and beautiful greenery. These are a kind of perennial that you definitely want to leave uncut in the fall. Keeping the foliage on during winter helps the plant insulated and safe from the tough winter conditions.
Also, the dead leaves can act as a natural marker for the plant’s location, helping to avoid any unintentional harm or disruption while you’re gardening in the fall and winter. In spring, you’ll see fresh growth popping up from the base of the plant, and it’s a good time to clear away the old, dead leaves to let the new ones shine.
This way of taking care of peonies helps them live longer and boosts their chances of blooming beautifully next season.
11. Chrysanthemum
Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum Morifolium
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Height: 1-3 feet
Hardiness Zones: 5-9
Chrysanthemums, or ‘mums’ as many like to call them, are a popular perennial that gardeners should avoid cutting back in the fall. These colorful flowers are great because they can keep blooming into late fall, adding a splash of color when many other garden plants have wrapped up for the season.
Mums really thrive in full sun and love well-drained soil. If you don’t prune them, they can add some winter charm and help protect their roots. In the spring, go ahead and trim back those old stems to make room for some fresh new growth.
Just a friendly reminder, these plants are tough and can thrive in zones 5 through 9, so they’re a great choice for any garden!
Other Guides from Planet Natural:
The First Flower You Must Plant After Autumnal Equinox
10 Herbs That Absolutely Thrive in Fall
15 Flowers You Can Kickstart from Seed in Late Winter
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