The 16 Most Colorful Fall-Blooming Flowers in Maine

Beautiful blooming flowers aren’t just limited to Spring. In Maine, there are hundreds of flowers you can plant that produce colorful blossoms in fall. Follow along to discover the 16 most beautiful fall-blooming flowers in Maine.

1. Canna Lily

The first colorful fall flower on our list is the canna lily. Technically, canna lilies are a genus of about 10 species of flowering plants in the family Cannaceae. Although common in Maine and throughout North America, these lovely lilies are native to the American tropics. Canna lilies vary in size and color depending on the species or cultivar. However, the flowers are typically red, yellow, orange, or pink. In the wild, these stunning plants can reach up to 9.8 feet tall. These lovely, highly pigmented plants have many uses. For instance, they are beautiful decorative plants, but you can use the seeds to create jewelry. The seeds are also used in instruments. 

2. Marguerite Daisy

Another fall-blooming flower on our list is the marguerite daisy. Like the canna lily, it’s a genus of flowering plants with a wide distribution. Marguerite daisies are members of the Asteraceae family. They are favorites for many, found throughout gardens and public green spaces. In Maine, these white or yellow flowers bloom from mid-spring to early fall. The specific species in the picture is the Anthemis Tinctoria, (also referred to as Cota Tinctoria) which produces lovely yellow blooms. They are also sometimes called yellow chamomiles. The plant is native to native to Europe, the Mediterranean, and Western Asia, but has been widely distributed throughout the world. It’s easy to grow and can reach up to about 2 feet tall. 

3. Black-eyed Susan

The next lovely flower on our list of colorful fall-blooming flowers in Maine is the black-eyed Susan. This stunning plant is native to Eastern and Central North America. You can find black-eyed Susans across Maine. This common flower has also been widely naturalized in the western United States and parts of China. Currently, this flower is listed as Secure in the NatureServe conservation status system.

Black-eyed Susans range in height. They can grow up to 39 inches tall with a spread of 12 to 18 inches. The flowers are daisy-like and bloom from early summer to late fall depending on the climate. Typically, the flowers are yellow with brown or black cones, but depending on the cultivar may be orange or red.

4. Russian Sage

Another colorful fall-blooming flower in Maine is the Russian sage. This flowering herbaceous perennial plant is a member of the family Lamiaceae. It grows tall and bushy with a maximum height of around 4 feet. Russian sage flowers remain open and bright for a long time. They bloom from mid-summer to late October.

Russian sage though isn’t native to Maine or North America. Instead, its native range is parts of Asia, including China, Pakistan, Iran, and parts of Eastern Europe. This lovely plant is a popular ornamental flower in many gardens. It’s used to provide shape and texture. It’s also planted as an accent feature or filler.

5. Sweet Alyssum

Have you ever heard of the sweet Alyssum? It’s a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. Another name for the sweet Alyssum is the sweet alison. This lovely annual plant is easily 2 to 12 inches long. It’s a bushy plant that produces sweet-smelling dense clusters of small flowers. Like other flowers on this list, it’s not native to Maine. Instead, its native range is from the Mediterranean Basin and the Macaronesia region. Although most sweet Alyssum flowers are white, some cultivars are pink.

6. Butterfly Bush

Butterfly bushes are also common in Maine. They have a long-lasting bloom. The butterfly bush is a massive genus with over 140 species of flowering plants native to Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Mainly these plants are shrubs with vibrant flowers. The flowers can be red, pink, blue, yellow, and violet.

7. Petunia

Petunias are also found throughout Maine and produce beautiful fall-blooming flowers. It’s a genus of at least 20 flowering plant species in the Solanaceae family. A popular species is the large white petunia. It’s native to temperate South America. Petunias are easy to grow, but can’t thrive in frosty or cold conditions. These lovely flowers need at least five hours of sunlight every day. You also don’t need a large space to grow petunias. You can plant these lovely and bright flowers in hanging baskets, containers, and the ground. Petunias are very colorful. They come in purple, red, pink, yellow, black, and white. Some even have unique patterns or markings.

8. Japanese Anemones

The next flower on our list is the Japanese anemone, also known as the windflower. It’s a beautiful flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. This lovely plant is native to parts of Asia but is common all over the world. Japanese anemone flowers grow best in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8. They grow in large clusters and can reach up to 4 feet tall. These lovely flowers bloom from late summer to fall. They are colorful and typically pink.

9. Goldenrod

Goldenrods are perfect flowers if you’re looking to add vibrant colors to your garden. These lovely flowers are members of the sunflower family. In Maine, one of the most common species is the lance-leaved goldenrod, also known as the grass-leaved goldenrod. You can find these lovely golden-yellow flowers in fields, gardens, forests, and roadsides. They bloom from July to October.

10. False Sunflower

False sunflowers are also found in Maine. Although most people relate sunflowers to bright sunny summers, they can also bloom into early to mid-fall. False sunflowers are sometimes also called smooth oxeyes. They are members of the Asteraceae family in the NatureServe conservation status system and are labeled as secure. These beautiful flowers are native to eastern and central North America. They are especially common in Texas. You can see these brilliant yellow flowers poking up out of sidewalks, in large open fields, and urban green spaces. These perennials can reach impressive heights. They are between 16 to 59 inches tall. This popular garden plant comes in many colors, depending on the cultivar. Although typically yellow, false sunflowers may also be red, orange, or a combination of these colors.

11. Coral Bells

Another colorful fall-blooming flower to make our list is the coral bell. Technically, coral bells aren’t a species, but a large genus of evergreen perennial plants in the family Saxifragaceae. These charming plants are native to North America. They have a wide range and are resilient plants. Coral bells grow in different habitats including warm, dry, and rocky areas, and shady and moist spots. They produce many small thyrses of white, green, pink, or red flowers starting in spring. The color of the flowers and leaves depends on the cultivar. Some cultivars produce variegated leaves.

12. Beautyberry

Are you looking for a jaw-dropping and show-stopping colorful fall flower in Maine? The American beautyberry may be the right option for you! American beautyberries have a wide native range. You can find them throughout the southern United States, from Maryland to Florida, Mexico, Cuba, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. These plants grow and spread quickly. The flowers are beautiful, but the bright-colored berries and the animals they attract are what sets this plant apart from others. The berries are small, bright pink-red, and ripen from September through October. They attract wildlife like deer and bird species. Common bird species that consume American beautyberries are woodpeckers, cardinals, mockingbirds, and finches.

13. Coneflower

Coneflowers also bloom during fall in Maine. They are very popular native flowers, especially for pollinators. Coneflowers, Echinacea, is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family. These lovely bright flowers are native to eastern and central North America. They are easy to spot and identify from their large and showy flowerheads. Most coneflowers are vibrant pink or purple, but can also be red, white, or yellow. These intense-colored flowers are mainly grown as ornamental plants. A few common and popular coneflower species include the narrow-leaf coneflower, eastern purple coneflower, Tennessee coneflower, and yellow coneflower.

14. Toad Lily

Next on our list of colorful fall-blooming flowers in Maine is the toad lily, native to Japan. This hardy plant can be found throughout the United States. It’s sometimes grown as a houseplant. The flowers are what steal the spotlight. Toad lilies have distinct whitish to pale purple flowers with dark purple spots and shiny large green leaves.

15. Zinnia

There was no way we were going to make a list of the most colorful fall-blooming flowers in Maine and not mention zinnias. These stunning flowers are a genus of plants of the tribe Heliantheae within the family Asteraceae. In their native range, zinnias grow from the Southwestern United States to South America. They are especially common in Mexico. Zinnias are very popular garden flowers. They are typically grown in spring and summer. These large showy flowers range in color. They can be red, purple, pink, white, yellow, or orange. Zinnias aren’t just loved for their bright and showy flowers. They also attract many butterfly and hummingbird species.

16. New England Aster

Last but not least is the New England aster. This popular New England flower is native to central and eastern North America. It can easily reach anywhere from 1 to 4 feet tall. New England asters produce deep purple flowers with up to 100 ray florets. The flowers are sometimes white or pink. They bloom during late summer and fall, sometimes as late as November.

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