Bloom calendar

Plants for Zone 3 That Bloom in September

148 plants in the BloomsEye library that are hardy in USDA hardiness zone 3 and typically flower in September, such as Little Bluestem, Aster and Goldenrod. Each entry lists its bloom times, hardiness zones, and sun needs.

Showing 1 to 60 of 148 plants

How this list is made

Derived from each plant's bloom months and USDA hardiness zones, as stored in the BloomsEye library, which was written with AI assistance. Of these 148 plants, 123 have been checked against outside sources (9 fully verified); the rest have not been checked yet, and each plant's own page says which. The cards are AI-generated illustrations. Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.

The flowers of September in zone 3

Every plant on this page is in flower in September. These are the ones with the shortest seasons around it, ranked by how much of each plant's flowering falls in August, September and October: a plant that opens and finishes here sits ahead of one that flowers from spring to frost, and ties go to the plants this site's guides name most often.

Abbotswood
Potentilla fruticosa 'Abbotswood'
Full sunZones 2–72.5 ftLow
Annabelle
Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'
Part sunZones 3–95 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Annual Phlox
Phlox drummondii
Full sunZones 2–1112 inModerate
Apricot Sparkles
Hemerocallis 'Apricot Sparkles'
Full sunZones 3–91.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Arizona Apricot
Gaillardia × grandiflora 'Arizona Apricot'
Full sunZones 3–91 ftLow
Arizona Sun
Gaillardia × grandiflora 'Arizona Sun'
Full sunZones 3–91 ftLow
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Full sunZones 3–82 ftLow
Aster
Symphyotrichum
Full sunZones 3–83 ftModerate
Autumn Bride Coral Bells
Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride'
Part shadeZones 3–83 ftModerate
Autumn Colors
Rudbeckia hirta 'Autumn Colors'
Full sunZones 3–72 ftModerate
Autumn Fire
Hylotelephium 'Autumn Fire'
Full sunZones 3–91.5 ftLow
Autumn Joy Sedum
Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude'
Full sunZones 3–91.5 ftLow
Baby Joe Dwarf Joe Pye Weed
Eutrochium purpureum 'Baby Joe'
Full sunZones 3–93 ftModerate
Barbara Mitchell Daylily
Hemerocallis 'Barbara Mitchell'
Full sunZones 3–91.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Believer Purple Aster
Symphyotrichum 'Yobeliever'
Full sunZones 3–812 inModerate
Berry White Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Renba'
Full sunZones 3–86.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Big Sky Sunset Coneflower
Echinacea 'Sunset'
Full sunZones 3–94 ftLow
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia
Full sunZones 3–92.5 ftLow
Blackjack Gold Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia triloba 'Blackjack Gold'
Full sunZones 3–83.5 ftModerate
Blanket Flower
Gaillardia
Full sunZones 3–101.5 ftLow
Blaze
Schizachyrium scoparium 'Blaze'
Full sunZones 3–92.5 ftLow
Bloomerang Ballet Reblooming Lilac
Syringa pubescens 'SMNSPH'
Full sunZones 3–74 ftModerate
Bloomerang Dark Purple Lilac
Syringa 'SMSJBP7'
Full sunZones 3–75 ftModerate
Bloomerang Purpink Reblooming Lilac
Syringa pubescens 'SMNSPTP'
Full sunZones 3–74 ftModerate
Bloomerang Purple
Syringa 'Bloomerang Purple'
Full sunZones 3–75 ftModerate
Bloomerang Showmound Lilac
Syringa pubescens 'SMNSPWF'
Full sunZones 3–72.5 ftModerate
Blue Wood Aster
Symphyotrichum cordifolium
Part shadeZones 3–83 ftModerate
Bobo Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Ilvobo'
Full sunZones 3–82.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Brilliant Sedum
Hylotelephium spectabile 'Brilliant'
Full sunZones 3–91.5 ftLow
Brunette Bugbane
Actaea simplex (Atropurpurea Group) 'Brunette'
Part shadeZones 3–85 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Burgundy
Gaillardia × grandiflora 'Burgundy'
Full sunZones 3–92 ftLow
Buttered Popcorn Daylily
Hemerocallis 'Buttered Popcorn'
Full sunZones 3–92.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Butterfly Blue Pincushion Flower
Scabiosa columbaria 'Butterfly Blue'
Full sunZones 3–91.5 ftModerate
Campfire Rose
Rosa 'CA 29'
Full sunZones 3–73 ftModerate
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Part sunZones 3–93.5 ftHigh
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Cat's Meow
Nepeta 'Cat's Meow'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftLow
Cat's Pajamas Catmint
Nepeta 'Cat's Pajamas'
Full sunZones 3–812 inLow
Catmint
Nepeta
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftLow
Catwalk Queen
Nepeta × faassenii 'Catwalk Queen'
Full sunZones 3–812 inLow
Chick Charms Powdered Pastry Hens and Chicks
Sempervivum 'Powdered Pastry'
Full sunZones 3–84 inLow
Cinnamon Hearts Rose
Rosa 'Vlr13003'
Full sunZones 3–92.5 ftModerate
Claire Grace
Monarda fistulosa 'Claire Grace'
Full sunZones 3–93 ftModerate
Clara Curtis
Chrysanthemum 'Clara Curtis'
Full sunZones 3–92.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Common Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Full sunZones 3–92.5 ftModerate
Common Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
Full sunZones 3–82 ftModerate
Common Sneezeweed
Helenium autumnale
Full sunZones 3–84 ftHigh
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Full sunZones 3–83.5 ftModerate
Dotted Blazing Star
Liatris punctata
Full sunZones 3–91.5 ftLow
Dragon Baby Hardy Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Hylv17522'
Part shadeZones 3–83 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Early Bird
Nepeta 'Early Bird'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftLow
Easy Elegance Oscar Peterson Rose
Rosa 'Aac333'
Full sunZones 3–83 ftModerate
False Sunflower
Heliopsis
Full sunZones 3–94 ftModerate
Fire Light Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'SMHPFL'
Full sunZones 3–86 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
First Love
Veronica spicata 'First Love'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Frosty Morn
Hylotelephium 'Frosty Morn'
Full sunZones 3–91.5 ftLow
Giant Sunflower
Helianthus annuus 'Mammoth Russian'
Full sunZones 2–118 ftModerate
Goblin
Gaillardia × grandiflora 'Goblin'
Full sunZones 3–912 inLow
Goldenrod
Solidago
Full sunZones 3–93 ftLow
Goldfinger
Potentilla fruticosa 'Goldfinger'
Full sunZones 2–73 ftLow
Goldsturm
Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'
Full sunZones 3–92.5 ftLow

September bloom in zone 3 by flower color

A plant that comes in more than one color is counted under each. The picks rank the same way as the flowers above, so each color names the plants whose season sits closest to September.

White

32 plants

Yellow

37 plants

Orange

20 plants

Red

29 plants

  • Autumn Fire

    Hylotelephium 'Autumn Fire' · August to October

  • Blaze

    Schizachyrium scoparium 'Blaze' · August to September

  • Cardinal Flower

    Lobelia cardinalis · July to September

Pink

53 plants

Purple

42 plants

Blue

18 plants

September bloom in zone 3 for shade

16 of these 148 plants will flower in less than a full day of sun.

Part shade

11 plants

September bloom in zone 3 by height

Mature height, in the three bands a border is planted in. Anything over 10 ft is structure rather than a border plant, and a climber is sized by whatever it is growing up, so both sit this out.

Middle of the border

12 in to 3 ft

104 plants

Back of the border

3 ft and up

40 plants

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