The Hardy Alternative To Mums You Should Consider Planting In Your Fall Garden

The sight of mums in every grocery store and front porch marks the unofficial beginning of autumn. The vibrant flowers are a staple of the season, but they are often treated as temporary annuals, with many plants thrown away after the first hard frost. For gardeners who want their fall flowers to be a perennial fixture rather than a disposable decoration, there is another option: asters. Unlike florist mums, which are not typically able to survive winter, asters are resilient perennials that return year after year throughout USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8 (depending on the species). This makes them a sustainable and cost-effective choice for many gardens.

Native asters, with their daisy-like flowers, are a way to get a pop of color and support pollinators without needing to replant every year. As late-season bloomers, asters are an important food source for bees, butterflies, and other insects preparing for winter. These hardy plants, including New England asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), aromatic asters (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium), and smooth blue asters (Symphyotrichum laeve), are ideal options to plant instead of mums for a beautiful fall garden.

Asters bring lots of color to fall gardens, as they grow tall and produce flowers in shades of white, blue, pink, and purple when many other plants are fading for the season. They provide a last bit of color before winter comes along. But which native asters should you choose? 

Aromatic asters are known for their dense, bushy growth and their bluish-violet flowers that cover the plant in late fall. The leaves, when crushed, release a pleasant scent which adds another layer of enjoyment to the plant. This variety works well for borders because of its manageable size and upright growth.

Smooth blue asters have unique, smooth leaves that distinguish them from other species, and their clusters of light blue to lavender-colored flowers create a soft, airy feel in fall gardens. They prefer full sun and drier soil, which makes them perfect for rock gardens or drought-prone areas. New England asters are the classic among the group, growing tall with showy, deep purple flowers that deer will avoid and that look stunning next to other autumn plants. They prefer moist soil. All three of these native asters are a good investment for gardeners who are looking to add height and color with minimal maintenance each year.

It's easy to grow and take care of asters once they get established, especially compared to the higher-maintenance needs of other seasonal plants like florist mums. Unlike those fall bloomers, asters are very resilient, with a strong, fibrous root system that allows them to return year after year. While many asters have strong stems that don't need additional support, taller species like New England asters can benefit from staking in the summer. You can also give these asters a mid-summer pruning, often called the "Chelsea Chop," to keep them more compact and bushy. This method involves cutting the stems back by about one-third in early to mid-summer, which not only makes the plant shorter, but also prevents it from flopping over when covered in flowers later in the season.

Good air circulation is also important to prevent common issues like powdery mildew. In the winter, gardeners can leave the spent flower heads, since the seeds are a meal for goldfinches and chickadees during the cold months. By planting asters instead of mums, you are choosing a beautiful perennial that returns with minimal care, rewarding you with a stunning display of flowers well into the autumn season.