Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:39 pm
Autumn flowers for the balcony are a nice way to dispel the gloomy mood on cool days. In this article we show you which varieties are particularly suitable.
Although the summer is coming to an end, this does not mean that the flowering also comes to an end. On the contrary, there are colorful fall bloomers that you can plant in pots on your balcony. Some varieties are also insect-friendly. We present five autumn flowers for the balcony in more detail.
Contents
Autumn flowers on the balcony: Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums are considered classic autumn flowers for the balcony. In general, you can plant these robust plants almost anywhere. For your balcony, short plants do well, which you can place either in a window box or a tub. Chrysanthemums are available in many different colors such as white, red or yellow or as multicolored flowers.
In the fall, the plants are especially practical because they are hardy and tolerate cold weather well.
However, they don’t like direct sunlight at midday, so if possible you should place them in a bright but (semi-)shady location.
For overwintering, the plants need either a cool and frost-free room inside or a dry place outside on the balcony.
To protect the chrysanthemums, you should cut them back well and cover them with a garden fleece.
Incidentally, unfilled chrysanthemums are also an important food source for bees.
More color in autumn with heather
The hardy broom or summer heather (Calluna vulgaris) adds color to your balcony in the fall. It blooms until November and peps up your balcony with its colorful flowers. The budding heather, a special cultivated form of the broom heather, is also a hardy plant and can withstand temperatures down to minus ten degrees Celsius. Important: The broom willow belongs to the bee pastures, the bud willow is unfortunately not insect-friendly due to its closed flowers.
The snow heather or winter heather (Erica carnea) is even frost-resistant as an alpine plant, so it can survive the entire winter until April. It thus serves as an important food source for insects during the cold and barren months.
Autumn flowers for the balcony: autumn asters.
Autumn asters are autumn flowers that not only visually enhance the balcony, but are also bee-friendly. They will decorate your balcony with their purple to pink flowers between September and October. Compared to other plants, their flowers show up only at low temperatures, so they still do well in late autumn. They prefer sunny locations and loose soil.
Colorful in autumn: cyclamen
Cyclamen look especially beautiful in the fall, but unfortunately they are not hardy. You should therefore take them into your home when the temperature drops below zero. However, the heart-shaped flowers with their white to pink leaves will give you a lot of pleasure until October or even November. It is best to place them in a semi-shady to shady location and make sure to water the cyclamen regularly. By the way, these autumn flowers for the balcony are also bee-friendly plants.
Stonecrop as a particularly hardy plant
Among the autumn flowers for the balcony, stonecrop is one of the late-blooming and particularly robust species. Its umbel-shaped flowers are a beautiful sight throughout the winter. Since their thick, puffy leaves can retain water for a long time, they are also very easy to care for. Consequently, you can leave the stonecrop on your balcony into the winter, as it can withstand temperatures down to minus 25 degrees Celsius.
Place perennial autumn plants on the balcony
Are you looking for perennials that will see you through the fall? Then you should get the following perennials for your balcony:
- Single- or multi-colored geraniums bloom into October. They are not hardy, but are considered perennials. To prevent the plants from dying, you should clean them out regularly, avoid waterlogging and cut off faded shoots.
- The angel’s trumpet can be planted as a perennial if you have a large balcony. It flowers until autumn, but it is not frost-resistant, so you should let it overwinter at ten to 15 °Celsius.
- A small lemon tree blooms all year round and is perennial. However, you should place the lemon tree indoors in winter, as it is not hardy.
- Good to know: With the exception of annuals, pretty much all late bloomers can withstand “mild” winters. So it’s usually enough if you cut off their wilted flowers. If it does turn out to be a harsh winter, then it is advisable to move the planters to frost-free quarters.