20 Annual Flower Seeds for Fall Sowing

Nasturtium seeds next to flower heads — There are several seed options for fall sowing, but there are specific flowers that are better suited for it.

Many perennial plants can be sown in your garden in fall, but if you’re looking for the best annuals for fall sowing, the plants in the list below are hard to beat. Just make sure you plant your seeds in late fall to early winter, as earlier planting can cause some plants to sprout too early or expose your seeds to potential rot. Beyond that, fall sowing annual flower seeds is quite simple, especially with these easy-to-grow ornamentals!

1. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)

Yellow nasturtium flowers — Nasturtiums are a good candidate for fall sowing. They are often planted companion-style in vegetable gardens.

Plant name:	Nasturtium
Light requirements:	Full sun to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 9 to 11

Nasturtiums are commonly grown in vegetable gardens, and they can be enjoyed for their edible flowers and leaves. But nasturtium blooms have lots of ornamental appeal as well, and they fit right into both container gardens and in-ground flower beds.

Nasturtium seeds are quite large, so they should be covered with about 1” of soil after they’re planted in late fall. You can choose between mounding and vining-type nasturtiums, depending on your garden size and what plants you’d like to keep nearby. Nasturtium looks particularly pretty with other long-season bloomers, like snapdragons and calendula.

2. Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus)

Pink sweet pea flowers — Fall sowing will ensure that your sweet peas are in place as soon as spring breaks.

Plant name:	Sweet peas
Light requirements:	Full sun or part shade in very hot regions
Water requirements:	High to moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 3 to 8

Sweet peas are the darlings of cottage gardens, prized for their delicate blooms that come in rich shades of pink, purple, blue, red, and white. But while sweet peas are easy to cultivate from seed, these plants don’t grow well in hot weather, which is why they are usually grown in spring and fall.

Planting sweet peas in the fall gives your plants more time to establish their root systems, and that translates into earlier flowers in spring. Fall planting sweet peas works best in areas with mild winters and hot summers, and you’ll usually get better results if you sow your seeds after Labor Day. When planting, keep in mind that sweet peas are climbing plants, so be sure to leave some room nearby for trellising.

3. Foxglove (Digitalis spp.)

Spikes of tubular purple foxglove flowers — Foxgloves grow best if they are planted late in the season.

Plant name:	Foxglove
Light requirements:	Full sun to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 4 to 10

Foxgloves are well known for their long, tubular flowers, which are always a hit with hummingbirds. But foxgloves are also striking-looking plants that are ideal for native flower gardens and cottage gardens too. While foxgloves most often have pink or purple flowers, you can also find cultivars with yellow, red, and white blooms.

Foxglove seeds grow best when they’re sown in garden beds in late summer to fall. Before planting, work some compost or aged manure into the top 6 to 8” of your garden beds and then lightly scatter your seeds across the prepared earth. Foxglove seeds should not be covered with much soil as this can inhibit germination.

4. Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus)

Colorful snapdragon flowers — Snapdragons can be sown in spring or fall. In fall, sow them only after killing frosts.

Plant name:	Snapdragons
Light requirements:	Full sun to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 7 to 11

Snapdragons are another flower garden favorite, mostly because they are just so adorable! Most snapdragons are quite petite plants and rarely grow over 15” tall, but you can find larger snapdragon varieties that can stretch up to 4’ in height. Snapdragon blooms come in a veritable rainbow of colors, including magenta, peach, and a brilliant canary yellow.

While snapdragons are mostly planted in spring, you can also plant them in fall, but wait until after a hard freeze or two has occurred. Planting snapdragons late in the season will prevent the seeds from sprouting prematurely or rotting in moist soil. When spring arrives, your snapdragons will be ready to sprout, and they’ll reward you with tons of delicate flowers for your garden or cut flower arrangements.

5. California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

Yellow California poppies — Plant California poppies in the fall before the ground freezes.

Plant name:	California poppy
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Low
Growing zone:	Zones 6 to 10

California poppies are the state flower of California, and they’re indigenous to the western coast of the United States. But these easygoing plants will grow as perennials in other regions, too, as long as they’re kept in areas where the winters don’t get too harsh. That said, California poppies are only hardy from zones 6 to 10, although they can be grown as annuals in cooler areas.

California poppies can be directly sown in inground gardens in spring, or they can be started indoors in seed-starting trays. But you can simplify your spring plant care immensely by sowing California poppies outdoors in autumn before the ground freezes solid. To plant, sow California poppy seeds about 1/16” deep and then wait for the spring rains to arrive and jumpstart their growth.

6. Calendula (Calendulaofficinalis)

Bright yellow calendula flowers — Calendula readily reseeds itself if its seed heads are not removed.

Plant name:	Calendula
Light requirements:	Full sun to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 2 to 11

Calendula is a highly versatile plant that can be grown as an ornamental, used as a medicinal or planted to attract pollinators. Plus, calendula flowers also make a vivid natural dye, and they can be used for cut flowers too. With all those plant perks, it’s no wonder why so many gardeners save room in their beds for calendula every year!

Calendula plants are very easy to start from seed, and they can be directly sown in garden beds in either spring or fall. When their flowers aren’t deadheaded, calendula blooms naturally self-sow in autumn, but you can deliberately plant their seeds in fall too. Wait until late in the season to plant calendula, and you’ll get flowers much earlier in spring!

7. Dyer’s coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)

Two-toned dyer's coreopsis flowers — Sowing dyer's coreopsis with alliums will help protect them from slugs and snails.

Plant name:	Dyer’s coreopsis
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Moderate to low
Growing zone:	Zones 2 to 11

Like calendula, dyer’s coreopsis can be used to tint natural fabrics like wool and cotton, but it also makes a lovely garden flower. Dyer’s coreopsis produces small, 1” diameter blooms throughout summer, which come in shades of red, yellow, copper, and orange. But if you want even more color, you can find dyer’s coreopsis plants with bi-colored flowers too!

A perfect plant to grow in areas with dry soil, dyer’s coreopsis is a hardy plant that sprouts easily from seed. This plant is commonly started indoors in spring, but it’s often much easier to sow the seeds directly in your garden in late fall. Since dyer’s coreopsis is often preyed on by slugs and snails, you may want to sow your seeds near alliums, which provide natural pest control for other plants.

8. Pansy (Viola tricolor)

Light purple pansy flowers — Pansies are slow growers, so sowing them in the fall will give them the early spring start they need.

Plant name:	Pansy
Light requirements:	Full sun or part shade in very hot regions
Water requirements:	High to moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 6 to 10

Pansies are one of the most popular flowers among home gardeners because they are just so easy to keep, and their small and cheerful blooms come in any color you could want. But when grown from seed, pansies can be slow to germinate, and it can take a while to get flowers off your plants.

One way to get pansy flowers earlier in spring is to directly sow pansy seeds in your garden in fall, after your first hard frost. Unlike many other flower seeds, pansy seeds need darkness to germinate, and they should be planted ⅙ to ¼” deep in prepared soil. Sow pansy seeds towards the front of flower beds to enjoy these pint-sized plants in all their glory!

9. Larkspur (Delphinium spp.)

Light and dark purple larkspurs — Larkspurs are appropriate for fall sowing, but only in some areas.

Plant name:	Larkspur
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 2 to 11

Larkspur shouldn’t be fall sown in all areas, and it’s particularly not advised to plant larkspur late in the season in areas with rainy winters. Attempting to fall sow larkspur seeds in these regions often results in seeds that rot in the ground before they germinate. However, if you live in an area with drier winters, larkspur can be sown in autumn in growing zones 5b and up.

To plant larkspur, sow seeds about ¼” deep in rich and prepared soil. If you plan to grow several larkspur plants together, space your seeds about 12” apart. When temperatures warm in spring, larkspur plants will begin to sprout, and they’ll start blooming by late spring to early summer.

10. Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)

Pink dianthus Sweet Williams — Sweet Williams don't usually bloom in their first year, but if you sow the seeds in the fall they will.

Plant name:	Sweet William
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 3 to 9

A variety of dianthus, sweet William grows between 12 and 24” tall, and it’s mostly known for its clusters of shaggy flowers that range in color from white to shades of pink, purple, and red. Some sweet William blooms also have bi-colored petals, which look particularly striking when planted en masse as border plants or in a container garden.

Sweet William is often sold as established plants at plant nurseries, but they can also be grown from seeds planted in spring or autumn. Typically, spring-planted sweet William seeds won’t bloom during their first year, but you can speed things along by directly sowing seeds in autumn instead. Often fall planted sweet William seeds will flower the following year, but the seeds should only be lightly covered with soil to encourage germination.

11. Bells of Ireland (Moluccella laevis)

Light green Bells of Ireland flowers — Bells of Ireland are a unique and popular choice for a cut flower garden.

Plant name:	Bells of Ireland
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 2 to 11

Bells of Ireland are one of the most popular cutting flowers to grow, and they add something unusual to garden beds. Like delphinium and foxglove, bells of Ireland produce tall, columnar flower stalks that add vertical interest to landscape designs. But what sets these beauties apart is their unique, bell-shaped flowers that come in a bright green color.

Some people have better luck starting bells of Ireland seeds indoors and then transplanting them outside in spring. But if you live in a mild climate, you may also be able to sow your seeds outdoors in autumn. This is particularly convenient because bells of Ireland grow best when exposed to a period of cold before germination.

12. Virginia stock (Malcolmia maritima)

Purple Virginia stock flowers — Did you know? Virginia stock is related to broccoli and cabbage!

Plant name:	Virginia stock
Light requirements:	Full sun to part shade
Water requirements:	High to moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 3 to 9

Virginia stock first gained popularity in the late 19^th century, and it has been included in wildflower mixes for decades. In fact, Virginia stock has been sown so prolifically that this Mediterranean native has become naturalized in several parts of the United States. Interestingly, Virginia stock is a type of brassica plant, and it’s closely related to mustard, broccoli, and cabbage!

Often planted in spring, Virginia stock seeds can be succession sown every 4 weeks for continuous blooms. But, if you live in a mild climate, you can also sow Virginia stock seeds outdoors in late fall. By early spring, your Virginia stock flowers will be bursting from the plants in various shades of pink, purple, and white!

13. Baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii)

Baby blue eyes flowers — Baby blue eyes do best if they are not disturbed after planting.

Plant name:	Baby blue eyes
Light requirements:	Part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate to low
Growing zone:	Zones 7 to 10

Another Californian native, baby blue eyes, is a low-growing shrub that takes a while to grow. But these plants add a romantic feel and lots of color to garden beds, and they’re super useful for attracting pollinators too. Beyond their brilliant flowers, baby blue eyes are noteworthy for their bright green, semi-succulent stems, which grow about 6 to 12” high.

Baby blue eyes seeds can be planted in spring or fall, but you’ll get better germination rates if you don’t disturb your seeds after planting. In mild climates (zones 7 to 10), plant seeds in late summer to late fall, and you’ll get flowers in as little as 6 weeks!

14. Love in a mist (Nigella damascena)

Purple Love in a mist flowers — Fall sowing will give you earlier spring flowers on Love in a mist.

Plant name:	Love in a mist
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 2 to 11

Love in a mist is named for its feathery leaves that add an airy and graceful feel to garden beds. But this plant is also a garden favorite thanks to its dainty and colorful flowers that are usually blue, although you can find cultivars with pink, purple, and white flowers too.

Love in a mist readily self-seeds after flowering in spring through early summer. If you don’t deadhead the spent flowers, you can often get a second crop of love in the mist blooms in autumn. However, you can also deliberately sow this plant’s seeds in the fall in mild climates and get flowers earlier in spring.

15. Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

Purple and white sweet alyssum — Sweet alyssum is best if broadcast and not covered with much soil.

Plant name:	Sweet alyssum
Light requirements:	Full sun to part shade
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 9 to 11

Sweet alyssum is a top choice for container gardens, and it also makes a fantastic border plant or low-growing groundcover. In spring and fall, sweet alyssum puts on an impressive show with clusters of tiny and fragrant flowers that come in shades of purple and white. And while those flowers are certainly lovely to human eyes, they are also highly attractive to pollinators, and they can be used in companion planting for pest control as well.

Most often, gardeners grow sweet alyssum plants from nursery starts, but the seeds can also be directly sown outdoors in early spring to early summer. Gardeners in mild climates will also have success planting sweet alyssum outdoors in autumn to early winter. Hand broadcasting sweet alyssum seeds usually work well, but avoid covering the seeds with much soil.

16. Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

Pink cosmos flowers — Cosmos are another flowers that is good at self-sowing.

Plant name:	Cosmos
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 2 to 11

Cosmos bloom from early summer through fall with showy pink and white flowers that make fabulous bouquets and floral arrangements. Left to their own devices, cosmos readily self-sow, but you can also speed things along by deliberately planting cosmos seeds in autumn.

The best time to plant cosmos seeds is in late fall after your garden has experienced a few hard frosts. Cosmos seeds can be lightly scattered over the earth, or you can mold them into “seed bombs” for even easier sowing. Planting seeds late in the season will ensure they don’t germinate too early and become damaged by the winter winds.

17. Flax (Linum grandiflorum)

Scarlet red flax flowers — Growers in mild climates can sow flax seeds in fall for earlier blossoming.

Plant name:	Flax
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 5 to 9

An easy-to-grow annual plant, flax will dazzle garden visitors from summer to fall with its profusion of saucer-shaped, scarlet flowers. Flax blooms appear atop the plant’s erect and branching stems, and they form a fine complement to flax’s greyish-green leaves. For full effect, plant flax in drifts or grow them as colorful border plants in your favorite ornamental beds.

Flax seeds are usually planted in spring, and they can be continuously sown every 2 to 3 weeks through summer for even more blooms. In mild climates (zones 8 to 10), you can also sow flax seeds in autumn and get earlier blooms the following year.

18. Morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea)

Purple morning glory flowers — Fall sowing is a good option for morning glories because they do not transplant very well.

Plant name:	Morning glory
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 2 to 11

Morning glories are vigorous, vining plants that can wend their way up fence posts and trellises where their trumpet-shaped flowers are sure to shine. Morning glory blooms come in many different colors, including red, purple, pink, and blue, and they’re irresistible to butterflies and hummingbirds.

Because of their vining growth habit, starting morning glory seeds indoors can be a bit of a challenge, so direct sowing is usually recommended. If you want to fall sow morning glories, wait until a few hard frosts have occurred to start planting.

19. Bachelor buttons (Centaurea cyanus)

Blue cornflower aka bachelor buttons — Bachelor buttons will grow larger if fall planted.

Plant name:	Bachelor buttons
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 2 to 11

Also known as cornflowers, bachelor buttons are quick to sprout from seed, and their vivid blue, purple, and white flowers have lots of charm. Blooming from early summer to fall, bachelor buttons are a top companion plant to keep in vegetable gardens, and their blooms are highly attractive to pollinators. Not to mention, bachelor button flowers are edible, and they make darling salad toppers too!

Although bachelor buttons are easy enough to plant in spring, it’s a well-kept gardening secret that you’ll get bigger flowers with longer stems if you plant bachelor buttons in fall. To take advantage of this gardening hack, sow bachelor button seeds about ¼” deep in your garden soil roughly 6 weeks before your first frost date.

20. Eryngo (Eryngium armatum)

Purple gray eryngo flowers — Eryngo is a member of the Umbellifer family, which includes carrots and Queen Anne's Lace.

Plant name:	Eryngo
Light requirements:	Full sun
Water requirements:	Moderate
Growing zone:	Zones 4 to 9

Also known as sea holly, eryngo may look like a small thistle, but it actually belongs to the Umbellifer family, which includes carrots and Queen Anne’s lace. Famed for their silver to blue flowers, eryngo blooms throughout summer and into fall, providing steadfast garden color and a treat for visiting pollinators as well.

If you want to simplify your eryngo plant care, fall planting is the way to do it. Plant seeds in your garden in late summer to fall, and then sit back and wait for the plants to emerge the following spring. Beyond being a charming ornamental plant, eryngo makes sturdy cut flowers, and it’s also salt tolerant, meaning you can grow it in coastal gardens or by salty roadways!

Summary

A gardener holds a handful of annual seeds for fall planting — Fall planting annual flower seeds lightens your workload in the spring, and gives plants a jump on germination.

Most gardeners don’t think they can plant annuals in fall, but with careful timing and the right plants, you can sow an abundance of flower seeds in autumn and get blooms earlier in spring. Since spring gardens are usually busy places, fall sowing can be a smart way to streamline your garden tasks, and it also helps plants get established quicker in your beds. Not to mention, some of the seeds we’ve covered today can also be used to form seed bombs, which can be planted throughout the year to help pollinators and boost the flowers in your garden too!

We hope this article has inspired you to start planting flower seeds in your garden this fall. But if you’re looking for even more flowers to plant in autumn gardens, you may want to check out this quick guide!

Why plant flower seeds in autumn?

When to plant flower seeds in autumn?

How to plant flower seeds in autumn?