Spring flowers get a lot of attention, but fall blooms can be just as beautiful. As we near the end of the growing season for many local farms, florists love to take advantage of the late summer/early fall bounty. Here are seven flower varieties to help you welcome the season! As a bonus, we source all of these flower types from local farms in Northern California, so be sure to look out for them in your local flower shop or farmers market. Read on to learn more about our favorite local fall florals and how to use them in your home.
Bachelor Button — Also known as cornflower, Bachelor Buttons have been a staple of summer and fall florals for a long time. Though they’re most famous in the blue varietal, they also come in whites, pinks, and deep reds.
Marigolds — These pretty flowers are usually orange or yellow and can be used in a variety of arrangements. Their bold color makes them shine alone or act as a base for another color to stand out. Additionally, marigold petals are edible. You can tear them up and put them in salads, use them as garnish, or freeze them in ice cubes!
Tuberose — This fragrant flowering stem can brighten up any room. While you may be familiar with tuberose as a scent for soaps and lotions, the flower itself is beautiful as well. Typically, these flowers are white and look beautiful alongside other white flowers or as an accent to more intense fall colors.
Statice — Often used as filler, statice is a papery, herb-like flower that grows on a long, stocky stem. These purple blooms might look a bit like lavender or rosemary if you’re not looking too closely, but the purple is typically richer and statice doesn’t carry a strong scent. Try pairing statice with yellow blooms and greenery for a fall style.
Ammi — This Queen Anne’s Lace look-alike is a popular filler that can be found in shades of white, green, and purple. We typically use this flower in combination with other blooms, but if you want ammi to be the star of the show, try mixing a few different colored varieties together.
Cockscomb — You may have seen this fuzzy, brain-shaped flower in arrangements before but never known what it was called! Cockscomb is a beautiful flower in the amaranth family that blooms in autumn and comes in deep yellows, rich reds, and vibrant oranges, making them a great addition to any arrangement.
Passion Vine — Also called Passion Flower, this bloom looks like it could be straight out of a Dr. Seuss book! These whimsical flowers can be found in purples, pinks, whites, and blues. Since these flowers grow on vines, you can use the extra greenery to add depth to your arrangement.
Snapdragons — These flowering stems are a favorite of florists everywhere. With their elegant height and variety of colors (white, yellow, pink, red, and orange to name a few), snapdragons take arrangements to the next level. Like marigolds, snapdragons work as standalone flowers or as part of a larger bunch.
Scabiosa — Scabiosas are an elegant flower that can be found in colors ranging from periwinkle blue to deep burgundy. These flowers are also called pincushions due to the distinctive seeding on the head of the flower. With their long green stems, scabiosas look beautiful in arrangements with a farm-fresh style.
Sue Engle is the owner of Flower Song Florist in Sebastopol and a florist on BloomNation.
