34 Perennials to Cut Back in the Fall

Some perennials can't handle cold weather well. They don't remain attractive after the first frost, and the cold can lead to recurrent problems with pests and diseases. But cutting back certain perennials can protect them from the cold and spark healthy growth come spring. Here are 34 perennials to cut back in the fall.

Tip

Cutting old and diseased foliage in the fall helps a perennial jump right into new growth come spring. But some plants need their foliage for protection over the winter and instead should be pruned in the spring. Know your plant's particular care requirements for the best results.

How to Prune Trees and Plants

01 of 34
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica)

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The tall foliage of bearded iris begins flopping early in the growing season. By fall, it can become cover for iris borers and fungal diseases. Cut the flower stalk as soon as it's done blooming, and remove any damaged or diseased leaves, but leave the healthy foliage until fall. Cut back the leaves to 6 inches, and dispose of the foliage, rather than composting it.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 10
- Color varieties: Red, pink, orange, yellow, blue, purple, brown, white
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Humusy, medium moisture, well-draining
02 of 34
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Even the most resistant varieties of Monarda can succumb to powdery mildew. When that happens, you'll have to cut back the plant long before fall. But healthy new growth can be left until spring. Sometimes selective thinning of the stems is all that is needed for fall, and you can leave the remaining seed heads for the birds.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 9
- Color varieties: Red
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Rich, humusy, moist
03 of 34
Blackberry Lily (Iris domestica)

Paulo José Lima Gomes / Getty Images

Prune the blackberry lily in the fall to keep its foliage from collapsing. Limp foliage can cause the crown to rot and invite borers. Cutting it back also can help stop unwanted self-seeding, preventing the plant from becoming invasive.
- USDA growing zones: 5 to 10
- Color varieties: Orange with red spots
- Sun exposure: Full sun, light shade
- Soil needs: Average, moist, well-draining
04 of 34
Blanket Flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora)

The Spruce / Autumn Wood

Blanket flower is a pretty hardy plant, and cutting back the spent stems seems to improve its vigor. The plant will look fuller and healthier with some fall pruning. And if you deadhead flowers throughout the growing season, it can promote more continuous blooming.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 10
- Color varieties: Yellow, orange, red, maroon
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Rich, moist, well-draining
Continue to 5 of 34 below.
05 of 34
Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum')

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Bronze fennel can be found accenting many gardens. The foliage provides food for swallowtail caterpillars, which can leave the stems completely stripped by fall. If that is the case, it is no longer providing any use to the plant and can be cut back to the ground.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 9
- Color varieties: Yellow
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Rich, moist, well-draining
06 of 34
Catmint (Nepeta)

The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

Nepetas respond well to pruning throughout the season to refresh and tidy up the foliage. Moreover, winter cold will damage the foliage, so get a head start on your spring garden clean up by cutting back the plant in the fall.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 8
- Color varieties: Blue
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Rich, humusy, well-draining
07 of 34
Columbine (Aquilegia)

Paul McGowan / Pixabay

Remove columbine foliage showing leaf miner damage, and clear out any debris around the base of the plant. Columbine sends out growth early in spring and appreciates not having old foliage from the previous season to contend with. To prevent self-seeding, remove flowers after blooming. Leave healthy foliage to absorb energy throughout the growing season, and prune after frost.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 9
- Color varieties: Blue, orange, pink, purple, red, white, yellow
- Sun exposure: Part shade
- Soil needs: Sandy or loamy, moist, well-draining
08 of 34
Corydalis (Corydalis lutea)

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It is hard to kill corydalis. But if you would prefer to tame its enthusiastic self-seeding habit, remove seed heads and cut back dead foliage after a killing frost. Furthermore, if a significantly hot summer has damaged foliage, cut back the plant to its basal leaves in the fall.
- USDA growing zones: 5 to 7
- Color varieties: Yellow
- Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
- Soil needs: Average, medium, well-draining
Continue to 9 of 34 below.
09 of 34
Crocosmia (Crocosmia)

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The flowers of crocosmia should be cut back when finished blooming to encourage new flowers. The seed heads can offer interest, but the foliage eventually heads downhill in the colder months. Cut back dead foliage and remove debris.
- USDA growing zones: 5 to 9
- Color varieties: Red, orange, yellow
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Average, neutral pH, well-draining
10 of 34
Daylily (Hemerocallis)

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Remove spent flower stalks after blooming to encourage new flowers on reblooming varieties. Daylilies respond well to shearing in fall. And unless you are in an area where they remain somewhat evergreen, fall pruning will save you a messy cleanup in the spring. If you can't get to cutting back all the dying foliage in fall, at least make a point to remove any diseased parts of the plant.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 9
- Color varieties: Red, pink, orange, yellow, purple
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Moist, well-draining
11 of 34
Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria)

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By late summer, golden marguerite flowers have finished blooming and are nodding off. Pruning to the crown will encourage new basal growth, which helps to protect and sustain the plant through the winter.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 8
- Color varieties: Yellow
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-draining
12 of 34
Goldenstar (Chrysogonum virginianum)

Jennifer Yakey-Ault / Getty Images

Low-growing Goldenstar often has problems with powdery mildew. If so, remove and destroy diseased foliage in the fall. Also, cut off any spent flower stems to maintain an attractive ground cover appearance.
- USDA growing zones: 5 to 9
- Color varieties: Yellow
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Rich, medium moisture, acidic, well-draining
Continue to 13 of 34 below.
13 of 34
Ground Clematis (Clematis recta)

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This is a clump-forming clematis that blooms late in the summer and produces attractive seed heads. But when frost hits, it is as slimy as wet petunias. It blooms on new growth, so do not be afraid to clean it up in the fall.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 9
- Color varieties: White
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Fertile, medium moisture, well-draining
14 of 34
Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis)

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To encourage repeat flowers, remove spent blooms throughout the growing season. Frost will blacken and collapse the foliage of begonias. And if left at the base of the plant, this foliage can cause crown rot. Prevent this by cutting back the plant in the fall.
- USDA growing zones: 6 to 9
- Color varieties: Pink, white
- Sun exposure: Part shade to full shade
- Soil needs: Rich, moist, well-draining
15 of 34
Helianthus (H. x laetiflorus, H. salicifolium)

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These perennial members of the sunflower family usually finish blooming toward the end of summer and go downhill from there. Deadheading does not improve their appearance, and the tall stems are guaranteed to break and flop. So cut back the plant to the ground for aesthetics.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 9
- Color varieties: Yellow and brown
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Average, well-draining
16 of 34
Hollyhock Mallow (Malva alcea)

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Malva alcea blooms throughout the summer and into early fall and benefits from deadheading to encourage more flowering. Cut back the plant to basal foliage after it is finished blooming to maintain a healthy appearance.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 7
- Color varieties: Pink
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Medium moisture, well-draining
Continue to 17 of 34 below.
17 of 34
Japanese Anemone (Anemone hupehensis)

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Beetles love Japanese anemones, and the plants are often defoliated by fall. If the beetles don't get to your plants, the foliage still will turn black and become unattractive with a freeze in colder zones. In warm zones, the foliage remains evergreen. If your Japanese anemones' foliage looks good in the fall in warmer zones, leave it—otherwise, cut it back in fall.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 8
- Color varieties: Pinkish-white to rose
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Fertile, consistently moist, well-draining
18 of 34
Leopard Plant (Farfugium japonicum)

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Leopard plants are predominantly grown for their foliage. The leathery leaves grow several inches in length and width, and they emerge with a dark purple color before turning to deep green. Evergreen in warm zones, but when grown in cooler climates or when an unexpected frost occurs, the foliage turns to a dark mush, so feel free to cut it back.
- USDA growing zones: 7 to 10
- Color varieties: Yellow
- Sun exposure: Part shade to full shade
- Soil needs: Rich, humusy, moist
19 of 34
Ladybell (Adenophora liliifolia)

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Ladybells flower in early summer and can be cut back after blooming diminishes. The plant is not prone to problems with pests or diseases, and the basal foliage should remain fresh until spring. Because it's considered invasive in some areas, cut back the spent flowers before seedheads form.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 9
- Color varieties: Blue
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Rich, moist, well-draining
20 of 34
Masterwort (Astrantia major)

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Masterwort is often deadheaded throughout the summer to prolong its blooming. If conditions are dry, the foliage will begin to yellow and can be sheared to the crown. But allow healthy new growth to remain through the winter. If no yellowing is present, leave the plant for spring cleaning.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 7
- Color varieties: Pink, red
- Sun exposure: Part shade
- Soil needs: Rich, medium to wet moisture, well-draining
Continue to 21 of 34 below.
21 of 34
Meadow Rue (Thalictrum aquilegiifolium)

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In terms of performance, it does not really matter when you cut back meadow rue. But once it is done flowering for the season, pruning in the fall is one less thing to do in the spring. However, some varieties will self-seed. If that is desirable, let it go until spring.
- USDA growing zones: 5 to 8
- Color varieties: Purple
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Humusy, medium moisture, well-draining
22 of 34
Mountain Bluet (Centaurea montana)

Pix / Pixabay

Mountain bluets tend to become black and unsightly with the first frost and can be cut back in the fall. However, if you already sheared them back in late summer and only basal growth is present, you can allow that to remain.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 8
- Color varieties: Blue
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-draining
23 of 34
Painted Daisy (Tanacetum coccineum)

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Painted daisies can easily rot in wet soil, so plant in well-drained soil. Deadhead plants throughout the season to encourage reblooming. Plants will turn brown after frost, so prune dead foliage in fall.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 7
- Color varieties: Red, pink, orange, yellow, white
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Average, medium moisture, well-draining
24 of 34
Penstemon (Penstemon barbatus)

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Penstemon does not like wet feet and should be planted in well-drained soil. The foliage usually declines toward the end of summer and can be trimmed back. Allowing older growth to flop would hold too much moisture around the crown over the winter.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 8
- Color varieties: Red
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-draining
Continue to 25 of 34 below.
25 of 34
Peony (Paeonia)

The Spruce / Autumn Wood

Peonies need a period of cold to set buds for the following season. Along with the fact that their foliage is prone to mildew, that is reason enough to cut them back in the fall. Infected foliage can be removed in late summer. Healthy foliage will turn golden in fall—that's your sign to prune!
- USDA growing zones: 2 to 9
- Color varieties: Pink, red, white
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Fertile, well-draining
26 of 34
Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

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Phlox is prone to powdery mildew, and even the resistant varieties can become infected in bad weather. If so, prune and destroy all foliage and stems in the fall. Even if the plant is healthy, it will benefit from some thinning to increase airflow and prevent disease.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 8
- Color varieties: Pink, purple, white
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Rich, medium moisture, well-draining
27 of 34
Plume Poppy (Macleaya cordata)

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Plume poppies are nearly impossible to kill. In fact, they can become aggressive spreaders in many gardens under optimal conditions. So cut back your plants before they go to seed unless you want plume poppies everywhere.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 9
- Color varieties: White
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Loamy, moist, well-draining
28 of 34
Salvia (Salvia nemorosa)

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Perennial salvia benefits from pruning several times during the growing season to prevent it from flopping and encourage reblooming. When blooming slows in the fall, cut back the whole plant to the new basal growth to keep it healthy for spring.
- USDA growing zones: 4 to 8
- Color varieties: Blue-violet, pink, white
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-draining
Continue to 29 of 34 below.
29 of 34
Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla)

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Fall cleanup is preferable for Siberian bugloss, as its foliage turns black and unattractive with the first frost. The plant is an early riser in the spring, so clear away old foliage to prepare for new growth.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 8
- Color varieties: Blue
- Sun exposure: Part shade
- Soil needs: Average, medium moisture, well-draining
30 of 34
Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)

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Sneezeweed usually does not finish blooming until mid-fall, and by that time it is often covered with powdery mildew. Once the flowers are spent, cut back the plant by half to promote healthy new foliage, making sure to remove any diseased leaves. Pruning also encourages branching, reducing the plant's need for support as it gets taller.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 8
- Color varieties: Yellow
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Rich, moist
31 of 34
Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum odoratum)

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Solomon's seal pretty much disappears on its own after a frost or two. The leaves will certainly drop. But if the stems remain, they can be pruned back to the ground.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 8
- Color varieties: White
- Sun exposure: Part shade to full shade
- Soil needs: Rich, humusy, moist, well-draining
32 of 34
Spiked Speedwell (Veronica spicata)

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Deadhead throughout the growing season to encourage reblooming. As flowering ceases, spiked speedwell can be sheared to the ground. It will only turn black and ugly if left for spring cleanup. For healthy new growth, ensure that the plant has regular moisture but good drainage over the winter.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 8
- Color varieties: Blue, purple, pink, white
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Average, medium moisture, well-draining
Continue to 33 of 34 below.
33 of 34
False Indigo (Baptisia australis)

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False indigo is one of those plants that split in the middle if they aren't sheared back after blooming. However, many gardeners like to leave the seed pods and choose to stake the plants. Still, the foliage turns black with frost, so cutting back false indigo in the fall is recommended.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 9
- Color varieties: Blue
- Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil needs: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-draining
34 of 34
Yarrow (Achillea)

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Yarrow does not like to sit in cold, wet soil. By fall, most of its blooms are spent, and its foliage is flopping and possibly diseased. Cut it back in early fall, and new basal growth will fill in before frost.
- USDA growing zones: 3 to 9
- Color varieties: Yellow, white, pink, red
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Soil needs: Sandy, clay, or loamy; dry to medium moisture, well-draining

Article Sources

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Preparing Bearded Iris for Winter Hibernation. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.
Monarda and Powdery Mildew Resistance. Chicago Botanical Garden.
Iris domestica. North Carolina State Extension.
R. N. Trigiano, S. L. Boggess, and E. C. Bernard. First Report of Powdery Mildew Caused by Golovinomyces spadiceus on Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) in the United States. Plant Disease, vol. 102, no. 1, pp. 252-252, 2018. doi:10.1094/PDIS-08-17-1292-PDN
Begonia Diseases. Pennsylvania State Extension College of Agricultural Sciences.
Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’. University of Wisconsin Division of Horticulture.
Perennial Plants to Cut Back in the Fall. Racine-Kenosha Master Gardener Association.
Peonies with Powdery Mildew. University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
How Can I Control Powdery Mildew in my Garden Phlox? Iowa State University Extension Horticulture and Home Pest News.
Helenium - A Great Choice for the Late Summer Garden. Piedmont Master Gardeners.
Heger, Mike. Whitman, John. Lonnee, Debbie. Growing Perennials in Cold Climates. University of Minnesota Press, 2011.

34 Perennials to Cut Back in the Fall

Tip

Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria)

Ladybell (Adenophora liliifolia)

Meadow Rue (Thalictrum aquilegiifolium)

Mountain Bluet (Centaurea montana)

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