Perennial Substitutes for Chrysanthemum

Bluebeard

• Bluebeard, or caryopteris, also known as blue spirea and blue mist, is usually a small deciduous shrub, although the Caryopteris divaricata bluebeard is an herbaceous perennial. These plants bloom from mid- to late summer until early to mid-autumn. Bluebeards produce clusters of small flowers in various shades of blue. Divaricata cv. Snow Fairy is 2 to 3 feet tall and has variegated foliage. Longwood blue, or Caryopteris x clandonensis, is a deciduous shrub type of bluebeard that can grow to a height and width of 4 feet. Heavenly Blue is a shorter, more compact shrub type that reaches a mature height of 2 to 3 feet. Bluebeards are generally hardy in USDA Hardiness Zone 5 to Zone 9 and prefer a sunny garden location.

Echinacea

• Many echinacea cultivars bloom from midsummer until the first frost. These plants are available in a variety of heights and bloom colors. They grow in full sun or part shade. Echinacea cv. Little Annie is 6 to 12 inches tall and blooms in lavender-pink. Echinacea purpurea cv. Pink Poodle is 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall and has pink double-form blooms. Echinacea is usually hardy in USDA Hardiness Zone 3 to Zone 8, but this varies depending on the cultivar. There is also variance in bloom times. Be sure to check the bloom time and hardiness before purchasing and planting echinacea for fall blooms.

Rudbeckia

• Rudbeckia, or coneflower and black-eyed Susan, have cultivars that are suitable substitutes for chrysanthemums. Most cultivars can be grown in light shade, but they generally prefer a sunny location. Rudbeckia fulgida cv. Early Bird Gold is 1-1/2 to 2 feet tall and produces golden-yellow flowers with dark brown center disks. Rudbeckia hirta cv. Prairie Sun is 2-1/2 to 3 feet tall and produces bicolor orange/yellow blooms with a green center. They bloom in the summer and fall.

Sedum

• There are sedum or stonecrop cultivars that bloom from the late summer well into the fall. Sedum cv. Rosy Glow is 6 to 9 inches tall and produces dark red flowers. Sedum erythrostictum Mediovariegatum is 1 to 1-1/2 feet tall and blooms in pink. Sedum cv. Garnet Brocade has burgundy-tinted foliage and blooms in red. Sedums are generally hardy in Zone 3 to Zone 9. They are drought-tolerant plants that can grow in a variety of soil types with a full-sun or partial-shade exposure.

Toad Lilies

• Toad lilies, or Tricyrtis, produce lily-type flowers in the late summer and fall. These plants thrive in partial- to full-shade gardens. Most varieties are hardy in Zone 5 to Zone 8. Tricyrtis hirta, or Japanese toad lily, flowers are white with purple speckles and blotches. They grow to a mature height of 2 to 3 feet. Tricyrtis cv. Blue Wonder grows to a height of 1-1/2 to 2 feet, producing creamy-white to pale powder-blue flowers with lilac speckles. Tricyrtis macrantha subsp. Macranthopsis is 1 to 1-1/2 feet tall and produces yellow flowers with burgundy spots.