In the dying embers of the growing season, we appreciate the blooming flowers a little bit more, knowing that these flowers will provide sustenance for monarchs on their southern migrations or bees before they hunker down for the winter.
With that in mind, Monarch Joint Venture Habitat Manager Jake Koenig has shared 10 of his favorite fall-blooming flowers for his area in eastern Nebraska. This isn't an exhaustive list of fall-blooming flowers by any means, and what grows well and is native to the area will vary. However, this list should get you pointed in the right direction as you start thinking about what you'd like your space to look like at this point next year.
Our list starts with blazing star, which Koenig calls "a monarch magnet."
#1. You just can't deny liatris species, right? There are a couple of species native to Nebraska, but Koenig points out Liatris ligustylis, known commonly as meadow blazing star or Rocky Mountain blazing star. A few others to consider are rough blazing star (L. aspera) and dotted blazing star (L. punctata). If you're building a garden for monarchs, it has to have a liatris species. The monarchs will flock to it.
#2. Next on our list, we have the asters. Koenig mentions smooth blue aster (Symphotrichum laeve), but there are a number of asters to choose from in the Symphotrichum genus, including sky blue aster (S. oolentangiense), New England aster (S. novae-angliae), and aromatic aster (S. oblongifolium). Asters will bring beautiful purple blooms to your garden in the fall, and the bees and monarchs are sure to follow.
#3. Thistles get a bad rap, but the true thistles could be Koenig's number one. Canada/field thistle is one of the most infamous invasive species we have in North America, but native thistles are great additions to your space. These species are in the genus Cirsium, including Cirsium altissimum, commonly known as tall thistle. One way you can tell the difference is that it blooms in the fall when many noxious species of thistles have already bloomed. Looking on the underside of the leaves will also show a whitish or silvery color.
#4. Who doesn't love sunflowers? Koenig highlights Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliana) specifically, as well as sawtooth sunflower (H. grosserratus), willow-leaf sunflower (H. salicifolius), and ashy sunflower (H. mollis).
#5. Shaped like an aster with color like a sunflower, goldenasters are not members of the Symphotrichum genus we mentioned earlier. Hairy goldenaster (Chrysopsis villosa) is another fantastic flower for monarchs. Koenig recorded this video on Sept. 16, 2025, when this plant had already been blooming for about a month.
#6. There are so many goldenrod species in the Solidago genus we could mention here, including a few that Koenig points out: Missouri goldenrod (S. missouriensis), Canada goldenrod (S. canadensis), stiff goldenrod (S. rigida), or late/giant goldenrod (S. gigantea), Nebraska's state flower. They're great nectar producers this time of year.
#7. Salvia azurea, commonly known as pitcher sage, is a little more subdued compared to some others like asters or goldenrod, which can produce a lot of color, but it's another great flower to add to your space this time of year. Pollinators love it.
#8. File this one under the "late summer, early fall bloomers" category. We just missed this ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata) plant's blooms this fall, but don't forget about this one when you're planting for next year.
#9. Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) is another one with beautiful yellow flowers. While the name may give you the impression it could flare up your allergies, don't worry. According to the Nature Center at Greenburgh, sneezeweed is not pollinated by insects, so it's not a fall allergy source. Instead, its seeds were inhaled by members of some Indigenous groups as a way of causing sneezing and clearing the sinuses.
#10. Last, but certainly not least, is false/oxeye sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides). This is another fantastic species to add yellow blooms to your garden in the fall. If you want the look of the sunflower species without the height, this is one option.
Hopefully, this helps in your future plant species selection as you look to add quality species for migrating monarchs next fall.