5 Fall Flowers Every Florist Should Know (A Seasonal Bloom Guide)
As a career florist and now as a full-time floral teacher, I have made (and make) all manner of floral compositions from floral jewelry to centerpieces, armature bouquets to large scale installations. As I've followed my unique interests and curiosity, I have found that I have a special interest in testing and offering solutions to elevate "personal" flowers (floral accessories and artful frame bouquets) and sustainable large scale installations.
As I test, tweak, and share my findings with florists, one question continues to surface: what flowers will perform for this sort of work?
What Is "This Sort of Work"?
"This sort of work" refers to any composition that will be made to perform without a water source (or with an unreliable or low water source in the case of many large scale installs) for the length of a typical event.
The "performance window" for most weddings, special events, runway shows, or editorial photo shoots is 6-8 hours. This category of work includes:
Floral jewelry
Corsages and lapel flowers
Boutonnieres
Floral "tattoos"
Flower crowns and headpieces
Wired and taped bouquets
Wire frame glued bouquets
Threaded armature bouquets
Garlands
Cake decor
Large scale floral installation components
There is a world of floral creations to explore beyond the hand-tied bouquet, beyond the vase, and beyond the conventional installation, and each season has its own list of "reliable" flowers that will perform best!
What Makes a Flower "Reliable"?
This is my term for the list of sturdy, durable flowers that designers can rely on to create long lasting floral compositions. They possess qualities that set them up to last beautifully for the special event they are made for.
Some are waxy, some are leathery, some fleshy, others are papery and dry, but all are trustworthy design companions.
In this guide, you'll discover:
Which fall flowers last 6-8 hours without water
How to use each flower (wiring, threading, gluing)
Specific varieties to request from your wholesaler
Pro tips for avoiding common mistakes
For my full list of tested and true floral materials by month, check out my Seasonal Bloom Guide, but for now, let's take a look at my current top 5 fall favorites, and one honorable mention - and why I reach for them again and again!
1. Strawflower
Botanical Name: Xerochrysum bracteatum
Best For: Corsages, focal points, wearables
Application Methods: Wire and tape, glue, threading
The Papery Wonder That Never Wilts
Even when fresh, this somewhat old-fashioned and underrated flower is sturdy, dense, and dry to the touch. It has a lovely round form composed of tightly set papery bracts with a beautiful iridescent sheen.
If I am working within a color harmony that doesn't include yellow, I will buy bunches that are harvested slightly immature (before the fuzzy yellow disc center is exposed). If I am working with "yellow" (the centers range in color from bright lemon to deep apricot) I look for more mature bunches with open centers.
Strawflowers lend themselves well to all manner of work, and can be wired and taped, glued, and pierced and threaded. I love to use them as focal flowers for corsages especially.
Pro Tip: The Cooler Effect
Keep in mind that strawflowers are reactive to the dark and to moisture. Their bracts will close and tighten during storage in the cooler! Don't worry, as they return to room temperature and the light of day, they will release and open again.
2. Chrysanthemum
Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum (various species)
Best For: Threading, gluing, all-around versatility
Application Methods: All methods (with caution for micro varieties)
Your Versatile Fall Workhorse
This diverse and prolific genus provides many beautiful, long-lasting, and affordable options to the floral trade. There are many industry mum terms, and many petal configurations and styles, but to get started, there are two key mum types to know: disbud and spray.
In general, mums are durable and reliable. They hydrate beautifully in the hydration chamber and retain their form during the length of an event. They can be wired and taped, glued, or threaded.
Understanding Mum Types
Disbud Mums: The term "disbud" refers to the growers process of pinching all but one of the buds off the stems of the plants to encourage one large central bloom to mature. This category includes "ball disbud" mums, "cremon" mums, and "football" mums.
Spray Mums: The term "spray" refers to branched stems with multiple blooms per lateral. This category includes a range of styles and sizes from tiny dime-sized spray "micro" or "Santini" mums to medium sized "cushion poms."
Threading Caution
Smaller mums, especially the "micro" and "button" variety can shatter when pierced. If you are threading them, be sure to buy the freshest bunches available to limit shattering. If adding them to floral accessories, the safest way to add these smaller mums is with floral adhesive.
3. Nerine
Botanical Name: Nerine bowdenii
Best For: Headpieces, installations, delicate wearables
Application Methods: Threading on wire or string, glue
The Underrated Amaryllis That Lasts 3 Days
Available most widely from September to November, this is a very special flower that deserves more admiration in my opinion.
A member of the amaryllis family, nerine blooms are also trumpet-shaped and incredibly long lasting (I've tested them successfully for 3 days!) out of water. With multiple umbels on each stem, one bunch of nerine can provide dozens of beautiful fluted blooms for a variety of projects.
How to Use Nerine
Thread them onto fine wire for use in headpieces, thread them onto string to hang in large scale installations, or use floral adhesive to tuck them into corsages or boutonnieres.
In installation work, nerine are very long lasting and durable, and can perform without a water source for the length of an event. This unique, dainty flower elevates each design it meets.
4. Lisianthus
Botanical Name: Eustoma grandiflorum
Best For: Armature bouquets, wearables, threading
Application Methods: Threading, wiring and taping, glue
Why Lisianthus Shines in Fall
Longevity, versatility, accessibility, and reliability make lisianthus a popular year-round flower, but it earns a spot on my fall favorites list for several reasons.
Fall's Best Colors
First, the color options play nicely with fall color palettes. The beautiful colors found within the brown lisianthus varieties range from shiny pale buff to deep maroon. Look for:
"Roseanne brown"
"Roseanne deep brown"
"Terracotta"
The new single petal Mayesh exclusive "wondrous brown" varieties
Also perfect for fall, peach and apricot varieties such as:
"Alissa peach"
"Peach revelation"
"Voyage light apricot"
In mild climates, like the northern US where I live, local growers continue to offer lisianthus until the first frost in late October. A new favorite is the unusual taupe-gray-lavender "chateau blue" variety.
Light weight and showy, lisianthus are perfect for threading onto wire and are a favorite for armature bouquets and wearables. They can also be wired and taped and secured into designs using floral adhesive.
Seen here, "roseanne brown" and "chateau blue" grown by Marilla Field & Flora
5. Tulip
Botanical Name: Tulipa (various species)
Best For: Armature bouquets, flower crowns, threading
Application Methods: Threading, stringing
The Surprising Fall Comeback Flower
Technically an honorable mention, because when fall comes around to those of us in the northern hemisphere, that means that of course in the southern hemisphere, it is spring! Because of this, flowers considered "spring" by us northerners will appear at the markets once more. My favorite being tulips.
Year-Round Tulip Availability
Also, because of their popularity, growers such as Bloomia located in Virginia in the US grow tulips nearly year round in temperature controlled greenhouses. I've noticed that these greenhouse grown tulips return in force to the wholesalers and supermarkets in early fall, after a bit of a summer break.
Waxy, long-lasting, lightweight, and affordable, tulips are a real favorite of mine. I love to thread them onto wire to make armature bouquets and headpieces. I also love to string the denser "double" varieties onto wire to make simple and artful flower crowns.
WHat’s Your Fall Go-To?
I'd love to hear from you, flower friends! Which fall flowers do you reach for again and again? Have you tested any of these "reliables" in your own work? Share your experiences in the comments below—I read every one!
Ready for More Seasonal Inspiration?
Get the Seasonal Bloom Guide Pro Edition for year-round flower availability, my top 10 performers, and hot weather alternatives.
