Fall Fragrance in the Native Garden
By Julie Bawden-Davis, Master Gardener in California
On quiet fall afternoons at the New England Wildflower Society, horticulture director Scott LaFleur enjoys the sweet scent of trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) drifting through his open window.
“Not only is the fragrance wonderful, the plants are magnets for hummingbirds, so I watch the little birds up close and personal,” says LaFleur.
🌼 Autumn: The Overlooked Season for Garden Fragrance
Though spring and summer get the credit, fall is a prime time for enjoying aromatic native plants. Experts from across the country share their favorite fragrant fall natives:
In Massachusetts
- New England blazing star (Liatris scariosa var. novae-angliae)
- Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa)
In the Southern U.S.
- Fragrant ladies tresses (Spiranthes odorata)
- Joe-Pye weed (Eupatoriadelphus spp.) – fragrant blooms and vanilla-scented foliage
In Texas
- Thorn-apples (Datura spp.)
- Shrubby boneset (Ageratina havanensis)
- Chocolate daisies (Berlandiera lyrata)
🍫 Chocolate and Musky Notes
Andrea DeLong-Amaya, director of horticulture at the Wildflower Center, associates the scent of blooming chocolate daisies with dessert. She notes:
- Shrubby boneset offers musky-scented flowers.
- Daturas emit a clean, tangy fragrance—especially at night.
🌾 Native Plants: Powerhouses of Scent
“Compared to non-native hybrids bred for appearance, natives offer a full fragrance experience,” says Pati Vitt of the Chicago Botanic Garden.
- Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) smells like sweet kettle corn.
🎨 Fragrance Adds a Sensory Layer to Your Garden
According to LaFleur, fragrance enhances the garden’s emotional connection:
- New England blazing star – airy look, light scent
- Rudbeckias – meadow-like aroma
- Black cohosh – musky white blooms
- Asters – wonderful late-season scent
🌿 Not Just Flowers: Fragrant Leaves, Bark & Roots
“Fragrance often comes from the vegetative parts of the plant,” says Anne Lindsey of the North Carolina Botanical Garden.
Fragrant foliage includes:
- Autumn sage (Salvia greggii)
- Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana) – pungent up close, sweet at a distance
- Mountainmint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
- Coyote mint (Monardella villosa)
- Lemon horsemint (Monarda citriodora)
- Wild bergamot (M. fistulosa)
- Bee balm (M. didyma)
- Sweet goldenrod (Solidago odora) – licorice-scented leaves
🌿 Fragrant California Natives
Stephen Morgan from the UC Riverside Botanic Gardens highlights these aromatic natives:
- Salvia ‘Allen Chickering’ (Salvia clevelandii x S. leucophylla)
- White sage (S. apiana)
- Catalina perfume (Ribes viburnifolium)
- California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) – potent scent, use sparingly
🦋 Supporting Pollinators & Wildlife
Fall fragrance also benefits wildlife:
- Solidago species – vital for migrating butterflies
- White turtlehead (Chelone glabra) – essential for Baltimore checkerspot butterflies
🚫 Go Chemical-Free for True Fragrance
LaFleur urges gardeners to avoid pesticides that ruin natural scent and harm pollinators. Instead, nurture your garden’s natural ecosystem.
🌞 Tips to Maximize Fragrance
- Use drip irrigation so plants are dry by morning (when nectar is released).
- Place aromatic plants near walkways, windows, and seating areas.
- Understand time-of-day effects—some plants only release fragrance at night.
- Hot sun and evening coolness can intensify scent.
🎼 Balance and Blend Scents
Avoid overwhelming your garden by balancing bold scents with subtler ones:
- Combine high-note and low-note plants for a harmonious aroma.
- Use strong-scented plants sparingly; cluster subtle ones for more impact.
🍂 Let Fall Gardens Create a Symphony of Scent
“Sometimes it is not just picking one plant for its fragrance but understanding that a symphony of flora will produce a tingling of the senses,” says LaFleur.
As leaves drop and decompose in late fall, they release an earthy, natural perfume that signals nature’s final flourish before winter’s rest.
