Plants that bloom in September in Zone 4 with red flowers

Big Bluestem

The signature grass of the tallgrass prairie, turning copper-bronze in fall with distinctive turkey-foot seed heads.

Blanket Flower

Fiery bicolor pinwheels that bloom nonstop in the worst heat and soil.

Cardinal Flower

Screaming scarlet spikes. The most vivid red in the native plant world.

Celosia

Flame-shaped or crested flowers in electric colors that dry beautifully. Heat lovers that thrive in summer.

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

A rainbow mix of coneflower colors from a single seed strain. Every plant is a surprise.

Clematis

The queen of flowering vines. Over 300 species, something for every spot.

Coral Honeysuckle

Non-invasive native honeysuckle with brilliant coral-red tubular flowers that hummingbirds hover at for months.

Cosmos

Airy, dancing flowers on thread-thin stems. Effortless cottage garden charm.

Dahlia

Endless forms from dinner-plate to pompom. The obsession of flower farmers.

Drift Rose

Groundcover rose that stays low and spreads wide. Tough, disease-resistant, and constantly in bloom.

Ernest Markham Clematis

Magenta-red flowers with brown anthers that bloom late when others have faded. A solid, underappreciated red clematis.

Garden Phlox

Billowing clusters of fragrant summer color. A butterfly magnet.

Hardy Hibiscus

Dinner-plate blooms up to 12 inches across on a native perennial that dies to the ground and returns bigger each year.

Helenium

Warm-toned daisy-like flowers with raised centers bloom as summer turns to fall. Loves moist soil.

Hot Papaya Coneflower

Fiery double blooms like tiny orange dahlias on a coneflower. A showstopper that earns every bit of the hype.

Impatiens

The shade annual champion. Flowers prolifically where nothing else will.

Luna Red Hibiscus

Compact variety with enormous crimson blooms that stays tidy enough for a large container.

Marigold

Bulletproof color all season long. The workhorse of warm-toned borders.

Mexican Hat

Distinctive sombrero-like flowers sway on wiry stems in summer prairies.

Morning Glory

Fast-climbing vine with trumpets that open fresh every morning.

Pardon Me Daylily

Compact cranberry-red with a yellow-green throat and one of the best reblooming habits in the entire family.

Petunia

Cascading color for containers and beds. Blooms nonstop until frost.

Quick Fire Hydrangea

Blooms a full month before other paniculatas. White cones age to deep rosy pink by fall.

Red Hot Returns Daylily

Brilliant red with a small yellow center, compact and one of the earliest daylilies to kick into rebloom.

Rose

The queen of the garden. Modern varieties are surprisingly low-maintenance.

Salvia

Vertical flower spikes that hummingbirds and bees cannot resist.

Scarlet Sage

Electric red spikes that hummingbirds zero in on. Common bedding plant that earns its spot every year.

Sedum

Succulent leaves, tough as nails. Ages to deep crimson in autumn.

Shenandoah Switchgrass

Compact selection that turns vivid burgundy-red in late summer earlier than any other switchgrass.

Snapdragon

Vertical flower spikes with squeeze-open blooms. Kids love them.

Sunflower

Pure joy on a stalk. Birds love the seeds, kids love the spectacle.

Switchgrass

Upright native grass with airy seed heads. Gold and red fall color.

Tickseed

Cheerful native daisy that blooms for months with almost no care.

Trumpet Vine

Aggressive native vine with fiery trumpets. Hummingbird highway.

Yarrow

Flat-topped clusters on ferny foliage. Thrives on neglect in poor soil.

Zinnia

Easy-grow annual with electric colors. Cut-and-come-again champion.