Perennials to Avoid Cutting Down in the Fall to Benefit Wildlife

As autumn settles into the garden, many gardeners’ thoughts turn to preparing for winter and pruning perennials that may have long passed their summer bloom. It may seem like the blooms are long past as the first frost cuts off the foliage, but don’t be too quick to prune all those perennials back.

Cutting back in November will benefit some perennials, although not all require such treatment in the fall. A wide selection of perennials can beautify a conservatory and provide valuable food and shelter for birds and other pollinators as part of wildlife garden ideas. Some perennials also need to protect older foliage from winter frosts.

To help you determine which plants are best to keep in your flowerbeds this month, our guide identifies seven perennials that shouldn’t be cut back in November and explains why you should consider leaving them until spring.

Perennial flower frame with herbaceous perennials such as coneflower, black-eyed Susan and yarrow.

What perennials cannot be pruned in the fall?

Some perennials are best pruned in the fall to keep them healthy, as plant material can survive the winter from diseases and pests that may return with a vengeance in the spring. There are also those gardeners who prefer a tidy backyard and include pruning all perennials on their fall gardening checklist. However, before you start pruning your perennials this month, consider whether to leave some of them in place.

1. Black-Eyed Susan

black-eyed susan flowers

(Image credit: Annie Autzen/Getty Images)

Black-eyed Susans, also known as rudbeckias, get their name from their prominent central cones. These dark buds are surrounded by brightly colored petals during the long flowering season from summer to fall, usually yellow, although there are red, gold and orange varieties if you’re looking for different varieties of black-eyed Susans to grow.

In late fall and winter, dried flower heads are a valuable food resource for a range of birds, including American goldfinches, cardinals and sparrows. Although the black-eyed Susan’s flowers will fade, the dark central cone will remain and act as a beacon of nutritious seeds for birds.

In addition to being good for wildlife, if you choose to prune black-eyed Susans in the spring, you’ll also benefit from the fact that the dark buds look especially attractive when they’re covered in frost in winter.

2. Echinacea

Echinacea

(Image credit: bgwalker/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images)

Coneflowers, or coneflowers, are similar to black-eyed Susans in that they have a central cone surrounded by colorful petals. This form makes them popular plants for pollinators and birds, and gardeners looking to add vibrant color and attract wildlife to their backyard can choose from a wide range of coneflower varieties.

Coniferous flowers can look architectural in winter, with varieties ranging from two to five feet tall, and the dried seed heads also dazzle when frost touches them. The seed heads are an excellent food source for birds, including cardinals, blue jays, goldfinches and other winter wildlife.

The decision to prune coneflowers in the spring also means that the stems protect the plant’s crown from the extreme cold of winter. Mulching around the plant will help prepare the conifers for winter and protect the roots from the elements.

3. Coral bells

Heuchera Purple Palace is a vintage variety that is still popular today.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Coral bells, or heuchera, offer a kaleidoscope of vibrant leaf colors among hundreds of different heuchera varieties to choose from. Coral bells are evergreen perennials in warmer climates that provide color and interest year-round. Heuchera is an ideal ground cover plant, especially for shady places. It is easy to grow and care for.

If you live in an area where coral bells produce color 12 months of the year, cutting them back in the fall will take away winter interest. Even if your plant dies off by winter, old leaves protect the delicate crown from winter frosts. Trimming coral bells in the fall risks causing enormous damage to the plant. Leave any healthy foliage intact, knowing it will help the plant grow stronger next spring.

4. Thistle

Thistles are attractive perennials that self-sow easily.

(Image credit: Future/Ruth Hayes)

Thistle also goes by the botanical name “Echinops” and the perennial plants are a colorful addition to backyard ideas. They produce large, spherical flowers atop tall stems covered in spiky foliage, making them a great addition to any flowerbed or border. Best known for its blue flowers, various cultivars have purple or white flowers, and thistles are deer-resistant plants and drought-tolerant perennials.

Thistle is an excellent plant for bees and butterflies in the summer and early fall. Their benefits to wildlife continue into winter as their dried seed heads provide valuable food for birds. Upright plants and dried seed heads also add structure and aesthetic appeal to the conservatory – all of which explains why you shouldn’t prune them in the fall. However, whenever you prune thistles, wear gloves to protect yourself from the thorny leaves and stems.

5. Euphorbia

Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed) close-up with bees feeding

(Image credit: Getty Images/Cynthia Shirk)

Milkweed is a valuable native plant for pollinators throughout the year. In particular, it is a very important food source for monarch butterflies and is the only host plant on which the insects lay eggs and feed on young caterpillars.

Like the monarch butterfly, milkweed is excellent at attracting hummingbirds, bees, and other butterflies. Since the plant’s population has declined over the past 20 years, growing milkweed in your backyard is a great way to support a variety of beneficial insects and pollinators.

In the fall, these pollinators and insects can take refuge in the plant’s hollow stems if left standing in the garden.

6. Red hot poker

red hot poker flowers

(Image credit: Carrick/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images)

Kniphofia, more commonly known as red-hot poker, is a spectacular plant with its glowing flowering stems in vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow and can reach heights of up to four feet.

Suitable for U.S. hardiness zones five through nine, red hot pokers love warmth and are great for drought-tolerant plantings. Although they like warmth, they do not like cold, and this determines when to trim hot pokers. It is best to leave the plant’s foliage in place until spring, as it protects the plant’s delicate crown during the winter.

7. Sedum

Sedums bring late summer and fall color to the garden.

(Image credit: Getty Images/Jacky Parker Photography)

Sedum is a wide genus of plants, from tall for borders to low-growing, ideal for ground cover. They are very hardy plants, suitable for US hardiness zone 3 and above, and it is good for nature not to prune sedums for the winter.

The dried flower heads provide shelter and food for many wildlife, including many native birds. Sedums are one of the many perennial plants on this list that are great for feeding birds in the winter. This is another plant that adds structure and texture to the conservatory, especially the taller border sedums.

Okatsune 103 General Purpose Bypass Pruner, Medium Size (One Pack)

Secateurs Felco F-2

Fiskars Bypass garden pruner with steel blade and soft-grip handle, black and orange

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you prune phlox in the fall?

If you know how to grow phlox, you may have encountered powdery mildew as the plants are very susceptible. This risk increases in wet and cold weather, so prune phlox in the fall to prevent infections, as the spores can overwinter on plant material and infect again in the spring.

Should I prune geraniums for the winter?

Geraniums or pelargoniums are not hardy plants and should be moved indoors to allow the geraniums to overwinter and maintain their health. Winter pruning of geraniums when they come indoors removes dead or diseased shoots and maintains a compact shape.

If you grow ornamental grasses in your flower beds, it’s also best not to prune them this month. They add color, structure and interest to the fall and winter garden, and the best time to trim ornamental grasses is in the spring.

Perennials to Avoid Cutting Down in the Fall to Benefit Wildlife

What perennials cannot be pruned in the fall?

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