October
October is probably best known as the month that hosts Halloween every year. It’s also a month when you can see some amazing autumn flowers, particularly those in gold, brown and orange. We have a list of all the flowers you can find in October displayed below. This month marks the end of autumn and the start of winter so there will be fewer plants and flowers to see from now until spring. However, you can still find aster, delphinium and phlox across the UK.
Acacia (Mimosa) – Tiny petal-less yellow flowers cover the stems
Achillea (Yarrow) – Very popular as a dried flower
Aconitum (Monkshood) – Tall spiky flowers, long lasting but poisonous
Agapanthus (African Lily) – Long lasting, large striking flowers
Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily) – Very popular and long lasting flowers, often bi-coloured
Amaranthus (Love lies bleeding) – One type (love lies bleeding) has trailing flowers while the other has upright flower heads
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) – Large very striking trumpet shaped flowers, often grown indoors from bulbs
Ammi (Queen Anne’s Lace) – Masses of delicate white flowers, ideal as a filler
Anemone (Windflower) – Delicate, papery flowers, available in vibrant and pale colours
Anethum (Dill) – Masses of tiny yellow flowers and a strong scent, used as a filler
Anigozanthus (Kangaroo Paw) – Unusual furry buds with insignificant flowers. Ideal for modern arrangements
Anthurium (Painter’s Palette) -Exotic waxy looking flowers
Aranthera (Scorpion Orchid) – Long lasting orchid with small flowers on upright stems
Asclepias (Milkweed) – Clusters of tiny flowers, ideal as a filler
Aster (Michaelmas Daisy) - Popular filler with daisy like flowers on upright stems
Arachnis (Spider Orchid) – Long stems with slender petalled and spotted flowers
Astilbe (False Goat’s Beard) – Common as a garden flower, insignificant flowers used mainly as a filler
Banksia (Bottlebrush) – Exotic Protea from Australia, large flower heads made up of masses of tiny flowers
Bouvardia – Clusters of small tubular flowers, use with special flower food. Not all colours are available throughout the year
Bupleurum – Insignificant yellow green flowers. Used more as a foliage and as a filler
Marigold (Calendula) – Popular daisy-like flower with a country garden feel
Calla Lily (Zantedeschia, Arum Lily) – Striking single flowers.The coloured varieties are smaller than the white ones, and not all colours are available all year round
Callistephus – Dense headed flowers with contrasting coloured centres
Carnation – Very long lasting. Some new more interesting colours are now available
Carthamus (Safflower) – Unusual slightly thistle like flowers
Spray Carnation – Long lasting flowers. Some more interesting colours becoming available
Cattleya Orchid – Large brightly coloured orchids, usually 1 or 2 per stem
Celosia (Cockscomb) – Different varieties, some with crinkled ‘brain-like’ flowers others with feathery upright plumes
Cestrum – Dense clusters of flowers at the top of straight stems
Ginger (Alpinia) – Large striking tropical flowers
Waxflower (Chamaelaucium) – Small scented flowers ideal as fillers, sold in bud and in flower
Chelone – Rather insignificant Antirrhinum like flowers
Chrysanthemum – Available as large individual showy blooms, or the spray variety. Very long lasting
Cosmos – Delicate daisy like flower. The brown chocolate cosmos is great
Craspedia – Small completely round flower head made up of lots of tiny yellow flowers
Crocosmia – Tall spiky flowers generally known as Montbretia when grown as a garden flower
Curcuma – Tropical looking flower on tall straight stems
Cymbidium Orchid – Striking flowers, which flower profusely with up to 12 flowers on each stem
Cynara (Artichoke) – The flower of the artichoke
Dahlia – Dramatic round pompom shaped flowers, becoming very popular as a cut flower
Delphinium – Tall flower spikes. Also, Larkspur which is a type of delphinium
Dendrobium Orchid (Singapore Orchid) – Long lasting orchids with several blooms on each erect stem
Echinacea – Daisy like flowers with backward sloping petals
Echinops (Globe thistle) – Prickly blue globe shaped flowers
Eryngium (Sea Holly) – Blue thistle like flowers, sometimes the blue is so intense it is hard to believe they are not dyed
Eucharis (Amazon Lily) – Beautiful slightly downward facing delicate flowerheads on tall straight stems
Eupatorium – Insignificant small flowers, used as a filler
Euphorbia (Spurge) – Graceful curving stems with loads of tiny flowers. Note not all colours are available at the same time, check with your florist
Forsythia – The shrub commonly grown in our gardens for their springtime flowers
Freesia – Highly popular, highly scented flowers
Gerbera – Large daisy like flowers, a smaller ‘Germini’ variety is also available
Gladiolus – Fairly traditional flower used in large arrangements. Miniature varieties are becoming increasingly popular
Gloriosa (Glory Lily) – A very dramatic flower with yellow edged cerise petals. The National Flower of Zimbabwe
Gomphrena (Globe amaranth) – Small globe shaped flowers which can be easily dried
Gypsophila – Very popular filler flower. New smaller-flowered varieties are now available
Heliconia – Tropical flower with large very dramatic flowerheads. Several different types available
Helenium – Small daisy like flower, with slightly backward facing petals and autumnal colours
Helleborus (Christmas Rose) – Short lived very delicate and subtle flowers
Hydrangea – A popular garden shrub with enormous flowerheads. Cultivated hydrangea come in interesting colours
Hypericum (St John’s Wort) – Attractive berries rather than flowers make this a very popular filler
Iris – Very popular but short lived flowers
Kniphofia (Red hot poker) – Large dramatic upright flowerspikes
Leucadendron (Safari Sunset) – It is the leaves rather than the flowers which make this popular
Leucospermum (Pincushion Protea) – Large flowerheads which resemble a pin cushion. Long lasting
Lily – Available throughout the year, but if you are looking for a particular colour check availability with your florist
Liatris – Tall poker shaped purple flowers.Lilac – A common shrub and highly popular, strongly scented cut flower
Limonium (Sea Lavender, Statice) – Popular as a dried flower, all varieties make good fillers, but it can have an unpleasant smell!
Lisianthus (Eustoma) – Popular flowers which open from tightly swirled buds, bi-coloured varieties also available
Lysimachia (Loose Strife) – Arching flowerheads on the end of the stems, each made up of a mass of tiny flowers
Moluccella (Bells of Ireland) – Tall stems with a mass of bell shaped flowers
Nerine – Leafless stems topped with clusters of delicate flowers
Oncidium Orchid (Golden Shower Orchid) – Lots of small yellow flowers along the stem. Miniature hybrids are available in colours other than yellow
Ornithogalum (Chincherinchee) – Fantastically long lasting flower, usually white and less commonly available in yellow
Paphiopedilum Orchid (Slipper Orchid) – Very large dramatic orchid flowers
Phalaenopsis Orchid (Moth Orchid) – Large showy flowers, popular as a pot plant as well as a cut flower especially for weddings
Phlox – English country garden flower. Very popular
Physostegia (Obedient plant) – Flowers look similar to antirrhinums
Papaver (Poppy) – Fantastic papery flowers in great colours. Short lived but worth it. The seed heads are also popular
Ranunculus – Small delicate, papery flowers
Rose – Needs no description! Almost every colour available except true black or blue
Rudbeckia – Daisy like flower, usually sold without any petals, just the pincushion like centre
Scabious – Papery flowers which also have attractive seed heads
Sedum (Stonecrop) – Common succulent garden flower and ideal as a long lasting filler
Skimmia – Popular shrub, sold as a cut flower when in bud
Solidago – A popular yellow filler flower
Solidaster – A cross between Solidago and the Aster. Used as a filler
Spiraea – Quite large feathery flower plumes
Stephanotis (Wax flower) – Not generally available as a cut flower, but the individual small, waxy, white flowers are often used in bridal work
Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise) – Unmistakable large and exotic flowers with blue and orange flowers
Sunflower (Helianthus) – Striking, large daisy like flowers, usually yellow but more unusual rusty colours are becoming available
Symphoricarpos – Shrub with attractive round berries in pink or white
Tanecetum – A type of chrysanthemum with small button shaped flowers
Trachelium – Masses of tiny flowers create a large flat flowerhead
Triteleia (Brodiaea) – Loose clusters of delicate blue flowers on erect leafless stems
Tuberose (Polianthes) – Higly scented flowers on tall stems
Veronica (Speedwell) – Delicate flower spikes add contrast to arrangements
Vanda – Usually 6 – 8 blooms per flower stem, The petals often have a marbled appearance
Vuylstekeara – A hybrid orchid, with highly patterned petals
Zinnia – Very similar to dahlias
(In the left hand column there are a few examples of the flowers in season for the month of October)
Liatris
Slipper Orchid
Hydrangea
Ranunculus
Nerine
Ornithogalum
Scabious
Lisianthus
Physostegia
Skimmia
