LA Cues Autumn Vibes with an Abundance of Blooms
September 2026. LA never stops blooming! While the high, dry heat of late summer and early fall focuses attention on what wilts alongside us humans, some of LA’s most awe inspiring native blooms bring serious autumn vibe game.
Think of what’s Blooming Now as LA’s reminder to build a team that carries on when you need some down time.
Consistent Performers: The Mallows
The Mallows are some of LA’s most consistent performers. Butter yellow Indian Mallow, tasty Apricot Mallow, and awe-inspiring sunset-orange Globemallow bloom at least 10 months of the year. The mallows perform like the Chris Paul, or the John Stockton if you will, of blooms. They tend to provide the unassuming assist to showy sages in the spring and summer. When the sages hit the bench, we learn buckwheats can deliver the dunks all on their own.
Of course, eyes naturally scan for yellows, golds, oranges, reds and rusts in autumn. Sage dormancy and color confirmation bias are not the only reasons mallows delight. Their lacy delicacy, their fuzzy softness, even their size means they can catch the gaze even when there’s substanial competition. In the Meltzer’s Eagle Rock Oasis, a lacy Indian Mallow captivated tour goer attention.
Talented Transformers: The Buckwheats
Where the mallows work in team to deliver some spectacular one-two plays, the buckwheats play like Giannis Antetokounmpo. In one season, they are solid players. In the next, they are MVPs.
Or maybe we should switch games? Is it too cheeky to call buckwheats Tom Brady Blooms? Just when you think they’ve aged-out, they continue to deliver! When designing a garden, don’t pass on them, and certainly don’t run. They can definitely give you some dance in the end zone!
Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat: Those emerging from the dark, glossy green foliage of California native Oregon Grape tend to turn the most heads. They form tight clusters and the blue is… extraordinary. For the color geeks, it runs anywhere from Pantone Blue Process C to Azure. No, I’m not kidding!
Sant Catherine’s Lace: This tricky tree may send up multiple forms of firework in July. It’s large lacy blooms spread out the sparkle. It’s blue berries will be a little cloudy in color when compared to those of Oregon Grape. Yet. They are worth their own awwwwwwwwes, as they have the same diaphanous quality of the blooms.
Pro Tip: Our designers love to buckwheats in gardens around Spanish and Mediterranean architecture. Their autumn peaches and rusts draw attention to Saltillo tiles and roofs. These are far from the only California native buckwheats – and far from their only plays. Check out LA’s Cheer Team to study more of their moves.
New Arrival: California Fuchsia
California Fuchsia can show boat. When they arrive on the court, you will definitely notice. Seriously handsome. They are so infinitely entertaining, you’ll notice when they take a powder in winter too. Our marketing chick insists on calling them Ron Artest for no reason related to Fuchia’s style of play. She’s still bitter that she learned to pronounce and spell “Zauchnernia” only to have the name change. Can you really blame her?
Pro Tip: Plant Metta World Peace in a quiet spot where you expect a riot of blooms in winter and spring. They’ll go from show boat to gone at just the right moment for others to shine… and just like Ron Artest, they’ll keep playing ball for decades.
Looking for more tips for California native gardens in fall? Check out Keep It Lit Year Round for how we deal with dormancy.
More Blooms
It’s impossible to share LA’s full bounty of autumn blooms! We do our best – we share what we see as we see it in our Bloom Stories in Instagram. You can save our in-garden favorites from our Blooming Now Boards in Pinterest or collect ideas in Houzz, where we post our go-to California Native Plants.
Of course, our favorite option is to get outside! To meet these beauties live and in-person join us on tour or visit one of our demonstration gardens.
