11 Colorful Foliage Plants for Long-Lasting Fall Containers

For containers that look great even as the temperatures dip, these are the plants we rely on in the BHG Test Garden.

Published on October 27, 2025

Credit:

Jarret Einck

The chill is creeping in and the flowers that once filled your summer containers may be spent, but don't put those pots away just yet. There are plenty of tough foliage plants you can add to outdoor containers in fall that make just as much of an impact as blooms. Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden manager, Sandra Gerdes, shares 11 leafy beauties that can take your containers well into winter.

Coleus

Credit:

Carson Downing

Coleus has such dramatic foliage it "can stand on its own or be a mixer in combos," says Gerdes. There are so many varieties to choose from—foliage can be dark, chartreuse, or a mix of colors—you'll find something for any container scheme. Depending on your climate, coleus can be treated as a perennial or annual. Even better, there's a coleus suited to whatever light conditions you have in your yard, from shade to sun.

Purple Fountaingrass

Credit: Andreas Trauttmansdorff

For adding height and texture to a container, purple fountaingrass (Pennisetum setaceum rubrum) is one of Gerdes's favorites. It sends up bronze-purple plumes with burgundy seed heads in fall. Easy to care for, it prefers full sun and is generally more cold-tolerant than other types of fountaingrass.

Hakone Grass

Credit:

Carson Downing

Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) brings bright gold color and a graceful spill to containers. Gerdes's top picks: ‘Aurea’, which has thin green stripes in its gold leaves, or the aptly named ‘All Gold’ variety. Hakone grass prefers moist, shady conditions.

Purple Millet

Credit:

Blaine Moats

Gerdes loves purple millet for its combination of tall, dark foliage and bold seed heads (which birds appreciate, too). As a focal point in containers, she reaches for 'Purple Majesty', which can reach several feet tall, or the slightly smaller ‘Jester’ variety. Both plants prefer part to full sun.

Cranberry Hibiscus

Credit:

Peter Krumhardt

‘Mahogany Splendor’ cranberry hibiscus (Hibiscus acetosella) is prized for its fall foliage. Its leaves are similar to Japanese maples, serrated, and deep burgundy in color. It will thrive in full sun. One thing gardeners should note, says Gerdes: "It can get large so you should pinch or prune it to its desired size."

Sedge

Credit:

Denny Schrock

Sedge (Carex spp.) is a large family of grass-like plants whose thin leaves fill out containers nicely. Of all the sedges available, Gerdes especially likes 'Red Rooster' for its upright tuft of coppery-bronze, wispy leaves, which provides contrast against more structured plants. Drought-tolerant, the plant prefers full sun.

Ornamental Kale

Not just for veggie gardens, kale comes in loads of ornamental varieties, too, "from tight cabbage head types to frilly leaves," says Gerdes. Depending on the type you choose, ornamental kale can be the star or a supporting player in a container. It does best in cooler temperatures, and can handle part shade to full sun (though its leaves may be less vibrant if they get several hours of strong sun).

Rosemary

Credit:

Jay Wilde

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) smells great, adds interesting texture to containers, and can be harvested for all your fall cooking. It's an easy-care plant, too, tolerating cold and drought equally well. For all the same reasons, Gerdes loves adding oregano to fall containers, too.

Coral Bells

Coral bells (Heuchera spp.) is another large family of plants known for its eye-catching leaves. "There's lots to choose from," says Gerdes. "But for containers I like 'Peachberry Ice' and 'Forever Red'. Or for dark drama, try 'Evening Gown' and 'Carnival Plum Crazy'. Most varieties prefer shady spots, though there are some types that can take full sun.

Dusty Miller

Credit: Marty Baldwin

Gerdes loves to work silver foliage plants like dusty miller (Jacobaea maritima) into containers, their light, shimmery leaves brightening up the garden. Dusty miller's foliage will look most silver in full sun, and more green in more shade. Another silvery plant she often leans on is licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare), which has a trailing habit.

Dusty miller is toxic to pets so keep the plant out of their reach.

Black Mondo Grass

Credit:

Carson Downing

With its dark, grass-like foliage, black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus) "is a pretty filler with great texture," says Gerdes. Want to play up its moody look? She suggests pairing it with dark pansies or with orange blooms for Halloween. Black mondo grass does best in full sun.

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  1. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/jacobaea-maritima/