19 Herbs That Thrive in the Fall

Herbs relish the cool conditions of fall as much as we do, flourishing with renewed vigor and a flush of new growth. Use autumn-loving herbs to embellish containers and the garden border, as well as culinary selections. They bridge ornamental and edible compositions beautifully and complement seasonal displays.

Depending on your climate, some herbs grow as cool season annuals while others perennialize for seasons of lasting benefits. Harvest and enjoy the new growth for fresh eating or dry sprigs to add to savory dishes and herbal teas over the winter. You can also use clippings to propagate new plants, growing them inside over the winter for spring transplanting. Overwinter potted selections you want to save indoors or in a sheltered space like a garage or basement.

Chives

	botanical name Allium schoenoprasum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1’
	hardiness zones 4-8

The fine blades of chives, with their mild onion flavor, are among the first herbs to pop up in spring and last until fall. They are also one of the easiest perennials to grow. In spring and early summer, lavender pom-pom blooms (also edible) draw pollinators to the garden.

Low-maintenance chives are durable, fast-growing, and drought-tolerant. In mild climates, they remain semi-evergreen during the winter.

Chives thrive in cool, moderate temperatures. However, they fade in hot climates with high humidity and grow as cool-season selections in these areas.

Parsley

	botanical name Petroselinum crispum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Parsley shines in cool conditions and is a beautiful addition to seasonal displays. Use it as a filler among ornamentals in containers or in front of the border, paired with blooming annuals like pansies and snapdragons.

Parsley’s fanning leaves are flat or curly, depending on the variety. They bring a refreshing, minty, and peppery flavor, fresh and dried.

Grow parsley as a fall annual to enjoy its first-year leaves. In the second year, plants flower. The leaves become bitter before they die back after seeding. It also grows well as a year-round indoor herb.

Rosemary

	botanical name Salvia rosmarinus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-6’
	hardiness zones 8-10

Rosemary’s form and fragrance make it a lovely anchor in potted arrangements, not to mention its flavor in savory autumnal cuisine. You may be getting ready to move your selection indoors or to prepare it for winter with extra mulch, but enjoy its fresh, flavorful growth first.

Rosemary leaves, and flowers have a lemony-camphor scent and flavor. Needled foliage is highly aromatic and perfect for clipping for fragrance and culinary uses. Make a rosemary oil to enjoy in the chilly months ahead.

Rosemary’s multi-season appeal makes it worth growing year-round. Prune plants after they flower in early summer to encourage full forms.

Oregano

	botanical name Origanum spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 6”-3’
	hardiness zones 3-10

Oregano is the perfect fall herb for varying climates with versatile uses. Its mounding habit, delicate foliage, and tiny pink, purple, or white blooms make it as pretty in the perennial border as in the edible garden.

Native to Mediterranean climates, oregano prefers arid conditions. In hot zones, provide protection from the intense afternoon sun. While it prefers regular moisture, it struggles in overly wet sites and humid conditions.

Oregano has the potential to spread aggressively in optimal growing conditions. However, you can still grow it in containers or raised beds as a means of control. 

Roman Chamomile

	botanical name Chamaemelum nobile
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-12”
	hardiness zones 4-9

Roman chamomile, also called English or garden chamomile, is perfect for making soothing teas this winter. The low-growing perennial forms a mat of aromatic foliage and flowers. In the daisy family, it has clusters of white ray flowers and feathery leaves.

Roman chamomile blooms into the fall with late-season flowers that attract pollinators. Sturdy stems root easily and spread to create an evergreen ground cover, though plants may get out of bounds if not kept in check.

Roman chamomile is resistant to diseases, pests, and deer. It also tolerates poor soils and periods of drought.

Lavender

	botanical name Lavandula spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Lavender is a staple in any garden. With its invigorating fragrance, silvery foliage, and wand-shaped purple blooms, it makes a showy evergreen specimen with many applications.

Prune lavender in the fall to shape the shrub and promote vigorous growth in the spring. Use the clippings in potpourri, sachets, and drying for cooking.

The sun-loving Mediterranean plant grows in arid, warm summers and cool winters. Therefore, plants benefit from mulch and protection from winter winds.

Cilantro

	botanical name Coriandrum sativum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 8-11

Like parsley, cilantro is a great option to grow as a cool season annual. It grows quickly and thrives in mild autumnal temperatures.

Cilantro grows for its distinctly flavorful leaves (tasty or soapy, depending on your tastebuds) and for its seeds (coriander).

In mild climates, sow seeds in fall to grow as a winter annual. Use it in the herb garden and to embellish seasonal containers. Move it indoors in cold climates for a zesty flavor all season.

Lemon Balm

	botanical name Melissa officinalis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 3-7

The lemon-scented leaves of this refreshing herb provide a much-needed burst of citrus as days and nights grow colder. When trimmed in late summer, lemon balm’s new leaves give the best flavor.

Lemon balm has a densely mounding, low-growing habit. It produces small bloom spikes in summer and fall. Trimming and deadheading keep plants in check and promote a fresh flush of leaves.

Like mint and oregano, lemon balm grows well in containers and raised beds to keep them from getting out of bounds. 

Garlic Chives

	botanical name Allium tuberosum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 10-20”
	hardiness zones 3-9

Garlic chives are related to common chives but have larger, brighter green blades and a robust garlic flavor. They bloom in late summer to early fall when clusters of starry white flowers emerge on stems above the foliage. 

The flowers make attractive dried specimens for floral arrangements. Also, clipping the blooms and deadheading also prevent prolific reseeding, so it’s a win-win.

In areas with warm winters, garlic chives remain evergreen, maintaining their attractive fountain of bladed foliage all season long. Cutting and harvesting the leaves promotes new growth.

Mint

	botanical name Mentha spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6”-3’
	hardiness zones 3-11

Mint creates a low-growing carpet of freshly scented leaves. It’s a durable performer year-round (to a detriment, sometimes), with renewal in fall’s cooling temperatures.

Harvest mint leaves frequently to enjoy and to inhibit spreading, flowering, and seed production. Mint makes an excellent container-grown herb. The stems, even those trailing from containers, root easily with soil contact.

Mint grows best in consistently moist, well-drained soils. In winter, add mulch for insulation.

Chervil

	botanical name Anthriscus cerefolium
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-24”
	hardiness zones 6-9

Also called French parsley, chervil is a staple in French cuisine. It resembles its parsley relative with fanning leaves but has a delicate anise flavor.

Chervil thrives in cool temperatures, making this fall herb perfect for a flush of new leaves. It’s quick to bolt in warm conditions. 

Grow chervil as an annual to enjoy its quick production of flavor, enjoying the leaves fresh or cooked. Sow seeds as late as six weeks before the first anticipated frost date of fall or begin with nursery starts for ready-to-go leaves.

Sorrel

	botanical name Rumex spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Sorrel’s tender young leaves are tart and lemony for fresh eating or cooking (which mellows the tartness). In warm areas, it grows as a cool season annual. In cold climates, it has a final flush before winter dormancy.

Red-veined sorrel (Rumex sanguineus) is striking with deeply lined green leaves and scarlet venation. They make a lovely display with blooms like mums, violas, and foxgloves. New leaves are soft and fiercely tangy, with a hint of sharp raspberry. Older leaves become tougher and more bitter.

Horseradish

	botanical name Armoracia rusticana
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Horseradish benefits from cold temperatures, which initiate starch storage in the roots. Roots that endure several frosts are the most flavorful, sure to produce that hurts-so-good, nose-tingling heat.

Horseradish roots are ready to harvest about a year after planting and after cool temperatures cause foliage to die back. Plant in the fall and harvest the following October or November to achieve the best post-frost flavor.

Horseradish plants spread vigorously through their roots. Dig and harvest them to control the spread. Replant the number of roots you want for successional crops and use the extras in the kitchen.

Thyme

	botanical name Thymus spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-18”
	hardiness zones 5-9

Thyme is the perfect fall herb to fit into small garden spaces, lending a variety of flavors to the kitchen. Common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), with its minty clove flavor, is a staple in autumnal seasonings. Lemon, orange, and nutmeg are varieties with unique aromas and tastes. 

The plants have delicate features like tiny leaves and wiry stems but are rugged and drought-tolerant. Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and wooly thyme (Thymus praecox) form groundcovers, useful as turf alternatives. Thyme also works in areas between stepping stones and rock walls.

Provide mulch and protection from drying winds as temperatures drop. In winter extremes, cover plants with a layer of evergreen boughs for added insulation.

Winter Savory

	botanical name Satureja montana
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 5-10

Savory is similar in flavor to thyme. Winter savory is a low-growing perennial that grows quickly. In spite of its name, it is also an excellent fall herb. The leaves have a peppery spice flavor often used in salads, stews, meats, and sauces.

Winter savory grows well in moderately moist soils with good drainage. It tolerates poor soils and occasionally dry conditions. It resembles summer savory, a warm-season annual with similar characteristics.

Sage

	botanical name Salvia officinalis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Sage is made for fall flavors and is a favorite herb with a fresh, earthy scent and velvety leaves. With varieties in blue-gray, gold, purple, and tricolor, sage makes an excellent border and container planting as well as culinary harvest.

Common sage is a cold-hardy Mediterranean native that tolerates poor soils as long as they’re well-draining. For fall blooms and edible leaves, look to the North American native autumn sage (Salvia greggii). In zones 8-10, pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) produces late-season red flowers, and its foliage has a light pineapple flavor.

Feverfew

	botanical name Tanacetum parthenium
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 5-8

Feverfew is an old garden relic with abundant daisy-like flowers and herbal uses. Its white flowers with yellow centers continue until frost, covering the feathery, aromatic foliage.

Feverfew is a short-lived perennial herb that grows for about two to three years, usually dying back in the fall and regrowing in the spring. It has longstanding uses, and traditional herbal teas incorporate fresh or dried leaves.

Feverfew self-seeds heartily. Pull any unwanted volunteers and deadhead spent blooms to prevent unwanted seeding. Use feverfew in naturalized areas where it can reseed freely or in borders and rock gardens.

Anise Hyssop

	botanical name Agastache foeniculum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-4’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Anise hyssop is a showy native mint with purple-blue bloom spikes above gray-green, aromatic foliage. Blooms offer a rich nectar source for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.

A. foeniculum is native to northern North America and has a wide range. A classic suited for the herb garden and perennial bed, anise hyssop blooms profusely in summer through frost. The minty, anise-flavored leaves make refreshing iced or hot teas.

Bay Laurel

	botanical name Laurus nobilis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 10’ (up to 60’ in native habitat)
	hardiness zones 7-10

Bay laurel, or sweet bay, is a small evergreen shrub or tree with attractive dark green, glossy leaves. In the fall, their black oval fruits ripen.

Bay leaves are flavorful culinary additions, both fresh and dried. This herb adds flavor to soups, stews, roasts, and sauces, especially in slow-cooked fall roasts.