The 5 Perennials You Should Stop Deadheading in Late Summer, According to a Gardener

If you grow plants in your garden, you know that when certain species begin to decline in growth or quality, it’s often advised to start deadheading.

Deadheading involves pruning old growth, spent blooms and seed heads from plants, per Penn State Extension. There are a few reasons to deadhead plants; namely, because deadheading can help your plant produce new growth or reflower.

This process typically happens in late summer, which is the end of the growing season for many perennials (plants that bloom in spring and summer, lay dormant in fall and winter, and then naturally reflower in the spring).

However, when summer comes to an end, not every plant in your garden should be deadheaded. In fact, there are a number of plants you shouldn’t deadhead in late summer.

To learn more, Parade consulted with Catherine Woods, a gardener and the Garden Coordinator at Envision Unlimited, a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides services to members with mental health issues and intellectual disabilities. Woods teaches practical gardening skills to members as part of the organization’s therapeutic horticulture program.

Keep reading to learn which five perennials Woods says you shouldn’t deadhead in late summer—as well as three that you should deadhead.

Related: The One Mistake That’s Causing Your Basil to Flower Too Early, According to Gardeners

Why It’s Important to Save Certain Perennial Heads Instead of Deadheading Them in Late Summer

“Leaving dried stalks of native flowers, prairie grasses and other perennials in place throughout the winter is important for several reasons,” Woods tells Parade.

Most notably, the seed heads can be “a source of food for birds that spend the winter in our backyards,” she explains.

Additionally, “The hollow space inside of dead stalks provides shelter for native bees, butterflies and other insects so they may survive the winter.”

And furthermore, the dried foliage actually “creates a microclimate close to the soil.” This can help protect plant roots from wind and cold weather, serve as a habitat for wildlife and even become food for wildlife, such as rabbits.

Related: 25 Types of Pink Flowers To Brighten Up Your Garden

5 Perennials You Should Stop Deadheading in Late Summer

According to Woods, the most important reason to stop deadheading the below plants is because “for all of these plants, the seeds and dried stems can serve as food and shelter for local wildlife.”

Plus, the below plants “form lovely shapes” even after they go dormant for winter, and these shapes “are nice to admire in the winter garden,” says Woods.

“While there are some good reasons to deadhead perennials,” she adds, “I do my best to leave all my clean-up of dead native foliage until the spring, when nighttime temperatures are above 50 degrees. This allows our garden to function in the ecosystem and provide as much winter wildlife support as possible.”

Here are five perennials that Woods grows in the Van Voorhees Garden at Envision Unlimited’s Frick Center—and opts not to deadhead in late summer.

1. Sunflowers fhm / Getty Images

Sunflowers are a unique species: some varieties are annuals, while other varieties are perennials.

And when it comes to perennial sunflowers, Woods says it’s best not to deadhead them at the end of summer. Not only can their stems and leaves provide benefits to wild animals, but “their stems are strong enough to be used for trellising next year.”

Specifically, you can use a sunflower stem to trellis various plants including pole beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, per the blog GrowPerma.

2. Bee balm Annie Otzen / Getty Images

Annie Otzen / Getty Images

Bee balm is a colorful perennial plant that’s abundant in North America. And although some gardeners recommend deadheading bee balm, Woods and her team let their bee balm plants go to seed in the fall. This is because local wildlife can eat bee balm’s seeds in the winter, and the dried stems can serve as wildlife habitats and add architectural interest to the winter garden.

3. Coneflower Grace Cary / Getty Images

Grace Cary / Getty Images

The coneflower plant, also known as Echinacea, is a member of the sunflower family. At the Van Voorhees Garden, Woods always lets her coneflower plants go to seed at the end of summer. In particular, birds enjoy eating coneflower seeds.

4. Asters Teddi Yaeger Photography / Getty Images

Teddi Yaeger Photography / Getty Images

Asters are a colorful perennial species of flower, with a similar look to daisies. Not only are they beautiful and low-maintenance, but they are also a favorite food of pollinators from birds to butterflies, per The Old Farmer’s Almanac. And though there are benefits to deadheading spent asters, Woods actually recommends not deadheading asters.

Not only can letting asters go to seed provide food for wildlife, but deadheading asters is a particularly tedious and lengthy process, per Roots—so it’s often not worth deadheading them.

5. Milkweed StephanieFrey / Getty Images

StephanieFrey / Getty Images

Milkweed is a top source of food for monarch butterflies—so if you have milkweed in your garden, it’s vital to protect it. And though some argue that deadheading milkweed can be beneficial to this perennial plant, Woods chooses not to deadhead milkweed at Van Voorhees Garden. Birds can eat milkweed seeds and even use milkweed’s “fluffy” seed heads as material to make nests, per Garden for Wildlife.

The Perennials You Should Always Deadhead in Late Summer

There are a number of perennial plants that benefit from being deadheaded in late summer, per Woods. That said, make sure to save their seeds to replant next year, Woods advises.

Here are three plants you should deadhead in late summer.

1. Buckthorn Damir Khaliullin / Getty Images

Damir Khaliullin / Getty Images

Per Woods, buckthorn is “a highly invasive landscaping plant, which will grow in the root space of other garden plants and kill them.” She explains that once the plant gets too big, the thorns become challenging to manage. Not only that, but “its fruit is poisonous to humans and wildlife,” making it a good candidate for deadheading.

2. Rose of Sharon Philippe Gerber / Getty Images

Philippe Gerber / Getty Images

Rose of Sharon is also a highly invasive plant that should be deadheaded.

“Its seeds will grow in the cracks of sidewalks and become a tripping hazard,” warns Woods. “Its roots can also damage the foundations of nearby buildings.”

3. Tree of heaven picture alliance / Getty Images

picture alliance / Getty Images

Tree of heaven should be deadheaded because it is “highly invasive if left to seed,” says Woods. Plus, “it will out-compete other plants that are more locally useful.”

Up Next:

Sources:

Companion Planting Sunflowers: Living Trellises and Pollinator Magnets. GrowPerma.

Deadheading Flowers: A Beginner’s Guide. Roots.

Why You Shouldn’t Deadhead Native Flowers: Supporting Wildlife Through Every Season. Garden for Wildlife.

This story was originally published by Parade Home & Garden on Jul 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the House & Home section. Add Parade Home & Garden as a Preferred Source by clicking here.