Trees and Shrubs for Fall Color

Mother Nature demonstrates the change from summer to fall each year with fall color. Before she gently drops her long-held coat of leaves, the world is blessed with this transition with a colorful display of flaming leaf color.

With fall comes relief from the ravages of solar radiation, rain, and the visual grandeur of fall color. Leaves change sometimes into vivid bright colors as shortness of daylight and temperature causes abscission of the cells attaching the leaf to the stem.

As this blockage occurs, the leaf is slowly depleted of life-giving-sap, and as this takes place – fall color occurs.

During this period, it is then that you should make your way to the garden center for tree selection. Due to genetic variability between seedling trees (unlike grafted or cutting grown trees), fall color can vary dramatically between a batch of trees at the nursery. For instance, if you desire a Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) with coppery red fall color and you make your selection in the summer, you may end up with a tree that has orange with yellow overtones.

A Few Favorite Fall Color Trees

Scarlet Oak, Willow Oak, Shumard Oak, Tupelo Tree, Chinese Pistache, Japanese Maple, Red Maple, Hedge Maple, Dawn Redwood, Bald Cypress, Chinese Tallow, Ginkgo (butter yellow fall color) , Crape Myrtle, Dogwood, Sweetgum (liguidamber), Persimmon, Pomegranate, Hawthorn -(Washington Thorn)

(Note that trees need a minimum cold temperature to turn color so your climatic location will determine which trees are best. Check with a local Certified Nurseryperson for the best choices)

A Few Favorite Fall Color Shrubs

• For a beautiful large shrub look at the Viburnum plicatum clone, ‘Mariesii’ or ‘Shasta’ , which also has layered flower drifts in early spring. ‘Ivory Halo’ Dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Ivory Halo’) is a Red Twig Dogwood shrub with variegated white and green foliage and beautiful fall color.

• Red barberry, (especially Rose Glow) , is dark purple red all summer with vibrant reddish- purple fall colors. Variegated Weigela, Oak leaf Hydrangea, and certain Spirea make a bright display in the fall. Some of the Euonymus and Cotoneaster shrubs are great choices as well.

• Evergreen Nandina (Heavenly Bamboo) is a tame (non-spreading) bamboo look-alike that sports red overtones during the chill of winter.

• Blueberry for the edible garden, certain berries, and a grape vine can be a colorful addition to the garden arbor in the fall.

• Virginia Creeper and Boston Ivy vines are spectacular in fall but must be used with caution due to their ability to cover large areas quickly.

In closing, please note that climate zones vary and that the aforementioned trees and shrubs may or may not be appropriate for your area. If your neighborhood nursery carries them it’s a pretty good indicator that they are appropriate for local planting.