Best Plants For Fall Garden Colors

Fall landscapes explode with color if planted with the right trees and shrubs. Choosing carefully can extend the seasonal joy into October, November and December. Now is the time to get these plants and trees into the ground.

Yellow Trees

"Obviously, maples are a great choice," said Cheryl Lajoie, an advanced certified horticulturalist. The Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) has the most vivid yellow fall glow, Lajoie said.

The River Birch (Betula nigra) is another tree with golden fall color, is easy to find, yields nice shade and has beautiful bark.

The Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Orange-ola') is a small, slow-growing laceleaf that becomes flame-colored with yellow/orange and red fall foliage.

Lajoie also recommended Bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora), which usually grows about 10 to 15 feet tall and wide, has creamy, off-white spring blooms and golden yellow fall foliage. She also likes Ginkgo Autumn Gold (Ginkgo biloba 'Autumn Gold').

The Golden Raintree (Koelreuteria paniculata) lives up to its name.

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica), also called Black Tupelo, grows 30 to 50 feet tall, 20 to 30 feet wide and changes to red/orange foliage in autumn. Another Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica 'Forum') gets red foliage streaked with yellow.

This gum reaches 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide, making it a cultivar for a smaller space.

Another colorful tree is the Chinese Pistache, which starts off yellow/green, then brilliant orange, then turns red.

A nice dark red, a russet red to true red, can be found in gardens with a White Oak (Quercus alba). The Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) gradually goes from yellow-brown to occasionally russet red. And the Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) is an excellent street tree that also turns russet red in fall. So does the Red Oak (Quercus rubra).

SHRUBS

Yellows 'Hartlage Wine?EUR??,,????'?????<Calycanthus raulstonii ?EUR??,,????'?????<) has bold foliage, showy, wine red flowers and good yellow fall color.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier) has fall color that ranges from yellow to orange to red. Cultivated varieties are often more brilliant.

Reds: Red hues can be found in Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima?EUR??,,????'?????<). This deciduous, sun-loving native shrub grows slowly, 6 to 10 feet tall and 3 by 4 feet wide. It develops spectacular autumn color and red berry clusters.