Trees for Fall Color

Sweet Gum These trees  display some of the most interesting fall color of any large tree. You can have six sweet gums planted in a row, and not one will look the same in the fall. The "gum balls" are a great source of bird food, though they can cause a mess. There are some fruitless cultivars available. These native trees grow to be 90 feet or more, and their roots do grow close to the surface of the soil. Bottlebrush Buckeye This shrub is under-used in the landscape.  It is best known for its tall, white flower stalks in the summer. The flower stalks look like big bottle brushes, hence the name. However, this shrub also has pretty fall color, pictured, right. The leaves turn bright yellow. This plant prefers acidic, well-drained soil and a spot in full sun to part shade, and can be maintained to a smaller height than its natural 8 foot by 8 foot spread. Serviceberry These are some of the nicest small trees for the garden. They bloom with white flowers in the spring. During the summer, their fruits feed the birds, and in the fall, their foliage turns brilliantly red. These low-maintenance trees grow well in landscape beds close to the house. Black Tupelo A native wetland tree, these are medium-sized trees that grow to a height of about 50 feet. The branching habit is distinctive, as the branches grow out from the trunk at strict 90 degree angles, creating a platform or pagoda-like appearance. The fruits of the tupelo are some of the earliest to ripen in the fall, and provide food for many species of birds. The leaves turn dark red to purple, and, in some cases, orange, in the fall. Red Maple Everyone loves red maples and sugar maples.  They give the true, brilliant red fall color you see when you drive through the mountains of New England.  Red maples grow to be large shade trees, and need lots of space to spread out.  They grow to be 70-80 feet tall, and grow best in full sun. Ginkgo If you plant a Ginkgo in your yard, try your very best to get a male tree.  The fruits on the females drop from the trees in the fall, and commence rotting with a stench of something that can only be described as "vomitous."  A male tree, though, sited in the right place, is a striking landscape feature-year round. Plan for Fall Color Now Plant your fall trees soon so they have a chance to grow and mature throughout the spring and summer, ready to shine in the fall.