Fall color can vary depending on the weather and where you live. Trees that are stressed may color-up early just from the lack of water. This year in the Pacific Northwest the autumn foliage is pretty astonishing. We typically show a lot of yellow foliage but this fall, after a very warm summer, there is an abundance of reds!
In addition to foliage color there are many plants that bloom in the fall, providing late pollen for bees and nectar for hummingbirds.
Our native vine maple offers a variety of fall color.
Japanese false camellia tree, (Stewartia pseodocamellia ), is known for its autumn color, exfoliating bark and white flowers in spring. This tree has it all and it is small and not prone to damage from wind or snow.
Red maple (Acer rubrum) is the tree that contributes the greatest to New England’s famous fall color. This tree is tough and takes both wet and drought. It is no longer on the City street tree list due to its popularity. By diversifying our street tree plantings we can prevent disease from spreading.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Apple Blossom’ blooms from fall into winter and provides late pollen that bees need for wintering over. It also attracts hummingbirds, even with a light dusting of snow!
Beauty berry (Calicarpa b. ‘Profusion’) berries provide a color that is seldom seen in the fall.
The soft yellow foliage of this Japanese katsura tree (cercydiphyllum japonicum)stands out against an evergreen background and the red of a sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum).
One of the very best large shrubs for fall color is the smoke tree ‘Grace’ (cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’). They are almost a coral color.
The dwarf strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’) has both fruit for birds and other critters and flowers for hummingbirds.
Nyssa sylvatica, the Tupelo Tree has some of the best fall color of any tree.
Oak leaf hydranga (a very large shrub) can have fall color ranging from red to plum.
This Persian ironwood tree is just starting to turn. It is known to be the most reliable fall color, whatever the weather.
Donna Giguere Landscape Design 