Ten Shade Trees for Great Fall Color
These Trees Will Brighten Up Your Yard in Fall
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb
This is especially true if you’re interested in finding a shade tree that also provides good fall color. The trees here at Shooting Star will be starting to color up soon, so you can wander the nursery to soak up the fall color and make your selections. Here are ten of our favorite “fall color” trees to get you started – arranged in size from small to mid-sized to large.
Small Trees (under 30′):
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry (20′ x 15′) – Serviceberries offer three-season interest in the garden: clouds of white flowers in the spring, blue-purple berries in the summer, and bright red leaves in the fall.
Paperbark Maple (25′ x 20′) – Delicate-looking compound leaves turn red in the fall, shaggy exfoliating bark provides winter interest. A great maple selection for smaller spaces!
Vanessa Parrotia (28′ x 14′) – A small, upright tree that turns warm shades of orange and red. Great choice for small yards or as a street tree.
Medium-sized Trees (30-40′):
Native Flame Hornbeam (30′ x 20′) – This heat-tolerant eastern native turns orange-red to bright red in fall, and the canopy has a nice oval shape.
Chinese Pistache (30′ x 30′) – Chinese Pistache does beautifully in our hot, dry summers and turns a brilliant orange-red in fall.
Red Rage Tupelo (35′ x 20′) – Turns a glossy, copper-red – truly stunning. Tupelos are also tolerant of poorly drained soils.
Large Trees (40’+):
Autumn Purple Ash (45′ x 40′) – Colors can vary each year from a yellow-orange to a deep purple. While the color can be changeable, the effect is always lovely.
Sun Valley Maple (40′ x 35′) – A bright red seedless variety of Maple.
October Glory Maple (40′ x 35′) – The name says it all! This is the latest variety of maple to color up in fall, and can really help stretch out the fall display in your yard. Foliage ranges from deep red to red-purple.
Autumn Blaze Maple (50′ x 40′) – If you’re in the market for a big, colorful shade tree, this is the one for you! Turns a brilliant shade of orange-red, and the color is fairly long-lasting. As an extra bonus, Autumn Blaze tends to be more drought tolerant than other maples.