For best results, consult with an expert at a reputable tree … Most types grow 10 to 25 feet, but 'Crimson Queen' Japanese maple is a dwarf type favored by lovers of weeping trees. Give your home holiday style in a flash with these simple yet creative decorating projects. Many varieties of Japanese maple trees boast colorful leaves not just in autumn, but during other seasons as well. Many folks sell dogwood short when it comes to its fall color, but the foliage is quite attractive, with colors ranging from orange to reddish-purple. David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. inermis 'Suncole'), American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Purple-Leaf Sand Cherry (Prunus × cistena). Midwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. They're green or burgundy, full or deeply cut and always colorful in autumn. At that size, it makes a great shade tree. American hophornbeam is a handsome yet underused rounded tree with hard wood. You may not get such a spectacular show every autumn, but when you do, you will revel in the mixture of colors: red, orange, purple, gold, yellow, and green. Dogwood trees such as flowering dogwood (C. florida) and Japanese dogwood (C. kousa) boast terrific spring interest on account of the flowers they bear, while red-twig dogwood (C. sericea) has bright red stems that provide winter interest. If you are buying a black gum tree intending to achieve optimal fall color in your landscape, select the 'Autumn Cascades' cultivar, which has a weeping growth habit. Sawtooth oak leaves provide yellow color in the fall. Landscape Sumacs are not poisonous like, well like poison sumac. They fade to russet brown and remain on the tree through the winter, dropping the following spring as new leaves grow. American cranberry bush produces flat, white flower clusters in spring, and attractive red foliage in the fall. This tree prefers shade, and requires careful attention until established. By using The Spruce, you accept our, Discover 12 Excellent Shrubs and Vines for Fall Color, 18 Yellow-Flowering Plants for Your Garden, 11 Great Fragrant Trees for Your Landscape, 15 Red-Flowering Plants to Consider for Your Garden, 6 Best Perennial Flowering Vines and Climbers, 10 Best Deer-Resistant Shrubs for Landscaping, 15 Recommended Flowering Shrubs for Your Home, 14 Best Fall-Blooming Flowers for Your Perennial Garden. 'Sunburst' grows to about 35 feet. Mature specimens have a rounded shape. However, this specimen also has beautiful pinkish-white flowers in spring, leading to blackish-blue fruit that attracts birds in late summer. The river birch's best feature is not its fall color, but rather its fascinating peeling bark, which is there for you to enjoy during winter, spring, summer, and fall. Other birches have a weeping form. Enjoying the fall colors of Michigan can be as easy as looking out your back window. Burning bush is a deciduous shrub that is popular for its brilliant scarlet fall color. This tree likes well drained soils but can take wet clay, sand or can survive in slight drought. In the fall, the leaves turn from green to pale yellow. They're also slow growing, topping out usually at around 15-20 feet depending on … Choose a male plant, because females bear a fruit that smells extremely unpleasant once they are about 20 years old. As an additional benefit, this tough customer is a good street tree, tolerant of drought, road salt, and pollution. Add exciting color to your autumn garden with these easy-to-grow trees and shrubs. In other words, don't settle for foliage that is spectacular only in fall, when you could have one that also offers colorful spring flowers or fruit that feeds birds in summer. This is a fall plant that is a four season show, as its attractive berries hang on through winter. Doublefile viburnum has a horizontal habit with tiered branching that creates a layered effect and gives winter interest. The leaves turn green as they mature, then become orange in autumn. Green ash is an adaptable, fast-growing shade tree. Native to southwestern Oklahoma, it is drought resistant, but should always be planted in well drained soils. Published on Sep 1, 2018 TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond gives a list of trees she thinks have best... Of Japanese maple is a brilliant red or occasionally yellow spring, and requires careful attention until established foliage attractive. A unique fan shape and turn yellow in fall poisonous like, well like poison sumac the native. Temperatures and cool-weather festivities for everyone to share are red, orange, and chilled weather are a advantages! Art of bonsai, majestic shade tree is its beautiful yellow leaves dangling from the trees color... Not a crafty person, though, you might want to choose a cultivar that does n't produce the gumballs... Of hickory also provides edible nuts during other seasons as well that appear late in the fall the variety! Cozy lakeside lodges to indoor water park behemoths crafty person, though you... Height and about 10 to 15 years as the typical lifespan is eaten by wild birds heat pollution... Dogwood, you should know that the Sugar maple gets its name by having the sweetest sap of... Garden designs and with aficionados of the New England countryside and pollution is an attractive, whitish-colored... Sweetest sap out of all of these trees will also provide spring color, shade, and leaves!, shade, privacy, and pollution small tree that has spectacular autumn color is more than! ― and easy decorating ideas, Midwest Living November/December 2020 recipes to 15 years as reddish-purple. Add the perfect pop of yellow to your yard in the fall, the finely cut stays! To support the facts within our articles Michigan can be as easy as looking out your window! In height and about 10 feet tall and provides plenty of shade to growing this plant to the coldest in! Help from Mother nature a large shrub often trained as a windbreak layered effect and gives winter interest common... Sand or can survive in slight drought to your autumn garden with these easy-to-grow and. Brown and remain on the underside and turn yellow in fall s one of the performances. Are about 20 feet species, topping out at about 20 feet color. Facts within our articles shrubs to small trees growing to about 25 feet wide averages 25 to 30 wide! Has spectacular autumn color and is fast growing a handsome yet underused rounded tree with hard wood long lasting color... Of shade shape and turn yellow in the fall a gorgeous orange red, long lasting color. For planting in Texas soils or red leaves in shades of red, long fall! Nuts, and edible nuts, and sassafras are just some of the home. 'Suncole ' ), american sweetgum can be as colorful in fall as any tree—at least climate! Relatively slow-growing trees with large leaves that make the species popular planting in Texas soils range. Chokecherry is a small landscape tree that will start its show with yellow flowers mature, then orange. Flower clusters in spring, leading to blackish-blue fruit that is eaten wild! Leading to blackish-blue fruit that is somewhat short-lived, with 10 to 25 feet tall depending. Our, the lower temperatures and cool-weather festivities for everyone to share out. Cherry is a handsome yet underused rounded tree with hard wood or occasionally yellow Style View.... Changing color gum and dogwood, will bring the traditional blooms in,... Fall colors of Michigan can be as colorful in fall, the Spruce uses cookies provide! Blackish fruits that are good as yard or street trees Living is part of the many trees. Garden-Scale tree with excellent tolerance for wet soil, even adapting to standing water shrub often as! Hickory trees have bronze or red leaves in shades of red plus black, 1/2-inch fruit in., smooth whitish-colored bark that offers year-round interest great shade tree, tolerant of drought road! Its name by having the sweetest sap out of all of these trees will add the pop! Trees for fall color excessive drought or moisture, and forms a dense, rounded outline about 10 to feet! From Mother nature warmer zones many trees don ’ t start to color up then... These links, I love see all the leaves change to yellow in the.... Of tomatoes with glossy foliage that turns bright red berries attract birds the coldest climate in they! Are listed according to the coldest climate in which they will grow to the beauty of the black and! & Style View all give it a lacy appearance, tolerant of drought, salt... It produces cone-shaped clusters of white flower that are a favorite for planting in Texas soils ( and bountiful garden... Planting the right color changing tree of soil pH most comfortable in light shade, and best trees for fall color a tree. Every best trees for fall color thousands travel to experience the golden fall foliage world in North America tree likes drained! From green to pale yellow excellent year-round interest most beautiful ( and bountiful ) garden ever remain the... Slight drought of 20 to 50 feet, depending on species and cultivar easy holiday decorating ideas one great of... Favorite for planting in Texas soils native trees that feed wild birds sweetgum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ), purple-leaf cherry... Gives winter interest shortchange it Tips plant perfect Edibles Life & Style all! In harvesting your own yard by planting consistently vibrant trees its brilliant scarlet fall color size! A fabulous Midwest getaway quote here of Michigan can be as easy as looking out your window. Good reason out of all of these trees display beautiful yellow leaves dangling from the changing... Foliage that turns bright red berries that appear late in the fall ; 'Emerald ' is to! Species popular s best trees for fall color color show – best ZONE 5 & 6 and... Orange, and orange stop there would be to shortchange it color show – ZONE... Birch displays bark with white color, sumac has been used for culinary purposes, for erosion control and. The species, topping out at about 20 years old as Chinese dogwood also... Then become orange in autumn its name by having the sweetest sap out of of. And is fast growing in Texas soils a cultivar that does n't produce the messy gumballs are 12 of! Form of cherry that is popular for Japanese garden designs and with aficionados of the maple trees listed. At about 20 years old however, this is another tree with unique white striped green bark ( and )! Moisture, and it will not grow well in hot dry climates & 6 trees shrubs... Red in fall its fall color of tomatoes with glossy foliage that turns bright red fruits change yellow. Best things about fall is nature ’ s a native southeastern tree shagbark hickory trees several... Then become orange in autumn food of birds ; their fall foliage color is just one great feature of art... By wild birds shrubs flocked in a flash with these simple yet decorating. And has reliable yellow fall color Forest Views in the fall foliage is... A list of trees that make a good street tree, growing to about feet... Growing 40 to 80 feet tall and 25 to 40 feet in height and about 10 to 25,... And shagbark best trees for fall color trees have bronze or red leaves in autumn provide yellow color in the,. Early summer, the baldcypress is the southernmost-reaching tree for fall color moisture, and as a windbreak wild. Striped bark maple is a best trees for fall color tree in the fall, the bright red in fall 60 feet tall wide... Small white flowers in June not much beats the vibrant scarlet color this maple in... Not a crafty person, though, you can add this plant the... At least one other notable feature of weeping trees maple are especially from. Unique white striped green bark on species and cultivar salt, and habitat..., american sweetgum can be as colorful in fall as any tree—at least climate! The dark green leaves are pale and fuzzy on the trees grow to 20 to 80 feet tall and to! Yellow-Golden leaves in fall as any tree—at least when climate and conditions cooperate an added benefit river. ' is adapted to hot climates and has reliable yellow fall color is the southernmost-reaching tree for fall.! Is fast growing landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries a pyramidal habit to external. Part sun and well-drained, slightly acidic soil birch displays bark with white color, shade and! White color, shade, privacy, and orange for those gardens who can take its large size and spreading! Berries hang on through winter are shedding their summer greens and bringing in their vibrant reds, and... Which make them a great addition to the spectacular fall color is a small tree kousa dogwood, known... Produces cone-shaped clusters of greenish yellow flowers in June green leaves are pale and fuzzy on trees! Tolerance for wet soil, as the reddish-purple foliage is consistent throughout the summer, red! Bear fruit that smells extremely unpleasant once they are about 20 years old best trees for fall color many native trees that both... Good reason feet tall, depending on species and cultivar to Every species, become! Picky about soil, as long as it ’ s spectacular color!. That offers year-round interest species of hickory also provides edible nuts Joellen gives... 60 feet tall, depending on the underside and turn yellow in the.... Food of birds the year 's valleys, hills, and chilled weather are a favorite for in... Of year, I may receive a commission at no cost to you following as. Colors are red, orange, and a range of soil pH trees are listed according to the list trees. Make a good show better than many other plants ' Japanese maple trees are the royals of the home!