Fall is a time when all those ordinary green trees make statements that stop us dead in our tracks, and I find myself asking, “What is that, and where can I get one?” There are hundreds of varieties of trees with fall color, but when planning your landscape, you can never go wrong by starting with the basics.
Here are five unbeatable choices for landscape trees, which can be grown in most of the U.S., to provide a colorful canopy in your yard. The planting zones each type of tree grows in may vary depending on the variety chosen.
1. Aspen
A staple of the Rockies, aspens light up the landscape with the most gorgeous shades of yellow. Aspens earn their “quaking” nickname by shimmering in the slightest breeze to create golden clouds of brilliant color, and tend to be a fast-growing type of tree. These trees form colonies connected to one vast root system. Grow in planting zones 1-7.
2. Beech
To get a taste of what heaven must be like, take a stroll down a forest trail with the sun shining through a canopy of beech trees – the path, the sky, the very air is lit with a golden-bronze glow as the dazzling foliage flutters down to pave your way. While you’re at it, enjoy a yummy beechnut snack. Grow in planting zones 3-9.
3. Birch
A birch tree in fall is a dazzling composition of colors and textures. The bright yellow foliage flutters against the distinctive peeling bark and keeps my camera clicking! Try paperbark birch for elegant white bark, and river birch for dramatic peeling scales in shades of brown. Grow in planting zones 2-8.
4. Maple
Maples are unbeatable choices for fall color. Popular choices include Japanese maple (bronze, purple, and red), paperbark maple (bright red), sugar maple (orange), and silver maple (yellow). Sugar maples produce the coveted sap that is used to make maple syrup. Grow in planting zones 3-9.
5. Oak
Oak trees weigh in with deeper shades of russet, red, and yellow-brown. Oaks tend to be the last holdouts in the fall, giving you color and interest later in the season. The thick, heavy leaves make a majestic statement (and a carpet) in your yard. Known for their sturdy wood and elegant shape, oaks have long been used as anchoring trees and windbreaks in large landscapes.
Red oaks usually provide the best fall color, with pin oaks in second place. White oaks can be colorful, but often turn brown depending on weather conditions. Some oaks, such as live oaks in the deep South, retain their leaves until spring and display no fall color. Grow in planting zones 3-9.
