Small Trees for Fall Interest
One of the wonderful things about fall is the myriad colours we can see from just about anywhere we happen to be outdoors: yellow, orange, red, purple, brown, white – all mingling with the ubiquitous green. From vivid to pale, mottled to solid, the autumn leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs provide a feast for the eyes. And when they drop, they reveal the colour, texture, and shape of the plant they were covering.
Acer palmatum Osakazuki
Getting a colourful fall display in the home landscape means choosing trees and shrubs with that in mind. This doesn’t necessarily mean trading off a great show of spring or summer flowers or colour. It just means doing a bit of research, deciding on the desired mix of attributes, and sourcing the preferred variety. Then, of course, one has to obtain it, plant it, and baby it for the first year or so before transitioning to general maintenance mode.
While I have certainly made my share of plant choice “mistakes” over the years, my tree selections have, by and large, not disappointed. They have, in fact, given me what I want: a landscape changing colours, shapes, and textures that collectively bring pleasure year round. And when it comes to fall colour, some small/ornamental trees stand out.
Cornus kousa (Chinese dogwood) ‘Heartthrob’ grows to about 20’ and puts on a beautiful display of long-lasting red/purple leaves every fall. It is also a summer showstopper, with large flowers (bracts) that deepen in colour (pink) over a six-week period starting in June. The flowers are followed by large red berries, another feature in its favour.
Stewartia pseudocamellia (Japanese stewartia), 20-30’, has leaves that turn from bright green to yellow and red in fall. In June the tree is covered with Camellia-like white flowers with orange centers. Its peeling bark, in shades of orange, brown and grey, adds winter interest.
Amelanchier × grandiflora (serviceberry) ‘Autumn Brilliance’ typically grows 15-25’. As the varietal name suggests, this tree glows in the fall when its dark green leaves turn brilliant red and orange. It also provides a lovely show of white flowers in spring, followed by small, edible, blueberry-tasting fruits. Good luck getting berries before the birds do.
Acer palmatum (Japanese maple) ‘Osakazuki’ is an old cultivar renowned for the intensity of its fall colour, a vivid scarlet on display for several weeks. Other attributes include a particularly graceful silhouette, olive green bark, and deeply lobed leaves that emerge chartreuse in spring with red petioles and remain bright green all summer. Osakazuki grows to about 20’.
It’s now late November. Most of the ornamental trees in my yard have shed their leaves, leaving the job of providing colour to the evergreens, fall bloomers, and a few diehard annuals. But wait! The large ‘Worplesdon’ liquidambar (sweetgum) tree outside the dining room window is still wearing a splendid (if thin) coat of red/yellow/purple maple-like leaves. How nice is that?!?