Some Woody Plants with Fall Color
The woody plants are great sources of fall color. Here are some recommended species.
Glossy Hawthorn
Glossy hawthorn is a dense round headed tree. especially suited to the Midwest. Up to 30 feet in height, this native is an excellent ornamental.
Hardy to zone four, it has shiny orange to red leaves and orange to red-orange fruits, which last throughout the winter. The small white blooms form 2 inch wide clusters in May.
Washington hawthorn
Washington hawthorn has gorgeous scarlet to red orange fall color. This is considered one of the best hawthorns. The dense, slender, thorny, round headed tree reaches 20 to 30 feet in height.
It is hardy to zone 4. Native to the East westward to Missouri, this is one of the last species to bloom in the spring. It bears large crops of fruits that ripen to red. The blooms are ½ inch wide.
Prairie Rose
Prairie rose is up to 15 feet in height. Hardy to zone 3, it provides red fall foliage. It is native to the East westward to Texas and Nebraska.
The red rose hips also provide color. The 2 inch wide blooms are rose-pink and emerge in June to August in small clusters.
This plant features hooked prickles. The stems are arching or climbing.
Virginia Rose
Virginia rose is native to the East. Spreading very quickly, this plant brings lovely red, orange, and yellow fall color. Four to six feet tall, this is hardy to zone 3.
The roses, 2 to 3 inches wide, are single and pink colored. These open in June and July. The ½ inch wide hips ripen to red. The twigs turn red for the winter.
Striped Maple
Striped maple is also called moosewood. This tree provides beautiful yellow fall color. The medium sized tree is less than 40 feet in height.
Hardy to zone 3, it is found in the forests of the East. This is named for the bark, which has white stripes.
This tree is best used in woodlands at high elevations. The yellow blooms form terminal, drooping clusters in May and June.
Sugar Maple
The sugar maple is a very tall (120 feet ) native tree. It is hardy to zone 3. It is generally oval shaped.
The sugar maple is one of the most brightly colored maples in the fall. It is a gorgeous mix of orange, yellow, and scarlet, and is one of the most beautiful of the maples.
It features shaggy furrowed bark. The yellow-green blossoms open before the leaves emerge in April.
This is also the source of maple syrup. A columnar variety is available at nurseries and garden centers. The tree is native to the East westward to Texas.
Vine Maple
Vine maple foliage can be red to orange . The small compact, round headed native shrub or tree tolerates part shade. Reaching 25 to 30 feet in height, it is hardy to zone 5.
the contorted, twisted branches give this plant its common name The flowers contain white petals and purple sepals. These appear in late April and May. They form large clusters. Vine maple does best at high elevations, and is hardy to zone 3.
Glossy Hawthorn
Glossy hawthorn is a dense round headed tree. especially suited to the Midwest. Up to 30 feet in height, this native is an excellent ornamental.
Hardy to zone four, it has shiny orange to red leaves and orange to red-orange fruits, which last throughout the winter. The small white blooms form 2 inch wide clusters in May.
Washington hawthorn
Washington hawthorn has gorgeous scarlet to red orange fall color. This is considered one of the best hawthorns. The dense, slender, thorny, round headed tree reaches 20 to 30 feet in height.
It is hardy to zone 4. Native to the East westward to Missouri, this is one of the last species to bloom in the spring. It bears large crops of fruits that ripen to red. The blooms are ½ inch wide.
Prairie Rose
Prairie rose is up to 15 feet in height. Hardy to zone 3, it provides red fall foliage. It is native to the East westward to Texas and Nebraska.
The red rose hips also provide color. The 2 inch wide blooms are rose-pink and emerge in June to August in small clusters.
This plant features hooked prickles. The stems are arching or climbing.
Virginia Rose
Virginia rose is native to the East. Spreading very quickly, this plant brings lovely red, orange, and yellow fall color. Four to six feet tall, this is hardy to zone 3.
The roses, 2 to 3 inches wide, are single and pink colored. These open in June and July. The ½ inch wide hips ripen to red. The twigs turn red for the winter.
Striped Maple
Striped maple is also called moosewood. This tree provides beautiful yellow fall color. The medium sized tree is less than 40 feet in height.
Hardy to zone 3, it is found in the forests of the East. This is named for the bark, which has white stripes.
This tree is best used in woodlands at high elevations. The yellow blooms form terminal, drooping clusters in May and June.
Sugar Maple
The sugar maple is a very tall (120 feet ) native tree. It is hardy to zone 3. It is generally oval shaped.
The sugar maple is one of the most brightly colored maples in the fall. It is a gorgeous mix of orange, yellow, and scarlet, and is one of the most beautiful of the maples.
It features shaggy furrowed bark. The yellow-green blossoms open before the leaves emerge in April.
This is also the source of maple syrup. A columnar variety is available at nurseries and garden centers. The tree is native to the East westward to Texas.
Vine Maple
Vine maple foliage can be red to orange . The small compact, round headed native shrub or tree tolerates part shade. Reaching 25 to 30 feet in height, it is hardy to zone 5.
the contorted, twisted branches give this plant its common name The flowers contain white petals and purple sepals. These appear in late April and May. They form large clusters. Vine maple does best at high elevations, and is hardy to zone 3.
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