Rose family Brings Fall Color and Berries
Many plants in the rose family have spectacular fall color. Some have colorful fruits and berries as well.
Firethorn
Firethorn or pyracantha are thorny shrubs. These can be especially colorful in the late summer and fall when the berries ripen.
The fleshy fruits, which are pomes, can be orange, yellow, or red, according to the variety. These will generally last throughout the winter.
The small white flowers with five rounded petals appear on branched clusters. The hardiness can vary according to the species or variety. Depending on the climate, the plant can be evergreen to semi-evergreen.
Chinese Quince
This attractive, upright, dense shrub or small tree is 5 to 20 feet tall and about half as wide. It has lovely peeling bark. The leaves turn yellow and red in
the fall.
The pale pink solitary blossoms, up to 1 ½ inches wide, open in April and May. These open on year old wood and are scented. The quince-like fruit, 5 to 6 inches long, ripen in the fall and is edible. This plant requires an acid soil.
Hawthorn
The various hawthorns can have colorful leaves in the fall. That of the Lavalle hawthorn is bronze red. This small tree is only 20 feet in height. It is hardy to zone 4. The fruits can also add color. These last for most of the winter.
Juneberry
Also called downy serviceberry, this is named for the downy leaves. The Juneberry is native to the East. The narrow tree or small shrub is around 15 to 25 feet in height.
The round headed plant provides yellow to red fall color. The slightly offensive smelling white blooms in April form loose clusters. These appear with the leaves.
Ripening in June, the fruits are black-purple with a bloom. These are on 4 inch long clusters. The plant is hardy to zone 4. It adapts to most soils.
Apple Serviceberry
Apple serviceberry is a hybrid of Allegheny serviceberry and Juneberry that occurs in the wild. The tree is 25 feet tall, which is often less than most other serviceberries.
In the fall, the smooth leaves turn red to yellow. Hardy to zone 4, the small tree has very large blossoms, borne in drooping clusters. These have pink tinges. The fruits ripen to black.
Allegheny Serviceberry
Allegheny serviceberry is native to much of the East westward to Kansas. Hardy to zone 4, this is a very good ornamental. It reaches 36 feet in height, and can be a small tree, or a shrub.
The fall color is yellow to red. The white blooms form drooping or nodding clusters. The black berries were a favorite food of the Native Americans.
Firethorn
Firethorn or pyracantha are thorny shrubs. These can be especially colorful in the late summer and fall when the berries ripen.
The fleshy fruits, which are pomes, can be orange, yellow, or red, according to the variety. These will generally last throughout the winter.
The small white flowers with five rounded petals appear on branched clusters. The hardiness can vary according to the species or variety. Depending on the climate, the plant can be evergreen to semi-evergreen.
Chinese Quince
This attractive, upright, dense shrub or small tree is 5 to 20 feet tall and about half as wide. It has lovely peeling bark. The leaves turn yellow and red in
the fall.
The pale pink solitary blossoms, up to 1 ½ inches wide, open in April and May. These open on year old wood and are scented. The quince-like fruit, 5 to 6 inches long, ripen in the fall and is edible. This plant requires an acid soil.
Hawthorn
The various hawthorns can have colorful leaves in the fall. That of the Lavalle hawthorn is bronze red. This small tree is only 20 feet in height. It is hardy to zone 4. The fruits can also add color. These last for most of the winter.
Juneberry
Also called downy serviceberry, this is named for the downy leaves. The Juneberry is native to the East. The narrow tree or small shrub is around 15 to 25 feet in height.
The round headed plant provides yellow to red fall color. The slightly offensive smelling white blooms in April form loose clusters. These appear with the leaves.
Ripening in June, the fruits are black-purple with a bloom. These are on 4 inch long clusters. The plant is hardy to zone 4. It adapts to most soils.
Apple Serviceberry
Apple serviceberry is a hybrid of Allegheny serviceberry and Juneberry that occurs in the wild. The tree is 25 feet tall, which is often less than most other serviceberries.
In the fall, the smooth leaves turn red to yellow. Hardy to zone 4, the small tree has very large blossoms, borne in drooping clusters. These have pink tinges. The fruits ripen to black.
Allegheny Serviceberry
Allegheny serviceberry is native to much of the East westward to Kansas. Hardy to zone 4, this is a very good ornamental. It reaches 36 feet in height, and can be a small tree, or a shrub.
The fall color is yellow to red. The white blooms form drooping or nodding clusters. The black berries were a favorite food of the Native Americans.
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