Planting Shrubs for Fall Colors

The beautiful, spectacular colors of fall are good for the soul! They will cause one to stop and pause and enjoy the season.

If you would like to include some shrubs in your landscaping that turn beautiful fall colors, these are some Natural Plus favorites:

· Burning Bush (euonymous alatus): Burning bush come in 2 size ranges: dwarf (grow 5-6’ tall) and standard (grow 8-10’ tall). Bushes turn brilliant scarlet red in the fall. They can also be identified by the bark that is square and corky in appearance.

· Sumac: There are several varieties of sumac including Staghorn, Cutleaf, and Tiger Eyes. All 3 varieties turn brilliant red or oranges in the fall. Tiger Eyes have a limegreen/yellow color during the summer months. In the fall, staghorn sumac can often be seen along roadways in large groupings of brilliant red.

· Compact Amur Maple: These have brilliant red fall color and grow about 5-6’ tall. They are the dwarf variety of standard size Amur Maples.

· Viburnums (Cranberries) – There are many varieties of viburnums, growing from 3 to 15 feet depending on the variety. Some of the most common varieties are Bailey Compact, Blue Muffin, Redwing, and Wentworth. All turn beautiful shades of burgundy, red, or oranges in the fall. The berries they produce are also colorful in shades of blue, red, and oranges – favorites of migrating birds.

· Cotoneaster and Aronia – Both turn beautiful shades of burgundy or reds. They also produce abundant berries that are pretty and provide food for migrating birds. Aronia berries have recently grown in popularity for human consumption. They are grown, harvested and sold as a healthy dietary antioxidant.

Spireas and Barberries : Spireas and barberries come in many sizes and varieties. Spireas are primarily planted for their summer blooms, and barberries are typically planted for their burgundy summer leaf color. However, both give an added bonus of turning to beautiful fall colors of reds, burgundy, oranges, and yellows.