Autumn is one of the most interesting times of the year to appreciate due to its orange hue produced by the discoloration of the plants that are about to drop their leaves a few days before winter arrives. Still, during this season you can see some really beautiful fall trees. If you want to know what they are and much more, we invite you to continue reading.
autumn trees
Autumn trees, although many may imagine that they are variants of trees that only grow during this time of year, it is a thought that is wrong. Since these plants have a development during all seasons, however, they were called autumn trees, because they are those that during this time go from having a completely green foliage to one with yellowish or orange tones, which implies that the winter is coming. Next, we will show some of them:
river birch
It is one of the colorful fall trees, whose main feature is not its fall color, but its fascinating peeling bark, which is there for you to enjoy through winter, spring, summer, and fall. As a bonus, river birches, which grow 40 to 70 feet tall, tolerate wet areas better than many other plants. These fall trees may be one of the most popular birch trees used in landscaping in North America.
Tupelo
The spectacular scarlet color of fall is just one great feature of the tupelo tree. Growing to 30 to 50 feet, this is another tree with excellent tolerance for wet soil, even adapting to standing water. It has blackish fruits that are the favorite food of birds. Adding to the beauty of fall color is the sheen of the leaves. Keep in mind, if you are buying one of these fall trees, they are medium in size, meaning they can easily reach 20 to 25 meters in height, so it suggests having plenty of room.
sugar maple
Maples are fall foliage royalty in North America. Tourists sometimes drive hundreds of miles to places like New Hampshire's White Mountains to witness magnificent displays of fall foliage. Different types of maples display fall colors of bright yellow, red, orange, or burgundy, and the color of an individual tree can sometimes vary from year to year. Within the Acer genus, sugar maples offer the unique benefit of sap that can be extracted and boiled down to make a delicious syrup. They are relatively slow growing with large leaves, making them excellent garden or street trees.
Japanese Maple
Many varieties of Japanese maples boast colorful leaves not only in the fall, but during other seasons as well. Most types grow from 10 to 25 feet, but the Crimson Queen Japanese maple is a dwarf type favored by fall tree lovers. The finely lobed leaves of the Japanese maple are especially attractive from a close distance. This species is popular for Japanese garden designs and among fans of the art of bonsai.
carya ovata
Several species of the Carya genus of hickory trees exhibit an attractive golden-brown color in the fall, but the shagbark hickory also has bark that exfoliates and sheds in long strips that give the tree great winter interest. This species of hickory also provides edible nuts and its wood is excellent as fuel for smoking meats or for use in furniture. It can also be noted that these fall trees grow between 70 to 90 feet tall and provide a lot of shade.
Haya
Beech trees and the aforementioned tree have several things in common: beautiful golden yellow leaves in autumn, beautiful bark and edible nuts. However, beech trees have two notable advantages when it comes to fall foliage: they change color later in the season, and they keep their leaves for a longer period of time. Two species of beech, the American beech and the European beech, also have attractive gray bark that adds winter interest. These fall trees grow to a mature height of 20 to 80 feet, depending on the variety.
american sweetgum
Sweetgum can be as colorful in fall as any tree, at least when weather and conditions cooperate. You may not get such a special show every fall, but when you do, you'll delight in the mix of colors: red, orange, purple, gold, yellow, and green. The fruits produced by liquidambar, known as chewing gum, are of interest to those who carry out crafts. Sweetgum trees typically grow 60 to 80 feet tall with large leaves, plus they provide good shade.
Purple Leaf Sand Cherry
It is a large shrub that often forms as a small tree. Its name derives from the purple color of its foliage, which is reddish during the summer. However, this specimen also bears beautiful pinkish-white flowers in spring, leading to blue-black fruit that attracts birds in late summer. Its fall color is an attractive greenish bronze, making it a tree with excellent year-round interest. This is a hybrid form of cherry tree that is somewhat short-lived, with a typical lifespan of 10-15 years.
Cornel
These fall trees like the flowering dogwood and Japanese dogwood boast a lot of spring interest due to the flowers they bear, while the red-twig dogwood has bright red stems that provide winter interest. Many people sell short dogwood when it comes to its fall color, but the foliage is quite attractive, with colors ranging from orange to reddish purple. Dogwoods bear fruit that wild birds eat. In size, they range from dwarf shrubs to small trees growing to about 25 feet tall, depending on the species and cultivar.
Sumac
First of all, it should be mentioned that there are people who worry that these fall trees are poisonous and so are afraid of them, however, there are many types of sumac that are free of the urushiol toxin that causes skin rashes and other problems. Nonpoisonous types can be considered potential landscape trees because they provide splendid fall foliage and are easy to grow. Smooth sumac and staghorn sumac are the most common landscape varieties, and both grow 10 to 15 feet tall. In addition to the spectacular fall color, sumac has been used for culinary purposes, for erosion control, and as windbreaks.
Aspen
The colorful fall foliage of this variety of aspen is almost synonymous with fall in the American West, but its leaves' propensity to quiver in the breeze is as famous as its golden yellow color. Being able to hear and admire the sound is an added benefit to growing this plant. Trembling aspens also have attractive, smooth, off-white bark that offers year-round interest. Trees grow 20 to 50 feet at maturity. It can be noted that it has golden yellow fall foliage and bright white bark. Also, it needs moist, well-drained soil.
Pterostyrax Corymbosa
These fall trees are moderate to fast growing, with rough brown bark on their often multiple stems. It is important to note that during the months of May to June, these plants are covered with an abundance of fragrant white flowers, which will produce fruit during the autumn season among golden yellow leaves. It is also good to know that they require good clay soil and a sunny position. In addition, they are perfect as a specimen. On the other hand, they can reach 12 meters in height.
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