FALL COLOR:    by Doug Niemeyer

        When color in the landscape is pondered most thoughts turn to spring and summer flowers. And yes flowers through out the landscaping during these “outdoor days” are very important, but, and this but is not a “cancel out everything I just said “but”, but a “but” that speaks of “continuing the color theme” past these warm weather days. In fact the whole look of your landscaping can change radically during this three to four week period of time with Tree leaf color, Perennial flowers, Shrub flowers and leaves, Vines, Grasses, and Evergreens.

I could drone on and on about each plant and all there stellar and not so stellar qualities; but all you want to hear is what color do they offer to the landscaping. So below is that information.

 

 TREES:

 

           Maples:

                        Norway……………Yellow

                        Sugar……………….Orange-Red

                        Red Rubrums………Red

            Oaks:

                        Red Oak……………Red

                        Pin…………………Red

            All Birch………….……….Yellow

Ginkgo…………………….Yellow

            Tamarack (or) Larches……Yellow

Sweetgum.………………...Orangish red

            Tulip Tree…………………Yellow

Mountain Ash……………..Yellow w/ Orange berries

Japanese lacy leaf maples…..Reds to Burgundies

 

FLOWERING TREES

 

           Red Buds………………….Yellow

            Dogwoods…………………Scarlet to Dark Reds

            Flowering Pears…………...Red

            Crabs (some color but mainly fall fruit)

SHURBS:

            Serviceberry……………....Orange

            Cotoneasters………………Red

            Burning Bush……………...Red

            Spirea Goldflame………….Red

            Dogwoods ………………..Purplish red to red

            Lilac Common……………Yellow

            Oakleaf Hydrangeas………Scarlet

            Nine Bark………….……...Orange

            Roses (some leaf color but more seed pod interest)

            Pygmy Barberry…………..Red

            Viburnums…………………Orange and Reds Some berry interest

 VINES:

            Boston Ivy………………..Red

            Virginia Creeper…………..Red

 PERENNIALS:

            Anemone (Japanese’s)……....Flowers late

            Astilbe……………………….Leaves stay green long into fall, brown seed heads

            Sedums (taller)………………Flowers late, Flower heads remain upright

            Mums………………………..Flowers late

Coreopsis threadleaf…………Flowers late

Purple Palace………………...Leaves get redder in fall

Crested Iris…………………..Yellow Leaves

Peonies……………………….Red or Burgundy Leaves

Black-eyed-Susan……………Flowers late

Balloon Flower………………Yellow Leaves

 

GRASSES:

             Most, if not all Grasses can remain in the landscaping for winter interest, be it their leaves or their plumes.

 

EVERGREENS:

            Even though their color does not change they offer “life” to the landscape when all the deciduous plants have lost there leaves and look rather dead.

            There it is, color potential  into November. Let’s squeeze the last little bit of color out of every plant and shrub, for we all know what color blankets our world when the last yellow maple leaf falls……. WHITE !!

 

   If you have questions: NiemeyerLandscaping@gmail.com A You Tube enhanced version of this article is on our WEB site at www.NiemeyerLandscaping.com. along with a daily gardening Blog with timely information. Also, like us on Facebook at Niemeyer Landscaping.