Trees - fall color

9 Trees to Grow for Beautiful Fall Colors

Beautiful Fall Colors

There is something magical about fall. It seems to be a moment in time when trees and plants come to their truest splendor. Even if you are a die-hard summer fan, you have to admit the beauty of all that encompasses this amazing season. Or maybe it’s the pumpkin spice lattes, football games, warm sweaters and boots that make everyone love this season so much.

Regardless what makes you love fall, having your own home garden that lets you enjoy the changing beauty is worth the effort.

When looking to plant trees into your home landscape, you might want to make sure you include some amazing beauties that come out and shine during the fall months. Many of these trees also show off their splendor in other seasons too. Here are nine stunning fall trees that will for sure dazzle your landscape.

9 Stunning Trees for Dazzling Fall Colors

  1. Gingko Gingko tree leaves in fall
    I will never forget the time when I drove to a retreat center in Wisconsin and found myself totally engulfed by bright yellow Gingko trees. It was a site that took my breath away. According to, This Old House, Gingko trees are considered living fossils because they are survivors of trees that grew worldwide over 200 million years ago. This amazing tree can grow over 80 feet tall and grows into an umbrella shaped. Gingko trees do best in full sun and need regular to moderate water. They grow best in zones 4-9. For more, please see: 5 Tips on Planting Ginkgo Trees.

  2. Smokebush / Smoketrees Smoketree
    This stunner can be grown as a shrub or be pruned as a tree and produces pretty small yellow flowers in June. Then in the fall, these bushes will turn yellow, orange-red, orange, scarlet, and even purple depending on the type of tree. A smokebush also needs regular to moderate water and grow best in zones 5-8.

  3. Katsura Tree Katsura Tree
    The katsura tree will be sure to stun all those that enter your yard. The Katsura tree can grow up to 60 feet in height. They are known to put off smell that could be described as spicy. While they make for great shade trees all summer long, it is their stunning yellow and pinkish yellow color in fall that steals the show away.

  4. Chinese Pistache Chinese Pistache tree
    The Chinese pistache tree is a great choice for a home’s yard. With its rounded canopy, leaves with a lacy appearance, and bright orange and red fall foliage, these trees are nothing less than beautiful. The Chinese Pistache grows best in zones 4-16.

  5. Pin Oak Pin Oak tree
    This pin oak is a great choice for just about any climate and grows best in zones 2-10 and 14 – 24. In the fall, you will notice that this tree turn bright yellow, red and a rustic brown. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, this tree offers “strong wood; dense shade; tolerance of many soil conditions, heat, soil compaction and air pollution; free from most major pests; pleasing to the eye in all seasons; and easy to plant.”

  6. Sugar Maple Tree Sugar maple tree
    Imagine a row of flaming crimson, bright orange and vivid yellow lining your yard. That is what you will get with a Sugar Maple Tree. Not only do these trees have brilliant fall colors, they are the tree that produces the sap for most of your favorite maple syrups out there. These babies will grow straight and have rounded tops that make for an attractive landscape. With added shade in the summer, these are trees you will definitely be pleased to have. Growing over 70 feet tall, sugar maples are hardy trees will definitely make a huge statement.

  7. Dogwood Tree Dogwood tree
    If you are looking for a plant that will be perfect for the fall and spring, then look no further than the Dogwood tree. With a white or pink spring time flowers, these bushes are beautiful in the spring. But, their beauty doesn’t stop there. In the fall, they will produce stunning purple-red tones that will add splendor to your fall landscape.

  8. Amur Maple Amur maple tree
    If you have a smaller landscape to work with, you might not have the space for those towering trees. The Amur Maple will be a great choice as they will only reach a height of 25 feet, but still put on an amazing show in the fall. The Amur Maple can be shaped in small trees or left to grow a large shrub and will produce amazing bright red fall leaves. They need lots of sun and will grow best in a moist, well-drained soil.

  9. Baldcypress Baldcypress tree
    This is a tree that might not be the first tree you think about, but it will definitely leave an impression when you see the gorgeous orange–red colors. The balcypress tree can be grown mostly anywhere. You will find them as far north as Milwaukee, Wisconsin and all the way south to Texas. This tree also makes for a great shade tree with a spreading canopy.

Watering Your Newly Planted Trees

When planting any new tree, one of the most important aspects you need to take into account is making sure your trees have adequate water. The Rootwell Pro318 is the perfect companion to any new tree. The way the Rootwell Pro318 works is that you place them directly around your new tree at the base. The Rootwell Pro318 is a direct to root aeration tube that will irrigate the tree directly at the root source ensuring the health and success of your trees. They enable not only water to reach the root zone, but oxygen and nutrients as well.

For more tips on planting trees, please see: What Every New Gardener Needs to Know About Planting Trees

Wrapping it up

You might be feeling disappointed because planting a tree in the fall doesn’t necessarily ensure you will have your colorful fall foliage. The key to keep in mind is that next year, you will definitely get the fall colors in your yard that you want.

When you do buy your trees, keep in mind when you do plant each tree, make sure that you are planting at the right time of year. Planting your own stunning trees with stunning fall colors will truly bring joy and happiness to all those that pass by.

Take Away

Are you looking at planting trees that let you enjoy the fall colors? What tree are you looking at planting? What is your favorite fall tree? What about this tree makes it your favorite? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

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