9 Trees and Shrubs that Change Color for Fall

With a bit of planning, your yard can be a stunning example of fall in all its glory! Check out this list of our favorite trees and shrubs to plant for beautiful fall color! We’ve even included some sample landscape designs to help you get started!

Maples

Maples make for some of the most vibrant fall turners. These cultivars are landscape trees that can be planted along the margins of your property or along the street. They will grow to be 25 to 35 feet tall and make a stunning first impression.

Autumn Blaze

Autumn Blaze is the earliest turner and turns to a bright crimson. If you’re as in love with fall as we are, planting these will make sure your yard’s fall color starts as early as your pumpkin spice latte drinking does.

Red Sunset

Red Sunset maples turn a beautiful mix of red, orange, and yellow and turn color mid-season.

October Glory

October Glory maples are the last to turn and are effective for making sure your yard doesn’t look too wintry too soon ;). October glory turns a beautiful orange that’s perfect for October!

To ensure color all season long, plant a variety of these maples in different areas of your yard!

Japanese Maples

These Japanese maples are smaller specimen trees that work well close to a patio or in a prominent spot that you’ll see from inside your house. You might walk right past these without a thought in spring or summer, but they’re sure to capture your attention in the fall!

Sieryu

Sieryu Japanese maples have highly cut, jagged, five-pointed leaves that turn a striking bright red! They’ll grow to be around 15 feet tall and 15 feet wide, making them perfect as a focal point outside of a window or by your front entrance.

Seiryu Japanese Maple- Trees with Fall Color

Viridis

This weeping Japanese maple turns a vibrant bright orange that is quite a bit brighter than the October Glory Maple!

Shrubs

Trees aren’t the only plants to turn in the fall. We carry many shrubs for their surprising fall color!

Autumn Brilliance

This variety of serviceberry is native to North America. It’s known for its fall color and will even have a show of white flowers in the spring time! After it flowers, it produces an edible fruit (akin to a blueberry) that can be enjoyed by both humans and birds! It is definitely our favorite serviceberry from our selection!

Arnold Promise Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel is generally known for fall color, and this variety in particular produces beautiful orange leaves later in the fall, then the brightest yellow flowers starting in February! It’s safe to say Witch Hazel will show some of the first flowers you’ll see in the new year!

Nandina

Nandina is a berry-producing evergreen known for its fall and winter color. It’s bamboo-like leaves throughout the fall and winter turn bronze, orange, red, or pink!

Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac

If you’re looking to fill a lot of space on a hill or even a border of your yard, Gro-Low Sumac looks beautiful when planted en masse. These low-growing shrubs turn a bright orange in the fall and bloom again in the spring. They’re also a wonderful solution for erosion control!

Sample Landscape Designs for Fall Color!

Layer your garden with varying heights of turning trees and shrubs for a surprise of color around every corner! For a little inspiration, check out our sample designs below, or create a unique design for your yard with our landscape designer!