Lesser-Known Autumn Performers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 11, Issue 9 - September 2016
The ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) displays brilliant gold fall foliage.
I consider myself very fortunate to be living in a temperate climate where every year at the beginning
of September, many trees and shrubs offer a magnificent foliage display. It lasts for weeks and is free.
Have you ever wondered where the bright yellow of birches and honeysuckles comes from? Why do
maples and dogwoods turn vivid red? What gives beeches and some oaks their rich brown colors?
The answer is not complicated. Every leaf cell contains green structures called chloroplasts, which
are green due to the presence of chlorophyll, a pigment essential to the photosynthesis process. In
addition to chlorophyll, each chloroplast contains other pigments; however, chlorophyll masks the
presence of these other colors mainly because its level is the highest. As a result, most plants appear
to have plain green foliage with some variations in intensity. In the autumn, however, the situation
changes – chlorophyll breaks down and other colors are revealed. The breakdown seems to be
connected to a gradual reduction of the day’s length and decrease of light intensity, among other
factors.
The most common pigments (other than chlorophyll) are carotenoids, which provide yellow and orange
coloration and many hues in between. As the chlorophyll degrades, the hidden carotenoids containing
yellow xanthophyll and orange beta-carotene are revealed. Trees such as birches, honey locusts and
larches have an abundance of carotenoids and change from green to pale yellow to a bright golden
color. Besides these common classics, there are some lesser-known excellent yellow performers.
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Lesser-Known Autumn Performers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 11, Issue 9 - September 2016
’Strawberry’, an outstanding cultivar of the katsura, produces attractive strawberry-colored fall leaves
One of my personal favorites is the katsura tree (Cercidophyllum japonicum). Its foliage usually turns
butter yellow with orange and apricot tones. Some katsura trees, however, turn dark red in the autumn,
particularly the cultivar ‘Strawberry’, which produces outstanding strawberry-red autumn color. A bonus
is the strong and sweet caramel-like fragrance emitted by the katsura’s fall leaves. The ginkgo tree
(Ginkgo biloba) is another favorite of mine. Its autumn foliage is gleaming yellow gold. Another radiant
gold autumn tree is the outstanding cultivar of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) called ‘Frisia’. In
the fall, the mature Frisia resembles a burning torch and can brighten even the most overcast October
day. Another little-known autumn performer is the eastern redbud tree (Cercis canadensis), valued
for its early spring flowers. Its fall color is pale yellow, but some cultivars, including the purple-leaved
‘Forest Pansy’, are prized for their fall foliage, which is a striking combination of orange and red.
Similarly, pale yellow is displayed by the Japanese kerria shrub (Kerria japonica). Leaves of a few
plants appear orange in the fall. Most mountain ashes close the growing season with an abundance of
usually hot-red berries and stunning rusty-orange foliage.
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Lesser-Known Autumn Performers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 11, Issue 9 - September 2016
The Korean mountain ash (Sorbus alnifolia) is at its best in October, with an abundance of rose-colored berries
and rusty yellow foliage.
Other fall colors – the reds, the purples and their blended combinations – come from another group
of pigments called anthocyanins. Unlike the carotenoids, these pigments are not present in the leaf
throughout the growing season but are actively produced towards the end of summer. The classic red
performers include some maples such as the red maple and dogwoods such as the pagoda dogwood.
The shrubby red autumn masters include, again, dogwood shrubs as well as burning bushes, sumacs
and viburnums. They develop a range of stunning reds, varying from reddish-pink to reddish-purple.
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Lesser-Known Autumn Performers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 11, Issue 9 - September 2016
The red maples are a reliable autumn classic. Shown above is the cultivar ‘Red Sunset’.
They are not alone, however, as the red category seems to be well-populated. One of the great
performers is the sorrel tree (Oxydendrum arboreum), which is at its best in the fall with lacy strands of
fruit and vivid red foliage. Similar purple-red and maroon tones develop in the foliage of the stewartia
tree (Stewartia spp.) and the blackgum tree (Nyssa sylvatica). The group of shrubby autumn red
performers includes the cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp.), the black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa),
the fothergilla (Fothergilla spp.) and the enkianthus (Enkianthus spp.). This quartet of shrubs turns
strikingly scarlet red.
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Lesser-Known Autumn Performers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 11, Issue 9 - September 2016
Although native to Canada, the hardy and moisture-loving blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica) is relatively rare. The
medium-sized tree has an attractive form and spectacular scarlet fall foliage.
Some plants consistently exhibit more than a single color. Maples, such as the sugar maple, and
spireas are excellent examples of fall foliage in a variety of colors. They can range from pale yellows,
through golds and oranges to brilliant reds and maroons. Colors can often vary from one leaf to the
other, even on the same branch.
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Lesser-Known Autumn Performers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 11, Issue 9 - September 2016
A delightful fall color combination is a feature of the Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica).
An assortment of colors can be found on the Persian ironwood tree (Parrotia persica), which produces
a striking combination of yellow, orange, scarlet and purple red. Similar delightful combinations
can be found in many deciduous azaleas such as the spectacular royal azalea (Rhododendron
schlippenbachii). Unlike witch hazel species with leaves that turn honey yellow, hybrid witch
hazels produce vivid colors, and the intensity of those colors increases as the season progresses.
Stephanandra (Stephanandra incisa), a fountain-shaped shrub also closes the growing season with a
blaze of colors.
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Lesser-Known Autumn Performers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 11, Issue 9 - September 2016
The red band on the leaves of this hybrid witch hazel gradually widens and gets darker; eventually the whole leaf
becomes red with some burgundy and orange tones.
Most trees shed their foliage before the leaves die, but the leaves of some trees die before they drop.
The reason is a complex reaction between the proteins and tannins stored in the leaf cells. Some
oaks, such as the English oak, and beeches are good representatives of this group. Their leaves turn
rich brown, tan or a lovely coppery color when their cells break down and die. They usually persist on
the tree well into winter, providing a wonderful contrast to the white of the snow and the greens and
blues of conifers.
Some deciduous plants, such as most lilacs, forsythias or catalpas, appear to lack any pigment but
chlorophyll. Their leaves do not change color at all, staying green until they drop.
Weather affects the fall color display, as the temperature and amounts of light and water all influence
the degree and the duration of fall color. Sunny days with temperatures that are low but above freezing
favor anthocyanin formation and produce brighter reds. Early frost, however, tends to decrease the
color intensity.
The well-known autumn classics are reliable, but how about adding the new ones? The lesser-known
autumn performers that have been introduced will not disappoint you and will definitely enhance the
fall show. Enjoy that wonderful blaze of colors and cherish the memories. They will help you survive
the coming winter months.
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Lesser-Known Autumn Performers
Gardening Newsletter
Vol. 11, Issue 9 - September 2016
Text and photos by Gina Dodbrodzicka
Gina Dobrodzicka is a freelance writer and trained horticulturalist who lives on Vancouver
Island. Her website is www.gdgardendesign.com.
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