Today we’ll take a look at my best fall foliage plants.
This list only includes plants I have lived with and experienced in my own garden .
Amsonia tabernaemontana (Blue Star)
The more well known Amsonia hubrictii has a much more impressive autumn color but I only added them to my own garden this past spring and it is too soon for me to share any photos of them.
Tabernaemontana still is impressive in its own right as the fall foliage color starts as a pale yellow and develops into an eye catching orange hue.
Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’
I have quite a few different Viburnum shrubs (some real young and still small) and to date, this has been the best autumn performer. Each individual leaf starts to transform slowly to a maroon color starting at the end of September and the majority of the leaves remain on the plant until the end of October here in zone 6B.
Fothergilla ‘Mt. Airy’
This deciduous shrub, while interesting in early spring with its white bottlebrush blooms, really stands out in the fall with that kick butt orange foliage color. I’ve added a few more this year to really up the impact each autumn.
Panicum (Switch Grass) ‘Northwind’
This ornamental grass and PPA award winner may not be thought of as a fall foliage plant, but that yellow color works for me as the perfect complement to the more common red fall foliage color of other plants.
Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet) ‘Hummingbird’
Another shrub not thought of as a fall performer, but again, I like to mix in that yellow/gold color wherever I can.
Itea (Virginia Sweetspire) ‘Henry’s Garnet’
This shrub, by far, has the greatest red fall color of any plant currently residing in my garden. The fall color starts subtly in August and then kicks it into overdrive by early September. The leaves start to fall off in mid October with a few remaining as late as Thanksgiving.
Miscanthus purpurascens (Flame Grass)
Another ornamental grass, this one takes color to all new heights. Just look at all of the color shades represented in those blades. It is the plant that draws the most attention/questions from onlookers from August through October.
Your pictures and commentary are a nice reminder to value the yellow tones in fall as well as the red/maroon. Although, I have to admit that the color on your itea is gorgeous.
The Itea is the best … but even better next to yellow fall foliage.
Great post, I enjoyed comparing your experience to my own. Itea is my favorite fall shrub, too (and more importantly, my wife’s). The color is gorgeous but what really distinguishes it is how long it holds– a month or more. By contrast, I’ve found the color on fothergilla, while very pretty, is short-lived, not much more than a week.
Interesting what you say about V. carlesii. Mine has good color too but usually color only in very late October or even early November. Maybe yours gets more sun?
Eric – you are so right about Itea hanging on longer than almost all others. I’ve even seen a few leaves at Thanksgiving still. Awesome.
My Fothergilla is short lived but love its peak color for the week or two I get out of it.
My carlesii has already started to turn red on a few leaves but it only gets about half sun/shade. Wonder why I have such a different experience? Interesting.
Thanks for stopping by!