Watching the world change color is one of the many highlights of fall. A cup of cocoa outside in the crisp air will make you feel at peace after a long and muggy summer. To celebrate the season, incorporate a rich color palette in your landscape design. Here are some choices that are sure to bring inspiration through the cold months and when the heat returns, too.

9 Plants for Autumn Landscape Design

1. Red Maple (Acer Rubrum)

If you need shade covering to keep sun off the roof on particularly hot days, plant a red maple tree in the yard. This specimen can soar 40 to 70 feet in the air. During fall, the foliage turns red, yellow, or orange. 

2. Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum)

The leaves of a Japanese maple tree are star-shaped, with the green color transforming to yellow, copper, red, and purple in the fall. The tree reaches 10 to 25 feet tall and offers stunning beauty to your landscape. 

3. Witch Alder (Fothergilla)

Native to the Southeastern United States, the witch alder is an ornamental shrub with showy flowers that feature white filaments and yellow anthers. Although flowers bloom in the spring, the green leaves turn beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange in autumn. 

4. Winged Burning Bush (Euonymus Alatus)

This shrub is known for its angular branches, featuring multiple stems with green leaves. The foliage turns a reddish-purple pigment during autumn. Although the plants typically grow 5 to 10 feet tall, it’s not uncommon for mature plants to reach a height of 20 feet. 

5. Blue Star (Amsonia)

To add cool tones to your landscape design, plant blue star in the yard. The perennial wildflower features small clusters of star-shaped blue flowers that bloom in spring, attracting butterflies to the landscape. When fall arrives, the green leaves turn a rich gold tone.  

6. Beautyberry (Callicarpa)

This deciduous shrub is also native to the Southeastern United States and can thrive with minimal maintenance. The shrub can spread up to 6 feet, making it a good border plant for landscape design. The drupes resemble berries with an eye-catching purple pigment that lasts until winter arrives.

7. Winterberry (Ilex Verticillata)

This deciduous holly shrub can span up to 12 feet, so reserve ample space for planting. Often used as a hedge, the vegetation will attract birds to the yard. During fall, leaves could turn a deep maroon shade. Greenish-white flowers emerge in spring, transforming to red berries in late summer and fall, which will last until the following spring.  

8. Caryopteris 

Often used as a shrub border, caryopteris features attention-grabbing blue flowers. The cornflower-blue pigment complements the silvery-green tone of the leaves, which turn yellow in fall. Longwood blue, a type of caryopteris, can grow to heights of 4 feet.  

9. Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea Quercifolia)

This shrub features clusters of dainty white flowers. During fall, the leaves feature a kaleidoscope of color, including red, yellow, orange, and burgundy.

 

To find all of the above plants in one place, visit Edgefield Plant & Stone Center in Greensboro, NC. With over 30 years of experience, the team will help you find plants that enhance your landscape design and thrive in your yard’s soil conditions. To inquire about specific products, call (336) 662-0081. Visit the garden center online to learn about the in-store and on-site consultations and become a Facebook follower for helpful information for novice and experienced gardeners.