8 ways to grow your own fall colours

I know many Canadians who travel our country in search of autumn colour this time of year.  Gardeners would be well advised to take a trip to the kitchen and have a gander out the window. What can you do to lift the appearance of your garden in the fall?  Many of the winter hardy plants that we take for granted during the ‘gardening season’ are fabulous autumn performers. Check out this list below and consider adding a splash of colour to your garden this fall and in coming years as these trees and shrubs mature right in your own backyard.

FLOWERING SHRUBS

Chokecherry [Prunus virginiana]. Hardy to Zone 3. If you’re looking for an indescribably tart fruit from a native tree, look no further than the chokecherry. Growing only to a maximum of about three meters, this shrub is a hardy fruit-producing perennial capable of withstanding droughts and hot summers. A winner with wildlife. Leaves turn from a dark green to a smattering of oranges, yellows, and reds with the orange generally dominating. Fruits are edible and are often made into jellies and jams.

Saskatoon Serviceberry [Amelanchier alnifolia]. Hardy to Zone 2. Another native plant that produces wonderfully vibrant apricot-red-yellow leaves in late September and October. The flowers in spring are always welcome as they arrive early [late April] and the berries are a favourite of many song birds mid to late summer. Serviceberry matures to about five meters.

Amur Maple [Acer ginnala]. Hardy to Zone 2. Is it a shrub or is it a tree?  Let it grow long enough and you have a wonderful smallish tree. Trim it down and you have a shrub that can be trained to stand about 2 metres. Not a bad hedge either. Bright red each fall in October.

Japanese Maple [Acer palmatum]. Hardy to Zone 5. Interesting – a red Japanese maple becomes more red in the fall. A green Japanese maple will turn either yellow or red, depending on the variety [and there are many of them]. With a glut of these wonderful plants on the market over the last couple of years, chances are you can get a good deal on one at your favourite retailer.

TREES

Birch  [Betula spp.]. If yellow is the colour that you are looking for, this tree is for you. Do not buy a European birch as they are the most susceptible to the dreaded and deadly bronze birch borer. However, many of the native species are resistant, great looking (even if the bark turns white a bit later), and they are good urban landscape trees (but not great street trees as they hate salt).

Maidenhair Tree [Ginkgo biloba]. Hardy to Zone 5. The oldest tree known to humankind has an interesting pedigree. Fossilized leaves told archaeologists that this tree existed at the time of the dinosaurs. It was thought to be extinct for many years until one day, in 1854, a European found one in the courtyard of a Buddhist monastery in the middle of China. It was brought back to Europe and bingo, now it is widely planted around the world. Very winter hardy, great yellow fall colour. No insects or disease will give you trouble with this one. Slow to get established but a wonderful permanent addition to your tree collection. Ask for a male tree as the females can be a bit messy.

Douglas Maple [Acer glabrum var. douglasii]. Hardy to Zone 4. For all intents and purposes, I will call the Douglas maple a tree, albeit a short one, growing to about nine meters. Prune away bottom suckers to encourage a more tree-like appearance. A great option for wet areas that receive a fair amount of sunlight. The Douglas maple is noted for its fall colours, showing off brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows. Like many other maples, the fall colours vary drastically from tree to tree so plan on planting a few for a dramatic effect.

Black Cottonwood [Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa]. Hardy to Zone 5. Also known as the western balsam poplar, the black cottonwood is the west’s tallest native broadleaf tree. And growing to 60 meters, it’s no small thing. Requiring sufficient moisture, the cottonwood will do well in floodplains and moist upland sites where nutrients are plentiful. As for their fall colour, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the vivid yellows that turn orange and bronze as the season carries on. If you have the space, I encourage you to plant one of these large hardy trees.

It is interesting to note that leaf colour that becomes very evident come fall is not so much a ‘change’ of colour but rather the reversion of the leaf to its original colour. As the chlorophyll production stops, each leaf shows its true colours.

Whatever the reason for this magnificent natural show that occurs annually, I urge you to take a moment to remind yourself that people travel from all corners of the world to see what we have growing in Canada!  

Mark Cullen appears on Canada AM every Wednesday morning at 8:40.  He is the Lawn and Garden expert for Home Hardware.  Sign up for his free monthly newsletter at www.markcullen.com.