Top Five Native Trees For Fall Color

Some time ago, I received a very good suggestion to have a few blog posts with lists -- let's face it, we all love a good top five or top ten list.  (Mostly, I think because it gives us a chance to take issue with the author, but such is life.)  Since I've largely neglected the plant life on the East Coast, in favor of the Arizonan plants I have been learning about lately, I thought I'd offer up my top five native trees for good fall color. 

Number 5: Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)

I suppose regular readers of NYPAOS may recognize some of these photos (and certainly the sentiment) from posts featuring these plants more fully, but let's please revisit this lovely shot of yellowwood in Central Park, right near the Plaza Hotel.  The tree is an underappreciated native that has beautiful yellow foliage in the fall.  In addition to this, the white pendulous summer blossoms and the stately habit make this a wonderful alternative to maples or oaks.

Number 4: Witch Hazel (Hamamelis sp.)

Witch hazel, like almost all other members of the Hamamelidaceae family, has remarkable, mottled red, orange and yellow fall color.  These small trees (or large shrubs if you prefer) have a broad spreading habit and also bloom very early in the year, providing a welcome sign of spring.  Other family members include Fothergilla and Corylopsis.

Number 3: Serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.)

Well, I can't imagine a day when I won't fanatically endorse any species of Amelanchier.  Whether you want a spreading large shrub (A. canadensis), a native tree (A. arborea), or a showier hybrid (A. grandiflora, lamarckii), serviceberries are showstoppers.  I love the cultivar 'Autumn Brilliance' for it's deeper orangey hue, but even the golden-orange more common in the shrubs is lovely.  As I've said many times, in the fall it almost looks as if the tree has been plugged into an electrical socket somewhere.

Number 2: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

 

Not including sugar maple on this list would be like talking about baseball and not mentioning Babe Ruth (that's a reference in honor of my struggling Yankees*). Sure, some people will say that Babe Ruth was overhyped or deserves some kind of asterisk due to the times in which he played, but I doubt most can truly deny the galvanizing effect he had on people, even those who would not otherwise identify with baseball.  Sugar maples have amazing fall color and their regular, broad, symmetrical habit is majestic.

Number 1: Black Gum, or Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

Despite the love I may have for sugar maples (or the Yanks for that matter), I had to save my number one ranking for Nyssa sylvatica.  Tupelos are not used as often as they should, largely because the tree has a tap root and is thus difficult to transplant in large sizes.  But a relatively new cultivar, 'Wildfire' can be transplanted more easily and is also more resistant to leaf spot.  The loose, low-branching habit is elegant, perfectly suited for tree climbing and lights up a landscape each autumn. 

There are many more native trees that have exceptional fall color, which helps make the case against using a bradford pear or a Norway maple (as if you didn't have enough reasons for that already!).  Some honorable mentions include:

            Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
            Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
            Franklinia (Franklinia alatamaha)
            Dogwood (Cornus florida)
            Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

What else have I missed?  Any suggestions for killer fall color? 

Happy tree viewing!

Note: All of the photos in this post, except for the last one, were taken in Central Park.

*This post was written before game five.   Fingers crossed.