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The magic of autumn is upon us! The time of year when 70 foot trees seem to appear overnight in our landscape, making us wonder how we failed to notice them.
The season when what we thought was just a hazy green background suddenly proves itself to be something much more, as one tree after another dons its gladrags and steps into the limelight. It is a spell-binding performance by so many. Yet so fleeting –the show plays for just six weeks or so, and then these modest players go undercover again for the year. So if this year’s pageant has got you yearning for a little drama of your own, there’s no time to lose.
The cast list below may help you identify which trees are playing the starring roles:
Large Trees
(12 to 20 meters at maturity)
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Acer platanoides ‘Emerald Queen’ (Norway Maple)A fast-growing Maple that will quickly fill a yawning space and deliver an intense yellow autumn show, with the advantage over many of its cousins of having cheery emerald green foliage in summer. Especially gorgeous against dark evergreens or masonry. |
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Quercus rubra (Scarlet Oak)A delightful large-leaved oak noted for its fire-engine red autumn colour and pleasant summer foliage. Unlike many oaks, Quercus rubra prefers a slightly acidic soil. |
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Carpinus betulus (Hornbeam)A classic slow-growing native whose spreading, layered habit and golden tones give a golden dappled light on a sunny autumn day. |
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Fraxinus exc. ‘Jaspidea’ (Ash)A fast-growing tree whose frond-like butter yellow autumn leaves make great contrast against a clear blue sky. |
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Quercus palustris (Pin Oak)An unusually fast-growing oak, with a vibrant cinnamon-red autumn colour and a pleasant lush green summer foliage. Unlike the better known Scarlet Oak (Quercus rubra), Quercus palustris is faster growing and does not require an acid soil to be at top performance. |
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Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum)This tree is ‘last-man-standing’ in winter, still in full fiery regalia long after its deciduous neighbours have closed up for the season. |
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Acer platanoides ‘Deborah' (Norway Maple)A fast-growing maple with two seasons of interest. It's fresh spring foliage bursts forth brilliant red, then unexpectedly changes completely to a deep green by summer, then changes again to an intense yellow in autumn. A perfect choice for those who love seasonal colour change but like a natural look in summer. |
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Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Worplesdon’ (Sweet Gum)A version of the classic Liquidambar with richer plum and burgundy tones. |
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Fagus sylvatica (Beech)Few trees deliver on multi-season beauty like our own native beech. Spring growth is so welcomely fresh and airy, autumn colour is rich and warm with orange, yellow and cinnamon tones. |
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Fraxinus ang. ‘Raywood’ (Claret Ash)Commonly known as the Claret Ash, this quick-growing, goblet-shaped tree certainly lives up to its name come the autumn. |
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Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip tree)A quick-growing hearty tree whose jolly, jade-green, tulip-shaped summer foliage turns a delightful, glowing, butter-yellow in autumn. Spectacular set amongst dark evergreens, masonry, or a clear blue sky. |
Medium Trees
(6 to 12 meters at maturity)
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Acer freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’; (Cappadocian Maples)At last a fiery red maple suitable for a medium sized garden! |
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Sorbus commixta (Rowan)A striking tree with distinctly large, frond-like leaves and a compact oval crown shape, whose glowing autumn colour will bowl you over. An excellent choice where a bit of structure is desired. |
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Betula (all) (Birch)Is there a birch which fails on the autumn beauty front? We really can’t think of one. They all ooze a golden honey glow. |
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Cornus florida (Dogwood)A small woodland-style tree so well known for its summer blossom, the intensity of its deep warm autumn tones come as a pleasant surprise. ‘Rainbow’ (pictured), ‘Cherokee Chief’ and ‘Cherokee Sunset’ are particularly good varieties for autumn interest. |
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Prunus sargentii (Sargeant Cherry)This is one ornamental cherry whose head-turning autumn colour surpasses its quite respectable spring show. There are many varieties "Rancho" pictured is a particularly nice upright form. |
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Zelkova serrata (Japanese Zelkova)A wide spreading tree with a characterful habit, eye-catching in any season but utterly stunning in its autumn finery. |
Small Trees
(up to 6 meters at maturity)
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Parrotia persica (Persian Ironwood)A curious dense, spreading tree, often overlooked until it reveals its unusual combination of yellow, orange, and reddish-purple autumn tones. |
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Amelanchier ‘Ballerina’ (June Berry)A cute little tree with a dainty spring blossom and a particularly red and purple autumn hue. A good choice for those seeking a small tree with a reliably red, vs. yellow or orange, autumn hue. |
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Acer palmatum ‘Fire Glow’A very aptly named small tree or large shrub. The tissue thin nature of its leaves creates a luminosity when sunlight passes through it. The ember glow gives sparky contrast to the summer ox-blood foliage, but is even more remarkable when the tree is sporting its spring and autumn crimson. Plant where the sun will shine through it for best effect. |
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Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ (Japanese Maple)A variation of this popular species with deep oxblood foliage in summer which phases to a bright scarlet red in autumn. |
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Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ (Japanese Maple)One of the best choices for autumn colour in a small garden. Spring and summer foliage a rich green, turning intense crimson in autumn. |
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Acer palmatum Dissectum (Japanese Maple)A variation of this beloved Japanese maple with delicate lacy leaves and forming a mound-shaped cascading specimen. |
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Acer palm. Dissectum atropurpureum (Red Lace Leaf Maple)One of the mound-forming, filigree-foliaged Japanese maples, whose spring and autumn colour are of equal intensity, separated only by its muted red-brown summer phase. |
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Acer japonica (Japanese Maple)The perfect solution for fiery maple colour in a small garden. Unlike its large growing cousins, the Japanese maples has a very accommodating stature ideally suited to the small or medium garden. It prefers slightly acid soil but will tolerate neutral soil, especially if given an occasional treat of acid based fertilizer. |
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Malus ‘Golden Hornet’ (Crabapple)The cottage garden classic, delivering that quintessential blushing spring blossom and a generous autumn harvest of cheery golden crabapples. |
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Mespilus germanica (Medlar)A very traditional little tree whose distinctive white spring flowers , curious fruits and dramatic autumn colour rival many modern varieties for multi-season interest. |
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Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple)Acer palmatum is the ‘natural’ form of this widely cultivated and cloned species, of which there are so many beautiful variations. A petite version of the classic Maple, glorious in a woodland or small garden setting. |
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Crataegus lavalleei ‘Carrierei’ (Hawthorn)The sunny orange-red berries of this lesser known Hawthorn persist throughout the autumn and winter and are very colourful against the dark foliage. |
