There are many deciduous trees that you can plant in your landscape that will produce brilliant fall colors during the next few months. While fall may be only one of the four seasons, many homeowners look for trees that have benefits during other parts of the year as well, such as cooling shade, privacy, or even yard-round color and interest.
Here at Moon Valley Nurseries, we love practical and versatile trees. When we’re talking about trees that have attractive autumn colors and fall foliage, we are also looking for trees that are fast-growing and will accomplish several other landscape tree uses as well.
Here are 7 types of deciduous trees that provide incredible fall color in addition to shade, privacy, and curb appeal during the rest of the year.
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1. Red Push Pistache (Pistacia x 'Red Push')
The Red Push Pistache tree, sometimes mistakenly referred to as Chinese Pistachio, is fast becoming a favorite for home and business owners across the western United States for its hardiness, low maintenance, and great shade and appearance.
These trees are commonly used as shade trees for a wide variety of property types and home styles. They are equally happy in classic Mediterranean-themed landscapes as they are in tropical backyard designs and modern, artful landscape arrangements.
The Chinese Pistache is easy to care for and drought-tolerant once established. These easy-care trees are complemented by an attractive and stunning fall foliage color of deep burgundy red. Chinese pistache trees are truly a seasonal treat during autumn with their vibrant red canopies, but the color doesn’t stop in the winter. During the spring and summer growing seasons, “Red Push” Chinese Pistache develop a reddish-orange hue on their new growth, adding year-round interest to these beautiful trees.
Red Push Pistache Traits & Care Tips
Fall Color: Deep red with fiery orange accents
Landscape Uses: Shade, privacy, property borders, ornamental, seasonal fall color
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Water Needs: Moderate to low once established, drought-tolerant
Care Tips: Trim and prune to maintain desired canopy shape and size, fertilize monthly from spring to fall for more lush growth
2. Fan Tex Ash (Fraxinus velutina 'Fan Tex')
The Fan Tex Ash is a seedless tree with superior tolerance to heat and arid conditions so that they can thrive nearly anywhere! These Ash trees are native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where they naturally inhabit stream sides or low pockets in canyons, and we like to use them as a deciduous shade tree that lets the warmth of the sun in during winter and shades the sun during the warm summer months. These are also beautiful street trees with glossy green leaves that turn to shades of yellow and gold in the fall! One thing that almost everyone can agree on is that this cultivar creates a lush canopy even in adverse conditions.
Once the leaves drop, these trees let the warmth of the sun in, and you'll only need to do a one-time easy cleanup! The foliage comes back in the spring at a fast growth rate, just in time to cool off your home and keep you comfortable during the summer months.
Fan Tex Ash Traits & Care Tips
Fall Color: Golden-yellow foliage
Landscape Uses: Shade, Seasonal fall color, privacy, property borders, erosion control
Sun Exposure: Full/Partial sun
Water Needs: Low to moderate, drought-tolerant once established
Care Tips: Monthly applications of fertilizer from early to spring to early fall will promote more foliage and brighter fall color.
3. Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)
Crape Myrtle trees bring a lot to the table when it comes to augmenting your yard with year-round color. They are moderate to fast-growing trees that bloom enormous clusters of flowers in the spring. Crape Myrtle flowers can bloom in a variety of colors depending on the tree variety. These colors can include white, pink, red, lavender, and purple flowers and the Crape Myrtle will stay in bloom into the late summer.
The fall color of Crape Myrtle trees is nothing short of astonishing. If the idea of a landscape tree that provides autumn colors of yellow, gold, and orange-red sounds interesting to you, then Crape Myrtles will not disappoint! Their myriad of colorful fall foliage will highlight your landscape with year-round interest and when used as a street tree, bring loads of curb appeal.
They make a lovely shade tree as well, able to provide a healthy canopy of shade to areas of your home or landscape. They are cold-hardy and love to be planted in full sun exposures. Crape Myrtles also become drought tolerant once established and are easy to care for throughout the year.
Crape Myrtle Traits & Care Tips
Fall Color: Orange-red and golden-yellow
Landscape Uses: Ornamental flowering tree, seasonal fall color, shade, and privacy
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial sun
Water Needs: Moderate to drought-tolerant once established.
Care Tips: Trim and prune to maintain desired canopy shape, fertilize monthly from early spring to mid-fall for lush growth and more abundant flowers
4. Japanese Maples (Acer palmatum)
Enhance your landscape with the Japanese Maple tree, an iconic choice for any yard or outdoor space. Known scientifically as Acer palmatum, this maple variety is celebrated for its intricate foliage and striking colors, making it a favorite among those seeking a touch of elegance and beauty in their surroundings.
Originating from East Asia, the Japanese Maple thrives in various environments, from small gardens to larger landscapes. Its compact size and graceful form make it an excellent choice for both focal points and accent planting. With its vibrant foliage that transforms into dazzling shades of orange, red, and gold in the fall, this maple variety adds year-round interest and beauty to any setting.
At Moon Valley Nurseries, we specialize in cultivating premium Japanese Maple trees, ensuring each specimen is healthy, vibrant, and ready to thrive in your outdoor space. With our commitment to quality and expertise in horticulture, you can trust that every Japanese Maple from our nursery is a top-quality addition to your landscape.
Japanese Maple Traits & Care Tips
Fall Color: Orange and Deep Red
Landscape Uses: Shade, Privacy, large ornamental, Fall color
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Water Needs: Low to Moderate, drought-tolerant once established
Care Tips: Prune to maintain desired canopy shape and size, fertilize monthly from early spring to fall for more lush growth and bright fall colors!
5. Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii)
The Shumard Oak, or Red Oak, has quickly become one of the most popular Oak varieties for home and business landscapes across the western United States. These incredible trees boast a large canopy that grows in a pyramidal shape at younger ages and branches out to an expansive vase-like pattern at maturity. Shumard Oaks provide ample shade during the summer months from their lime-green foliage, while transitioning to a jaw-dropping bright red color in the fall.
This Oak variety works very well in a variety of landscapes due to its ability to quickly establish to a planting location. They are easy to care for and become drought-tolerant once established. This makes them water-wise, having only low to moderate water requirements.
Shumard Oaks are one of the fastest-growing trees in the Oak family, further contributing to their popularity. They grow to a medium to large size and have long lifespans, perfect for planting as a family estate tree!
Shumard Oak Traits & Care Tips
Fall Color: Bright red
Landscape Uses: Shade, Privacy, Fall color, Family tree, Property borders
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Water Needs: Moderate to low, drought-tolerant once established
Care Tips: Prune to maintain desired canopy shape and size, fertilize monthly from spring to fall for more lush growth and fuller shade
6. Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)
The Camphor, is a common, large evergreen shade tree that looks fantastic when planted on lawns or as curbside planting. Native to Japan and China, Camphor thrives in full sun and will require low water once established. Its drought tolerance makes it an excellent addition to any Southwestern landscape. In fact, this beauty thrives in humid areas, such as Texas and most parts of California.
Many homeowners rave about the new foliage colors of pink, red, or bronze that add an attractive contrast with the old foliage growth. Besides its good looks, the Camphor tree also produces fragrant yellow flowers that bloom profusely in late spring. The flowers are not the only fragrant part of this Camphor tree. Some people love to crush the glossy, waxy leaves to take advantage of the therapeutic aroma the leaves induce.
Shade, privacy, attraction - it is easy to see why the Camphor is such a common tree used in landscapes throughout the Southwest!
Camphor Traits & Care Tips
Fall Color: Brilliant Yellow and Gold
Landscape Uses: Shade, Privacy, windscreens, property borders, seasonal fall color
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Water Needs: Drought-resistant once established
Care Tips: Trim and prune to shape canopy to desired size and form, fertilize monthly from early spring to early fall for more lush growth and fuller shade
7. Ginkgo Grindstone (Ginkgo biloba 'Grindstone')
Enhance your landscape with the Ginkgo Grindstone. This unique and striking tree combines timeless beauty with modern appeal, making it a captivating centerpiece for any outdoor space.
The Ginkgo Grindstone stands tall, boasting a slender, columnar form that adds vertical interest to your landscape. With a mature height reaching up to 40 feet and a narrow width of only 10 feet, this tree is perfectly suited for tight spaces, urban environments, or as a striking focal point in any landscape design.
What sets the Ginkgo Grindstone apart is its remarkable foliage. The distinctive fan-shaped leaves emerge in spring with a vibrant green hue, creating a lush and welcoming canopy. As autumn arrives, this exceptional tree transforms into a breathtaking spectacle. The leaves transition into a vibrant golden yellow, blanketing the tree in a radiant glow.
Ginkgo Grindstone Traits & Care Tips
Fall Color: Golden-yellow
Landscape Uses: Shade, Tight growth pattern
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Water Needs: Drought-tolerant once established
Care Tips: Prune to maintain desired shape and size after flowering period, fertilize monthly from early spring to fall for fuller canopy and richer coat of pink flowers.
Choosing any of these trees or better yet, a combination of them will bring abundant autumn color to your yard during the fall season while providing your landscape with shade, privacy, and even flowers!
Our nursery pros have developed care guides for many of the trees and plants we grow to help you nurture your landscape and take the guesswork out of having a green thumb. Additionally, we carry specialized fertilizers developed for plant material that grows in our region’s soil and climate at all of our Moon Valley Nurseries locations. These fertilizers are perfect for getting the most out of your trees. Feel free to stop by and ask our Nursery Pros about them!
If you’ve been looking into designing your dream yard and need advice on adding fall color, year-round interest, privacy, or fast-growing shade to your home, reach out to one of our professional landscape designers. We are happy to help design the perfect front yard, driveway, poolside, or backyard design layout for your home!
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