Fothergilla gardenii

Bottlebrush buckeye fall color

Some native U.S.  landscape shrubs are not only great spring/summer flowering shrubs, but their fall foliage color(s) are an added attraction. Here are ten of my favorites listed alphabetically by genus:

Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parvifolia) – foliage of this summer flowering shrub turns bright yellow in fall. (zones 4-8)

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) – under-planted native shrub that grows 6 – 10 feet high. White flowers appear in early spring; recommend compact cultivar ‘Brilliantissima’ with attractive glossy red berries and red fall foliage color. (zones 4-9)

Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii) or (F. x ‘Mt. Airy’) – both selections are among the finest spring flowering shrubs along with red fall leaf color. (zones 5-8)

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) – is a highly variable flowering shrub, available in a range of sizes from 3-25 feet. Some varieties exhibit exceptional red or bronze foliage in autumn. (zones 5-9)

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) – blanketed with fragrant blooms in May and dependable red-purplish leaf color in autumn (zones 4-8)

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) – grow 2-6 feet tall (depending on variety planted). Plant two or more different varieties for more berries.  Blueberries require a highly acidic soil pH around 5.0-5.5. Its bluish-green summer foliage turns bright red in autumn. (zones 5-8)

Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) – an under- planted native viburnum that blooms in May. Fall foliage turns yellow to red to burgundy along with dark blue fruits. (zones 3-8)

Arrowwood (V. dentatum) fall color

Witherod viburnum (Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’) –white flowers in late spring are followed by bluish black fruits and red to reddish-purple  fall foliage. (zone 5-9)

American cranberry bush (Viburnum trilobum) – tall 12 feet high shrub deep burgundy-red fall leaf color and bright red drupes often persist through winter. (zones 3-7)

Blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) – flat white cymes (flowers) with numerous yellow stamens and purple-red fall foliage color. (zones 3-8)