Sometimes I like to highlight the little things you might
not notice. The #amomentinnature focus that I borrowed from a friend in 2021 is along those lines. Over the last few weeks, I have
noticed some beautiful fall foliage hanging on some trees and shrubs in my yard, and those plants deserve some recognition.
These are plants whose foliage turns a little later so they help to extend the fall show (winter doesn’t start until Dec 21!). The plants are not limited to a particular genus, such as like Viburnum. Some of my earliest fall color come from blackhaw viburnum (V. prunifolium) while one of the last to turn is my species plants of arrowwood (V. dentatum). Strangely, my V. dentatum cultivar ‘Blue Muffin’ loses its leaves early.
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| Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) |
One of the most well-known of these – in the native plant world – is oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia). Its large, oak-shaped leaves are consistently both colorful and late to drop. This is a large shrub, but thanks to the breeding of natural dwarf forms, smaller cultivars are available for smaller landscapes. Persistent old flowerheads add even more interest in the fall.
Here are some other native plants with late season color in my area. Use these ideas or find some better suited to your area to help extend the season.
Parsley hawthorn (Crataegus marshallii)
Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium
corymbosum)
Chokeberry (Aronia
arbutifolia)
Arrowwood (Viburnum
dentatum) and mapleleaf viburnum (V.
acerifolium)
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| V. dentatum |
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| V. acerifolium |
White oak (Quercus alba)
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