The other fall foliage

Trees may be taller, but garden shrubs aren’t short on color

Surprisingly for many of us, we are having some pretty nice fall color.

When fall foliage is the topic, most people consider trees, but there are many shrubs you can add to the landscape that can expand the fall palette of colors.

Many shrubs today have been bred for variegated foliage, which is attractive year-round, but there are deciduous shrubs that turn brilliant shades of red, yellow or orange before they drop their leaves each fall.

Oak leaf hydrangea is a great choice for a woodland garden, or one with full morning sun but filtered afternoon sun.

It has gorgeous white flowers that fade to pink and then tan in early summer, but the fall foliage can rival summer’s blooms. It turns brilliant shades of red or burgundy, and the

leaves can persist for a month or more before they drop.

■ A spring-blooming shrub with pretty, fragrant white flowers is itea.

It will grow well in full sun to partial shade, but as fall approaches, the leaves are a riot of red and orange.

■ The roadsides right now look like they have been painted with swaths of red or orange — thank the common sumac.

While that variety would be too aggressive in the home landscape, there are other sumac varieties that do behave in the garden and give you an outstanding show each fall. Cut leaf or Staghorn sumac is a great choice for the garden. “Tiger Eyes” is a newer introduction that has brilliant yellow fall color.

■ Burning Bush euonymus shines in the fall landscape.

During the growing season, it is just a green shrub, but as fall approaches, this plant puts on a show turning deep red in color. Euonymus alatus is the Latin name, but since it looks like it is on fire in the fall, it is commonly called burning bush or fire bush. It thrives in full sun but will also tolerate a little bit of shade.

■ Smoke tree or smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria) is another large bush or small tree that puts on a show in the fall. Through the growing season there are green-, yellow- or purple-foliaged plants, but as they prepare to shed their leaves they are transformed, taking on a variety of shades of red, orange, pink or yellow.

This plant will grow best in full sun.

■ A double-duty plant with great fall color is the blueberry bush. These plants are great edible ornamentals, with pretty white flowers in the spring, edible blue fruits, and then outstanding red fall foliage.

■ The common crape myrtle, which can be a groundcover, bush or tree depending on the species and the mature size, has great fall color.

While the tree is most commonly planted for its summer flowers, the fall foliage can range from yellow to orange or red and is quite stunning. Then the bark on the larger species is attractive in the winter.

The more sun the better for this plant.

FRIENDLY NATIVES

Two closely related native plants with great fall foliage are witch hazel and fothergilla. ■ There are several witch hazels, some having flowers in the spring, others in the fall, but they all have pretty shades of red, yellow or orange fall color. Hamamelis virginiana is the fall-flowering form, while Hamamelis vernalis, commonly called Ozark witch hazel, puts on its blooms before the foliage comes on.

■ A cousin of witch hazel with showier flowers and better fall color, fothergilla has fragrant white bottlebrush-type blooms in the spring, followed by yellow, orange or red foliage. There are dwarf and standard forms. They will do well in full sun to partial shade.

■ Aronia, or chokeberry is another native with two seasons of interest. White blooms in the spring are followed by attractive fruit, but this native shrub has great fall color. Whether orange or red, it is quite attractive. Full sun to partial shade is required.

■ The native beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is at its prettiest in the fall when the fruits mature and turn bright purple or white or lavender (depending on variety).

But in addition to the berries, the foliage turns a nice yellow before they’re shed. The yellow foliage coupled with the purple berries is a nice addition of color in the fall.

NATURAL GLOW

A good landscape should have color in every season. Color can be achieved with flowers, berries, bark and foliage. Some deciduous trees and shrubs go from green to brown without adding significant color, but in a good season, many deciduous plants will put on a show.

Fall color in trees and shrubs is achieved as the chlorophyll breaks down with the shortening of days. As the green disappears, other pigments begin to shine through.

Best fall color is achieved when we have ample moisture with cool nights and warm days.

Burning bush euonymus contributes deep red to the fall landscape.

Bottlebrush blooms of the fothergilla shrub add unexpected interest after its leaves fall away.

Oakleaf hydrangea holds its burgundy or red leaves long after many shrubs are bare sticks.

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) is a native shrub with vivid purple berries in the fall.

Itea is valued for its delicate spring blooms, but its fall color lights up the under-story.

Arkansas roadsides blaze in the fall thanks to native sumac shrubs — which would take over the home garden. Fortunately, cultivated sumacs are equally colorful and better behaved.

This wild sumac’s winged branches are interesting up close.

In May smoke tree is a haze of deep burgundy beauty (above). In the fall it turns itself red, orange, pink or yellow (left).