Autumn is a beautiful time of year, with the leaves changing color and the weather turning cooler. But did you know there are also many trees that bloom in fall extending the flowering season when you least expect it? These autumn-blooming trees provide a striking contrast against the fall foliage with their colorful flowers. Here are some of the best trees that bloom in autumn to add visual interest and beauty to your landscape this fall.
Why Add Autumn-Blooming Trees
While spring and summer get all the hype for flowering, fall has its fair share of plants that put on a floral display when other blooms have faded Autumn bloomers bring some key benefits
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Extended flowering season – Enjoy flowers when most other plants are done, from late summer through fall frosts.
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Fragrance – Many autumn bloomers like witch hazel and fragrant tea olive have wonderfully fragrant flowers
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Pollinator magnets – Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds appreciate the late food source these blooms provide.
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Ornamental features – Interesting bark, fruit and foliage also lend year-round interest.
Top Trees That Bloom in Autumn
Seven-Son Flower
This Chinese native tree blooms in late summer with huge panicles of tiny yet fragrant white flowers. The show continues into fall as the small drupes turn a pinkish red. Exfoliating bark in gray, green and tan provides winter interest. Growing 15-30 feet tall and wide, seven-son flower thrives in full sun or part shade.
Sasanqua Camellia
Camellia sasanqua produces an abundance of elegant flowers in white, pink or red hues from fall through winter. Being slightly more cold hardy than the common camellia, it is ideal for colder zones. The glossy evergreen leaves and upright form make it perfect for hedges or foundation plants.
Strawberry Tree
A Mediterranean native, this small ornamental tree flowers through fall and produces red edible fruit that resembles strawberries, hence the name. Urns of pink and white blooms appear amidst the distinctive gray bark and oval leathery leaves. At maturity it reaches 15-25 feet high and wide.
Witch Hazel
Witch hazel earns its name from the spidery yellow flowers that unfurl along bare branches in fall, often as early as October. Some varieties are sweetly fragrant. The native, vase-shaped shrub grows 10-20 feet high and wide, turning a brilliant yellow in fall.
Franklin Tree
Discovered in the wild in Georgia, this lovely underutilized tree blooms in late summer with camellia-like white flowers and a yellow center. It can light up the partly shaded garden even through October. Fiery red fall foliage is another bonus. Mature size is 15-20 feet high and wide.
Autumn Flowering Cherry
While spring flowering cherries steal the show, varieties like Autumnalis put on a floral display in fall. Light pink sem-double blooms open sporadically on the graceful branches into late fall. Growing 20-40 feet high, they offer fantastic fall foliage too.
Fragrant Tea Olive
Highly fragrant tiny white flowers perfume the garden on this evergreen shrub or small tree from late summer into fall. The leaves are holly-like but lack prickles. Mature size is 10-20 feet high and wide. Situate it near walkways and entryways to enjoy the lovely scent.
Hydrangea
While most hydrangeas flower in summer, varieties like Limelight and Tardiva bloom on new wood late into fall. The showy mophead flowers last well into the cooler weather, changing from white to pink. Growing 6-10 feet tall, they thrive in part shade.
Japanese Anemone
Not a tree but a perennial, anemone x hybrida bears elegant flowers with centers of yellow stamens from August-October. The poppy-like blooms sway atop tall stems above pretty leaves. Great for the back of borders and cutting gardens. Grows 2-4 feet high.
Camellia
Camellia sasanqua delivers an autumn floral display starting as early as October in some zones. Blooms come in white, pink and red hues with glossy evergreen leaves. Typically growing 6-10 feet tall as a hedge or foundation shrub, camellia asks little in return for its flowers.
Tips for Growing Autumn Flowering Trees
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Select trees suited for your gardening zone. Focus on native plants or species proven hardy in your area.
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Plant in spring to allow time for establishment before flowering in fall. Space appropriately for mature size.
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Most autumn bloomers thrive in full sun to part shade with well-drained soil. Rich organic matter encourages growth and flowering.
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Water regularly after planting and provide supplemental irrigation during dry periods. Mulch to conserve moisture.
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Prune immediately after flowering before spring growth starts. This maintains shape and encourages future blooms.
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Protect more tender trees like crape myrtle and sasanqua camellia from harsh winter winds to avoid dieback.
With their late season flowers, ornamental features and low maintenance nature, autumn blooming trees deserve a spot in every landscape. Embrace fall with unique plants that extend the landscape color into the cooler months when it is needed most. A final floral hurrah before winter dormancy sets in!
Beautiful bark and fragrant flowers are worth the wait
Name: Seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides)
Zones: 5–9
Size: 15 to 25 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; fertile, well-drained soil
We have been cultivating seven-son flower at the Scott Arboretum since the early 1990s. Today, seven-son flower is a broad, vase-shaped tree that is nearly 25 feet tall and spreads to 15 feet. This multistemmed tree has developed exquisite peeling bark in shades of gray and white. Over time, we have limbed up our tree to expose the bark. In late summer, the flowering panicles produce a profusion of tiny fragrant white flowers. As the flowers fade, the sepals at the base of the developing fruit turn pink and persist for up to two to three weeks. The effect of the sepals can be even more striking than the flowers. Native to China, seven-son flower has proven to be a tough plant in many parts of the United States. It tolerates difficult urban conditions and is deer resistant.
The quintessential southern plant in a slightly smaller version
Name: Sasanqua camellia (Camellia sasanqua cvs.)
Zones: 7–9
Size: 6 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide
Conditions: Partial shade (under pine trees is ideal); acidic, fertile, moist, well-drained soil
In the South, Sasanqua camellia will bloom from September to December. It is slightly less hardy than common camellia (Camellia japonica, Zones 7–9) and tends to have a more diminutive habit. The flowers are also smaller and multi-petaled, and there are both single and double cultivars. Reaching up to 15 feet tall at maturity, this small tree or large shrub has a pyramidal habit and can be used for screening. It will thrive in dappled high shade—preferably under pine trees as it favors acidic soil—and can tolerate dry conditions. ‘Bonanza’ and ‘Midnight Lover’ are beautiful red selections. ‘Yuletide’ is also red but has yellow stamens. ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Winter’s Star’ (pictured) are pink forms. ‘Swan Lake’ has white flowers. ‘Martha’s Dream’ has white flowers edged in pink.
Top 4 Flowering Cherry Trees | NatureHills.com
FAQ
What kind of trees bloom in the fall?
California Bay Laurel
This broad-leaved evergreen has a flaky, scaly bark and a peppery fragrance that earned it the nickname “pepperwood.” As trees that flower in fall, they produce yellowish-green flowers in clusters often year-round, with fruit that begins to ripen between September and November.
Which trees look best in autumn?
- 2. Ginkgo biloba
- 3. Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet gum)
- 4. Malus sylvestris (Crab apple)
- 5. Acer palmatum (Japanese maple)
What tree is associated with autumn?
Sugar Maple
Maples are the most popular trees of the fall foliage world in North America. Different types of maples display brilliant yellow, red, orange, or burgundy fall colors, and the color of an individual tree can sometimes vary from year to year.
Why is my tree blooming in October?
As climate change brings more heatwaves, droughts and heavy downpours, plants are experiencing additional stress. That stress could cause more plants to bloom in the fall and fewer buds to open in the spring.
Do trees flower in autumn?
Fall is an exciting time in the garden, with cooler temperatures resulting in foliage taking on its characteristic yellow, orange, and red tones. Trees that flower in autumn, however, are often overlooked.
What color flowers are in bloom in fall?
From classic fall shades of red, orange, and yellow to vibrant purple and pink blooms you might associate with warmer temperatures, there’s an endless supply of options for colorful fall plants and flowers. And with all the entertaining the fall season has to offer, lively cut-flower blooms are sure to come in handy.
What plants grow well in autumn?
Bright red drupes often remain well into October, accenting the foliage and attracting hungry songbirds to the autumn garden. Dogwoods make lovely specimens with multi-season interest. Known more for its knobby knees than fall foliage, bald cypress makes a great addition to the autumn landscape.
What are the best fall plants?
And with all the entertaining the fall season has to offer, lively cut-flower blooms are sure to come in handy. Read on for 35 of the South’s best fall plants—from shrubs and trees with bright leaves to late-blooming fall flowers—that thrive in the crisp autumn air. Chrysanthemums say fall as much as turkey says Thanksgiving.
What trees can you plant in the fall?
Fall is the best time to plant container grown and balled-and-burlapped shade trees, conifers, and flowering trees. These include maples, pines, dogwoods, and other landscape favorites. Bare-root plants such as fruit trees, and broadleaf evergreen trees like hollies and Southern magnolia perform best when planted in spring.
What is a good fall tree?
If you’re looking for a tree that provides year-round beauty with a spectacular fall show, Paperbark Maple is a fantastic choice. Eastern Red Cedar might not be the first tree you think of for fall color, but it offers a unique twist with its blue-green foliage that takes on a purplish hue in the cooler months.