What are your favorite shrubs for fall interest

last year

Hello fellow gardeners, I am trying to plant some shrubs with pretty fall foliage. Please recommend your favorite plants! FYI I am in zone 9b and we have dry heat in the summer.

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PRO
Verdance Landscape Architecture
last year
Hello from Palo Alto! The Berberis species need irrigation over the summer but have amazing fall color ('Rose Glow' and 'Orange Rocket' are a couple of my favorites); same for the native Cornus sericea and Cornus stolonifera. Lagerstroemia is more summer-dry and known as a tree but there are quite a few "shrubby" cultivars available these days if you have a smaller space. The native Rhus trilobata needs a lot of room but has good color and doesn't need summer water. For a pergola, arbor or large trellis, the native grapevine Vitis californica 'Rogers Red' is incredible and also drought-tolerant. Acer circinatum is a vining shrub with gorgeous color that appreciates summer water and can tolerate some shade. Finally, blueberries (Vaccinium spp. and cvs.) make a fantastic landscape plant, although they also need regular water, and their fall color is incredible. I look forward to seeing what other folks suggest!
sanjosegardener Zone 9b thanked Verdance Landscape Architecture
maackia
last year
last modified: last year
My spirits lifted when I saw this post, but just as quickly fell when I noted you're in z9b. To say I'm outside your zone would be an understatement. On the other hand, Verdance has recommended several shrubs native to the upper Midwest. An example is Cornus sericea, which likes its feet moist to to the edge of wetness. Another is Vaccinium. This genus covers a lot of ground, with some being bog plants. To grow these in their natural way would be amazing, and I must learn more about Palo Alto.

Fothergilla is a plant that puts on a splendid fall show in my garden.
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These are some of the plants/trees I have planted in my garden for Fall and Winter interest, which are my favorite times of the year in the garden. - Sedum "Autumn Joy" - Red twig dogwoods - Mexican bush sage - Osteospermums - Pieris - Nandina donestica + Firepower cultivar - New Zealand tea tree - Smoke bush - Beautyberry - Strawberry tree - Serviceberry - Viburnum opulus - Viburnum nudum "Pink Beauty" (new addition this year, the jury is still out on this one) - Dwarf pomegranate (ditto) - Viburnum tinus (laurustinus) - Abelia - Camelia - Datura - Naked ladies - Nerine - Hollies, including variegated ones - Ruscus aculeatus (a.k.a. danae racemosa) - Firethorn hedge, an absolute favorite with the birds - Crape myrtle - Sweetgum tree - my favorite tree in the garden, by far, excellent Fall color in a climate where Fall color is never guaranteed I usually add a couple of pots with coleus and mums which last until it gets cold. The fuschias I grow in hanging baskets in the porch usually keep going until December as well. I also have a small birch which I grew from seed, but it's not yet big enough to make much of an impression. Eduarda
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Common snowberry would probably grow, provide winter color. Your conifers are likely to be mostly Douglas firs. Salal, Oregon grape, evergreen huckleberry and ocean spray are typical associates on sites tending towards dry. Ceanothus (C. velutinus) and manzanita are found on the hottest, most exposed and/or sandy sites here. Columbia manzanita is so prone to spotting and blackening of the foliage that it is not really a satisfactory ornamental on the whole. There ARE some old ones in local gardens here and there, on rockeries and in other exposed positions. Often when examined up close the foliage is infested. Indian plum is characteristic of floodplains and other places where soils become damp in winter. Red elderberry also prefers it moist and fertile, the lush look of many deciduous trees and shrubs and woodland wildflowers hints at what they want. All occur on sites less than perfect in nature, and can be readily coaxed into growing in gardens made not on sites they would be found on spontaneously using simple tricks like watering a little in summer or planting against a south-facing wall. Going on walks and looking at nearby undeveloped lots, uncleared portions of city parks and other places where there is still natural vegetation and noting what grows where could be highly instructive. Keep soil fertility and moisture regimes in mind, as well as light exposure. You can actually analyze a site using the native plants that are growing on it.
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Comments (4)
Well, I would say Oakleaf Hydrangea - large beautiful white flowers that as they age turn pinkish. 4-6' in hight. Depending on where they are, they keep some of their foliage through winter. Although, the leaves do turn a rusty purplish red color in winter... not yellow. :o( Here are pics of mine: These get more shade than the others and they seem to stay a little smaller than those in the sun. Here are the sunnier spot ones, right before full bloom starts: This is the singular version of the flower: Here is the double version called 'snowflake' - I only have one of these (got planted by mistake). I really like it better than the other, but it does not seem quite as hardy: Here is the color they fade to:
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rosaprimula
last year
My current favourite (changes by the week) is the gorgeous dwarf mountain ash - sorbus reducta. Tbf, I love all the sorbus, unreservedly, but for small spaces, this slow-grower is a delight. I haven't got started on the malus yet though...
Anne
last year
Oak leaf hydrangeas have pretty winter color!

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What are your favorite shrubs for fall interest

Comments (4)

Verdance Landscape Architecture

maackia

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rosaprimula

Anne

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