I am always so amazed by spring blooms that fill the landscape with sweet, wonderful color blooms. Read the Blog from March 2023 about the Spring tree blooms. Then just when I thought I could see nothing more beautiful… Fall comes around with crimson, vibrant leaves that fills the area with boldness and nature shouts.

This Blog I want to share with you a few Fall varieties to wow your socks

Sugar Maple – Acer saccharum

Primarily found in the cooler, higher mountains of North Carolina, it prefers to grow in cove forests and other rich forests, especially over areas rich in magnesium and iron (mafic) and lime (calcareous). It is also commonly found in dry forests and woodlands, less typically extending to high elevation northern hardwood forests with acidic situations. It can be sporadically found throughout the Piedmont as it was introduced to the region as an ornamental plant.

Family: Sapindaceae

Hardiness Zone: 3a, 3b, 4b, 4a, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8b, 8a

Tree Type: Deciduous

Growth Rate: Slow

Mature size: 50 to 120 feet tall

Sun Preference: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Soil Preference: moist, well-drained, slightly acidic, fertile soil

Wildlife Value: The seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals. The cavities are utilized by cavity-nesting birds. Deer and moose browse the stems and leaves. Porcupines consume the bark and can girdle the upper stem. Butterflies and other pollinating insects enjoy the nectar from the flowers.

Flower Description: Separate male and female flowers are greenish-yellow drooping panicles on long slender stems in clusters up to 3 inches long

Attributes-This tree:

• These trees can be tapped to make maple syrup. The wood is used for flooring, furniture and other items. Native Americans and early European settlers used this tree as a main source of sweetener.
• Native Americans are also known to have used the sap of this tree for candies, as a beverage, in beer (fresh or fermented), and used to cook meat.
• The bark variable but generally light gray to gray-brown, rough, deeply furrowed, darker with scales as the tree matures.

QUAKING ASPEN – Populus tremuloides

Quaking aspen is a native deciduous tree in the willow family.  It is found in one small area of the mountains of NC and generally does not grow south of zone 6. It has a strongly pyramidal form when young maturing to a narrow-rounded crown.  It is a tree of cooler northern regions and thrives in rocky soils at high mountain elevations to clay or sandy loams at lower elevations.  

This tree has beautiful white bark and leaves that quake at the slightest breeze due to the flattened leaf stems. It will not tolerate heat and humidity. Fall foliage is a beautiful yellow. 

Family: Salicaceae

Hardiness Zones: 1a, 1b, 2b, 2a, 3b, 3a, 4b, 4a, 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a

Tree Type: Deciduous

Growth Rate: Rapid

Mature size: Height: 40 ft. 0 in. – 50 ft. 0 in. Width: 20 ft. 0 in. – 30 ft. 0 in.

Sun Preference- Full

Soil Preference- Clay Loam (Silt)Sand Shallow Rocky

Wildlife Value: Small Mammals Songbirds

Flower Description: Silver catkins appear before leaves

Attributes-This tree:

• Petioles are flattened which makes the leaves “quake” in the wind.
• Native Americans are known to have used this plant as a food source. To prepare it, they would cut the inner bark into strips, dry it, and then ground it to be mixed with other starches for bread or mush. They ate catkins raw, and the cambium both raw and in soups.

Hickory – Carya cordiformis

Bitternut Hickory is a tall, slender, cylindrical deciduous tree with a broad pyramid-shaped crown. It is native to North Carolina and usually found on moist, rich soils in relatively open areas where the tree can find sun. The Bitternut Hickory does not tolerate shade but will tolerate a variety of soil types. The tree has a strong tap-root, making it difficult to move, and needs a lot of space as it matures; all considerations for planting in a permanent position.

Family: Juglandaceae

Hardiness Zones: 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a

Tree Type: Deciduous

Growth Rate: Rapid

Mature size- Height: 50 ft. 0 in. – 100 ft. 0 in.Width: 25 ft. 0 in. – 40 ft. 0 in.

Sun Preference: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Soil Preference: ClayHigh Organic MatterLoam (Silt)SandShallow Rocky

Wildlife Value: Several species of moth are attracted to the foliage. Larval host for butterflies and Luna moths. This plant supports Hickory Horndevil (Citheronia regalis) larvae which have one brood and appear from May to mid-September.

Flower Description: Monoecious with both male and female flowers produced on the same tree. The male flowers are arranged in greenish yellow catkins that are 3 to 5 inches long in clusters of 3, drooping downward from either the tips of the previous year’s twigs or at the base of the current year’s twigs. Each tiny male flower has a 3-lobed calyx and several stamens. The female flowers are small short spikes at the tips of the current year’s twigs. Each female flower is about an 1/8 of an inch, consisting of an ovoid ovary with 4 prominent ridges and a pair of styles. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring for about 1 to 2 weeks.

Attributes-This tree:

• Nuts do not appear until the tree is about 30 years old. The meat of the nut is very bitter.
• The wood is hard, strong and heavy, with a reddish-brown heartwood.
• This tree is late coming into leaf and loses its leaves early in the autumn, but while the leaves are present, it casts an open shade allowing lawn or other plants to grow beneath it.
• Individual trees have been known to live up to 200 years

Sourwood – Oxydendrum arboreum

It gets its common name, Lily of the Valley Tree, because its flowers look similar to those of the Lily of the Valley plant. Honey made from the nectar of these flowers is highly prized for its color and flavor.

It makes an excellent specimen or understory tree or planted in small groups in a woodland garden. It does well with the protection of other tall shrubs and trees and does not tolerate drought or urban pollution. A very ornamental plant, it will flower in 4 to 5 years after planting from seed.

Family: Ericaceae

Hardiness Zones: 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a

Tree Type- Deciduous

Growth Rate: Slow

Mature size: Height: 20 ft. 0 in. – 30 ft. 0 in. Width: 10 ft. 0 in. – 15 ft. 0 in.

Sun Preference- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Soil Preference: High Organic Matter Loam (Silt)Soil pH: Acid (<6.0)

Flower Description: Waxy, lily-of-the-valley-like, white bell-shaped flowers that bloom on slender, second on axis, drooping, one-sided slender terminal panicles (4 to 8 inches long) from June to July. Flowers have a 5 lobed calyx and an urceolate corolla that is finely downy, white, 5-lobed, and minute. The flowers themselves have a slight fragrance and are 1/4″ long. The panicles persist after flowers drop and resemble long fingers.

Wildlife Value- The flowers are attractive to butterflies and other insects. Natural hollows in these trees are refuge for climbing reptiles and amphibians, bats and other small wildlife. Old fall webworm tents attract invertebrates that birds often eat during late fall and winter. Flowers are quite attractive to bees and the honey is highly sought after.

Attributes-This tree:

• Bees produce a rich and popular honey from the nectar.
• Wood is heavy, hard, and close-grained, but is seldom used as a commercial wood.
• Blooms are effective for 3 to 4 weeks. Flowers are fragrant and bloom poorly in the shade.

Sweetgum – Liquidambar styraciflua

The Sweetgum has non-showy, monoecious, yellow-green flowers that appear in spherical clusters in April-May. Female flowers give way to the infamous gum balls.

Resinous gum is used for creating chewing gum, incense, perfumes, folk medicines (for things like dysentery and diarrhea) and flavorings. In pioneer days, the gum was obtained from the trunks by peeling the bark and scraping the resin-like solid beneath.

Family: Altingiaceae

Hardiness Zones: 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a

Tree Type: Deciduous Tree

Growth Rate: Rapid

Mature size: Height: 60 ft. 0 in. – 100 ft. 0 in. Width: 40 ft. 0 in. – 50 ft. 0 in.

Sun Preference: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Soil Preference: Clay Loam (Silt)Sand

Wildlife Value: Moths Pollinators, Small Mammals, Songbirds

Flower Description: The Sweetgum has non-showy, monoecious, yellow-green flowers that appear in spherical clusters in April-May.

Attributes-This tree:

• Corky scales that darken the tree. As the tree matures, it forms irregular, deeply furrowed bark.
• The bark is also a food source for small mammals like beavers, rabbits and mice.
• Currently, this tree is second in production to oaks among the hardwoods. The wood is heavy, moderately hard, and close grained and used for furniture, cabinetwork, veneer, plywood, pulpwood, barrels, and boxes. It is not durable upon exposure.
• . Trees are not reliably winter hardy in the northern areas of USDA Zone 5.

SASSAFRAS – Sassafras albidum

A captivating, native North American tree known for its brilliant display of autumn foliage and aromatic smell. Leaves are 3″–7″ long, bright to medium green in summer changing to enchanting colors of yellow, deep orange, scarlet and purple in the fall. Throughout its natural range, the roots and bark were once used as a regular spring tonic. A Spanish physician in 1574 announced that sassafras was a cure for almost every human ailment.

Family: Lauraceae

Hardiness Zones: 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a

Tree Type: Deciduous

Growth Rate-This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13″ to more than 24″ per year.

Mature size: to 30’–60′ tall with a 25’–40′ spread.

Sun Preference: Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.

Soil Preference: The sassafras grows well in acidic, moist, loamy, wet and well-drained soils. It has some tolerance to drought and salt.

Flower Description: Male and female flowers appear on separate trees. The flowers (1/3 inch across) are borne on 2-inch terminal clusters before the leaves. They have no petals but have six greenish-yellow sepals. Female trees bloom more profusely than male trees. They bloom from March to May.

Wildlife Value-The fruit is eaten by deer,

bears, wild turkeys and a wide variety of other birds.

Attributes-This tree:

• Produces a wonderful aroma.
• Provides a brilliant autumn display, with leaves turning yellow, deep orange, scarlet and purple.
• Can be grown as a single-trunk tree or a dense, bushy thicket.
• Features bright to medium green leaves that are 3–7″ long with a unique mitten or three-lobe shape.
• Yields ½” dark blue fruit in the fall.
• Grows in a rounded shape.