Top 10 Trees For Fall Leaf Colors

“Crimson and yellow, blotched with iron-brown, the autumn tans and variegates the leaves” is the way the poet John Clare described the changing colors that come with the fall season. The ten trees described in the article below all exhibit their own unique autumnal shades that combine to create the beauty of the fall scene. I found this article on the Gardening Know How website.

Spring dances into the backyard wearing green leaves and frilly blossoms, but autumn?s attire is even more dramatic. Think the colors of flamenco dancers: deep gold, rich maroon, brilliant scarlet and licks of flame orange. It?s not hard to invite the fall foliage show to your garden. Just plant the right trees and keep your eye on the calendar. Read on for the top 10 trees that get the most ?aahs? in the autumn landscape.
1. Sugar maple

Canada?s national tree is America?s favorite as well. The mighty sugar maple (Acer saccharum) not only has the sweet sap used to make maple syrup and sugar, it?s also the king of fall color. If you have a big backyard and love lobed leaves in shades of yellow and orange, this is the tree for you.
2. Red Maple

Tough and adaptable, red maples (Acer rubrum) are popular shade trees for urban environments. These trees earn their common names. They produce glints of red all year round with red buds in winter, red flowers in spring, red leafstalks in summer, and brilliant red foliage in autumn. Truth to tell, fall foliage ranges across the fiery spectrum, from yellow right through orange to red. Newer cultivars produce more consistent red color in autumn.
3. Japanese maple

Small garden? You can still plant maples that will make your neighbors jealous. Choose among many types of Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), small, ornamental trees with gorgeous lacy leaves. In autumn, Japanese maple leaves shift into incredible hues: yellows, oranges, bronzes, purples, reds, and everything in between.