Want Fall Color? You Don’t Need to Plant a Tree
These plants will bring the warm reds, oranges, and yellows you crave this autumn.
Courtesy of the Sunset Plant Collection
The first day of fall is Sep. 22, which means it’s almost time for autumnal shades in the garden. But what makes fall leaves change their color? According to the Smithsonian, leaves stay green due to chlorophyll, which is responsible for photosynthesis; chlorophyll begins to break down when nighttime temperatures drop. That’s when pigments that were already present in the leaves—those yellows, oranges, and reds we love—reveal themselves.
So, what if you want fall color in your garden but haven’t planted anything yet? It’s not too late! Here, Janet Sluis, horticulturalist and director at the Sunset Plant Collection, gives us great ideas for fall-blooming camellias, red bells of fire, and more.
Plant These Flowers and Shrubs for Fall Color
Leucanthemum ‘Real Goldcup’
“This is a Shasta daisy,” says Sluis, “and the darkest yellow we’ve come out with so far.” While a lot of Shastas tend to fade to white, this one holds its color. These perennials are also beneficial to pollinators and butterflies and make great cut flowers.
Orange Tecomaria ‘Cape Town’
While most Tecomaria can get 20 feet tall and are invasive, these are more bush-like, so they stay more compact and don’t spread. “These bloom almost year-round, and the orange and the yellow make great fall colors—especially if you want to decorate your patio,” Sluis says. “We’re really trying to focus on plants that have dual focus, so these are great for pollinators, [they’re] low water, and easy care.”
Camellia Sasanqua ‘October Magic’ in Ruby
“We have a series of fall-blooming camellias,” Sluis says. “A lot of times camellia’s spring blooms can get blossom blight, so I really like the fall blooming ones because you don’t have the interference from the rain.” These camellias are bred to bloom from fall until Christmas, so you’ll have holiday color. You can also use them as cut flowers.
Lagerstroemia ‘Delta Fusion’
These crape myrtles are so low-water that they got a blue ribbon in a University of California, Davis water trial. They bloom all summer and fall. “Lagerstroemia is a great focal point for the garden and has really nice purple leaves,” says Sluis.
Tecoma ‘Bells of Fire’
“These are kind of a sleeper plant from Texas,” says Sluis. “The usually get really large, so ours was bred to be in the 5- to 6-foot range if you don’t cut it back.” Tecoma ‘Bells of Fire’ features dark orange and red tones, with trumpet flowers that pollinators love.
Nandina Obsession
“These are a classic fall plant,” Sluis says. “Once we get into shorter days and cooler nights, you get those rust tones you crave.” These can grow as far north as the Pacific Northwest, and they don’t produce berries. “We would never introduce something from the Sunset Plant Collection that is potentially invasive,” she says.
