Extension Communications Extension 4-H Youth Building Ames, Iowa 50011-3630 (515) 294-9915

9/27/04

Contacts:
Ann Marie VanDerZanden, Horticulture, (515) 294-5075, vanderza@iastate.edu
Jean McGuire, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-7033, jmcguire@iastate.edu
Garden Column for the week of Oct. 1, 2004

Shrubs for Fall Color

By Ann Marie VanDerZanden
Extension Horticulturist
Iowa State University

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the way landscapes take on a whole new look as many plants transition from green leaves, to leaves in various hues of red, orange, yellow and purple. Often this array of color is in addition to beautiful clusters of fruit that come into full glory this time of year. Although most people probably do not think of Iowa when they think of great places to see fall color, we do have lots of plants to select from that can add color to our landscapes.

October is a great time to plant shrubs. Garden centers and nurseries usually have a good selection and it is the perfect opportunity to see the fall color of a plant before you purchase it. Limiting my recommendations of shrubs is hard, but I have narrowed down the list to six great choices for adding fall color to your Iowa landscape.

Euonymus alatus, Burning Bush
No discussion of shrubs with fall color is complete without Burning Bush. E. alatus 'Compactus' grows to about 6 feet tall and the cultivar 'Rudy Haag' is a slow-growing dwarf variety to about 4 feet tall and as wide. Burning Bush is a tough plant that can handle a range of growing conditions including poor soil and mild drought. The vibrant red fall color develops best when planted in full sun.

Rhus typhina, Staghorn Sumac
For naturalistic areas, or where a regular and reliable plant form is not needed, consider Staghorn Sumac. This sumac can reach a height of 15 to 18 feet with an equal spread. It tends to sucker profusely and creates a thicket of plants, so be sure to give it enough space. I do not recommend planting it in a 'formal' area in the landscape. In addition to providing a full range of leaf color including gold, orange, red and maroon, the female plants produce upright fruit clusters on many shoot tips which turn a bright crimson red in the fall and persist well into winter. These provide a nice source of color in the landscape as well as food for many birds.

Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet', Virginia Sweetspire
This underused plant provides outstanding reddish purple fall color. In the late spring, 3- to 5-inch long racemes of fragrant, white, flowers, that last for two to three weeks. 'Henry's Garnet' is a cultivar that grows to 3 to 4 feet tall with a similar spread. Itea does best in moist, fertile soil, but is adaptable to full sun or part shade; has no major disease or insect problems; and is tolerant of low, wet sites.

Hydrangea quercifolia, Oakleaf Hydrangea
This large shrub of about 6 feet tall and wide, can be marginally hardy in USDA Zone 4. However, it is worth including if you have an area where it can be protected in the winter. Oakleaf does not look like the other hydrangeas. The large, coarse texture of the oak-shaped leaves gives it a bold appearance in the landscape. The white flowers turn to a pinkish-brown in the fall and persist into winter are nice, but it is the foliage in shades of purple, orange and red that really make this plant a show stopper.

Fothergilla major, Large Fothergilla
Fall weather transforms the dark green foliage of summer to yellow, orange and scarlet - all on the same plant. Fothergilla is slow growing to its mature height and spread of 6 to 8 feet, but it is well worth the wait. It performs best in well-drained, acidic soils in a sunny or partly sunny location. The cultivar 'Mt. Airy' is readily available in the trade and has excellent fall color. There is some question as to whether F. major is hardy to USDA Zone 4. This would be the coldest limit of its hardiness range and if grown in this zone it should be protected from winter exposure.

Viburnum spp.
As my favorite species of shrub, I cannot list just one viburnum. V. prunifolium (Blackhaw Viburnum), V. sargentii (Sargent Viburnum), and V. trilobum (American Cranberrybush Viburnum) all have great fall color and berry-like fruit that persist into winter. Blackhaw Viburnum has red to purple fall color and bluish black fruit. Sargent Viburnum and American Cranberrybush Viburnum have yellowish to reddish fall color and bright red fruit. All three are large shrubs ranging from 8 to 12 feet tall with similar spreads. A number of smaller cultivars of A. trilobum are available if you do not have room for the larger shrub.

Deciduous Shrubs (PM 1943), a recent publication by the Iowa State University (ISU) Extension, is a great reference to help you decide which shrub to choose. It can be ordered by contacting any ISU Extension county office, on the Web at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pubs/Order.html or by calling the ISU Extension Distribution Center at (515) 294-5247.

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Editors: Two color photos, suitable for publication, are available at right. Click on each thumbnail photo to go to the fullsized photo. The top picture's fullsize photo is 248K and the bottom picture's fullsize photo is 209K. Caption: Staghorn Sumac provides a full range of leaf color including gold, orange, red and maroon in the fall.
Caption: The large, coarse texture of the leaves gives the Oakleaf Hydrangea a bold appearance in the landscape.

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