The Best Shrubs for Fall Color

The Best Shrubs for Fall Color

Sep 15, 2016
Share:

We just LOVE fall. It’s the time of year when leaves start to change, perennials return to the ground, and some shrubs just plain show off with a beautiful display. Today we’d like to share our list of the best shrubs for fall color with you.

chokeberries have bright red big berries

One of our favorite colorful fall shrubs is Aronia, or chokeberry, which has bright red foliage, and has either a purple or a red berry, depending on the variety. The berries can be used to make jam, pie, or syrup. The berries can be eaten raw, but beware, they are quite sour.

red twig dogwood shrubs have winter interest

Next up is another fall shrub that turns a bright red. Well, actually it’s the wood itself that changes color in the cooler weather. Red twig dogwood, or Cornus sericea, has regular green foliage in the spring and summer months, but loses its leaves and turns a brilliant red in the fall. Such a striking contrast to an otherwise drab landscape, especially in the winter.

beautyberry with green leaves and purple berries

Beautyberry shrub is next on the list. Beautyberry made the cut because in the late summer and early fall it is full of bright purple berries that form after a pink flower. The branches are covered with the beautiful berry, which are unsurprisingly loved by birds. In winter, the leaves drop but the berries remain.

pink and white viburnum burkwood

Last on our list are Viburnums. Viburnums are a native shrub that form a nice red or blue berry in the late summer, early fall. The berries provide winter food for birds, and the leaves turn a radiant red color in the cooler weather.