Cool weather, leaf change, halloween, pumpkin spice, and everything nice happens in fall! So let’s get your landscape primed and ready to get you in a cozy coffee-sippin-on-the-porch seasonal mood. Great autumn foliage adds color and warm appeal to the home landscape. It is easy to find shade trees that offer gorgeous fall color. But what if you have a small space or want more variety in your landscape? We've listed some of the best bushes for fall color.
Best Bushes for Fall Color
Best Bushes For Fall Color
Did you know blueberry bushes offer amazing fall color and can be used as landscape plants? They are definitely some of the best bushes for fall color. They make nice hedges and group plantings. Their fall color ranges from yellow to orange and red to purple. They often have a blend of colors when starting their fall transition, ending in a deep red. We recommend the Northern Highbush varieties, Bluecrop Blueberry Bush and Jersey Blueberry Bush for zones 4 to 7. The Bluecrop has scarlet red fall foliage, and the Jersey has orange-red leaves in fall. The Pink Lemonade Blueberry Bush is a stunner all around. This compact blueberry plant has pink fruit, bright red fall foliage, and is recommended for growing zones 4 to 8. The Pink Icing Blueberry Bush is a great dwarf blueberry bush for containers. This semi-evergreen blueberry shrub has leaves with blue, purple, and turquoise as the temperatures cool, and grows in zones 5 to 10! Tifblue Blueberry Bush and Climax Blueberry Bush are Rabbiteye blueberries that are great for growing in the south and from growing zones 7 to 9. You will love the bright and deep reds you get from these blueberry shrub’s fall display. Blueberry plants are fabulous for fall foliage AND growing your own fruit!
Oakleaf hydrangeas have outstanding fall color and are super easy to grow. They grow in sun or shade and adapt to just about any soil. These best bushes for fall color have crimson red to burgundy leaves in autumn. Our favorites are Alice Oakleaf Hydrangea and Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea. Plant Hydrangea quercifolia in growing zones 5 to 9 for best results.
Red Twig Dogwoods are one of the best bushes for fall color. The Arctic Fire has white berries, brilliant red leaves, and red bark in autumn. This stunning landscape shrub grows in zones 3 to 7 and stays compact reaching only about 4 feet tall and wide.
Euonymus alatus may actually be the best bush for fall color! You won’t find a truer, brighter red fall color. This low maintenance, sun or shade loving plant changes color in late summer so the show goes on for months! Plant the burning bush in growing zones 4 to 8 for best results.
This unique shrub has bright purple berries in fall. The autumn foliage is yellow with a hint of purple. This dwarf beautyberry stays compact and grows in zones 5 to 8. The Japanese Beautyberry is easy to grow and loved by birds, bees, and butterflies.
The Royal Purple Smoke Tree, also known as the Smoketree or Smokebush, is without a doubt one of the best bushes for fall color and more! Enjoy purple leaves in spring, summer, and fall and purple plume-flowers in summer. This xeriscape plant is no maintenance and grows in zones 5 to 9.
The Virginia Sweetspire is a native plant that is drought tolerant, super adaptable, and easy to grow. The fall foliage ranges from yellow to orange and red. This flowering shrub is recommended for growing zones 5 to 9.
Now you know some of the best bushes for fall color. Check out all of our Flowering Shrubs for even more options in our online nursery.