Foliage

Autumn Colour

96 plants

Kaleidoscope Abelia · Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope' A low, spreading abelia grown for kaleidoscopic foliage that shifts from gold-and-green in spring to fiery orange-red in cold weather, set off by white tubular flowers. Tough, sun-loving and bee-friendly.
Freeman Maple · Acer ×freemanii A vigorous hybrid of red and silver maple combining fast growth with an upright symmetrical crown and dependable, long-lasting orange-red autumn colour. A premium street and shade tree.
Freeman Maple 'Autumn Blaze' · Acer x freemanii 'Autumn Blaze' A vigorous, broadly oval hybrid maple combining the fast growth of silver maple with the brilliant orange-red autumn colour of red maple. A superb, well-shaped deciduous shade tree.
Fernleaf Full Moon Maple · Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' A full-moon maple with large, deeply cut fern-like green leaves that turn spectacular shades of crimson, orange and gold in autumn. A bold-textured feature for sheltered gardens.
Coral Bark Maple · Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku' Prized for its coral-red young bark that glows through winter, paired with soft green summer foliage that turns golden-yellow in autumn. A standout cultivar for cold-season interest.
Crimson Queen Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Crimson Queen' A weeping, cascading lace-leaf maple with finely dissected deep crimson-red foliage that holds its colour exceptionally well through summer before brightening to scarlet in autumn.
Emperor Maple · Acer palmatum 'Emperor 1' A vigorous upright red-leaf maple similar to Bloodgood but leafing out later, helping it avoid late spring frosts. Holds dark purple-red colour well in summer heat before scarlet autumn tones.
Garnet Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Garnet' A weeping, mound-forming lace-leaf maple with finely dissected garnet-red foliage that holds colour well through summer and deepens to crimson in autumn. Ideal as a cascading container specimen.
Green Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Dissectum Viridis' A graceful weeping lace-leaf maple with cascading, finely cut bright green foliage that turns gold, orange and crimson in autumn. A classic mounding specimen for dappled positions.
Inaba-shidare Lace-leaf Maple · Acer palmatum 'Inaba-shidare' A vigorous weeping lace-leaf maple with deeply dissected purple-red foliage that holds colour strongly through summer and turns crimson in autumn. One of the best red cascading cultivars.
Japanese Maple · Acer palmatum An elegant, slow-growing deciduous tree with delicate palmate leaves that turn brilliant shades of crimson, orange and gold in autumn. A timeless feature tree for sheltered, dappled positions.
Japanese Maple 'Beni-maiko' · Acer palmatum 'Beni-maiko' A small maple with brilliant scarlet-red new spring foliage that mellows to reddish-green through summer before colouring again in autumn. The name means 'red-haired dancing girl'.
Japanese Maple 'Beni-otake' · Acer palmatum 'Beni-otake' An upright maple with narrow, deeply divided strap-like purple-red leaves giving a fine bamboo-like texture. Holds rich colour through summer before turning crimson in autumn.
Japanese Maple 'Bloodgood' · Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' A reliable upright Japanese maple holding deep burgundy-purple foliage through summer before flaring to vivid scarlet in autumn. One of the best red-leaved cultivars for feature planting.
Japanese Maple 'Butterfly' · Acer palmatum 'Butterfly' An upright, slender variegated maple with small grey-green leaves edged in creamy-white and pink, tinting rose-magenta in autumn. A refined cultivar for containers and small gardens.
Japanese Maple 'Katsura' · Acer palmatum 'Katsura' A compact maple admired for its pale orange-yellow spring growth edged in red, maturing to green then returning to bright gold and orange in autumn. A reliable early-season performer.
Japanese Maple 'Orange Dream' · Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' A compact maple with golden-orange new growth flushed pink-red at the margins, maturing to soft yellow-green and finishing bright orange-gold in autumn. Excellent in containers.
Japanese Maple 'Osakazuki' · Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki' An upright green-leaved Japanese maple famed for arguably the most intense fiery crimson-scarlet autumn colour of any cultivar. Large seven-lobed leaves give a bold display.
Japanese Maple 'Seiryu' · Acer palmatum 'Seiryu' An unusual upright lace-leaf maple combining finely dissected bright green foliage with a tree-like habit rather than a weeping mound. Spectacular gold, orange and crimson autumn colour.
Japanese Maple 'Shaina' · Acer palmatum 'Shaina' A dwarf, dense-branching sport of 'Bloodgood' with clustered deep red-maroon foliage on a compact bushy frame. Holds colour well and brightens to crimson in autumn; ideal for pots and bonsai.
Japanese Maple 'Trompenburg' · Acer palmatum 'Trompenburg' A vigorous upright maple with distinctive deeply lobed purple-red leaves whose margins roll under, giving fine texture. Foliage holds colour through summer then turns crimson in autumn.
Purple Japanese Maple · Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' A seed-raised upright maple with rich purple-red palmate foliage in spring and summer, intensifying to brilliant scarlet in autumn. A long-grown, dependable feature tree.
Red Maple · Acer rubrum A fast-growing North American shade tree with a tidy oval canopy that ignites in fiery red and orange autumn tones. Tolerant of damp soils and excellent for streets and parks.
Red Maple 'October Glory' · Acer rubrum 'October Glory' A fast-growing, oval-crowned red maple celebrated for its long-lasting, brilliant orange-red to crimson autumn display. An outstanding deciduous shade and avenue tree.
Golden Full Moon Maple · Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum' A slow, rounded maple with luminous golden-yellow rounded leaves through spring and summer, taking on orange and red tints in autumn. Best with some shade to prevent leaf scorch.
Dwarf Japanese Barberry · Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana' A compact thorny deciduous shrub with rich burgundy-purple foliage that intensifies to fiery red in autumn. Its dense prickly growth makes a low barrier hedge or colour accent.
Rose Glow Barberry · Berberis thunbergii 'Rose Glow' A purple-leaved barberry whose new growth is mottled rose-pink and silvery-white over a deep wine base, deepening to scarlet in autumn. Thorny and colourful for hedging, though it can self-seed and is a weed risk in some regions.
Pig Squeak · Bergenia cordifolia Large glossy leathery leaves form a weed-suppressing carpet that flushes burgundy in cold weather. Sprays of pink flowers rise on red stems in late winter.
Silver Birch · Betula pendula A graceful deciduous tree with striking white papery bark, slender weeping branchlets and fluttering leaves that turn soft yellow in autumn. Lovely planted in groves.
Silver Birch 'Moonbeam' · Betula pendula 'Moonbeam' A graceful weeping-branched silver birch selected for brilliant white trunk and stems and fine, delicate foliage that turns clear yellow in autumn. An elegant feature, effective in groves.
Forest Pansy Redbud · Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' A small deciduous tree prized for luminous heart-shaped leaves emerging deep burgundy-purple, with rosy-pink pea flowers studding the bare branches in early spring.
Weeping Redbud 'Ruby Falls' · Cercis canadensis 'Ruby Falls' A compact weeping redbud with cascading branches and heart-shaped deep purple foliage, with rosy-pink pea flowers along the stems in spring. A sculptural small feature for pots and courtyards.
Judas Tree · Cercis siliquastrum A hardy small tree that bursts with clusters of magenta-pink pea flowers directly on bare branches and trunk in spring, followed by blue-green heart-shaped leaves. Thrives in dry climates.
Claret Ash · Fraxinus angustifolia 'Raywood' A handsome shade tree with fine dark-green foliage that turns a deep wine-claret purple in autumn. Fast and adaptable, it is one of the most popular deciduous avenue trees.
Bloody Cranesbill · Geranium sanguineum A tough true geranium forming spreading mounds of finely cut leaves smothered in magenta flowers. Foliage flushes red in autumn and the plant copes admirably with dry shade.
Ginkgo · Ginkgo biloba An ancient, virtually pest-free deciduous conifer relative with distinctive fan-shaped leaves that turn pure butter-yellow in autumn. Long-lived, tough and pollution-tolerant.
Golden Honey Locust · Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst' A thornless, podless cultivar with airy ferny foliage that emerges bright gold, matures to lime-green and returns to yellow in autumn, casting light dappled shade. A graceful lawn tree.
Oakleaf Hydrangea · Hydrangea quercifolia A handsome deciduous hydrangea with bold oak-shaped leaves that flame burgundy in autumn and conical white flower panicles ageing to pink. Offers multi-season interest in light shade.
Snow Queen Oakleaf Hydrangea · Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen' An oakleaf hydrangea with bold lobed leaves that turn rich burgundy in autumn and upright white conical panicles ageing to pink. Valued as much for its foliage as its flowers.
Bluebird Mountain Hydrangea · Hydrangea serrata 'Bluebird' A refined mountain hydrangea bearing delicate lacecap heads of blue to mauve-pink sepals over a central cluster of fertile florets. Compact, cold-hardy and good for smaller spaces.
Golden Rain Tree · Koelreuteria paniculata A tough, rounded shade tree carrying large airy sprays of yellow summer flowers followed by ornamental papery lantern-like seed capsules, with bright yellow autumn foliage.
Crepe Myrtle 'Acoma' · Lagerstroemia 'Acoma' A low, semi-weeping Indian Summer hybrid with white summer flowers, smooth grey-tan bark and purple-red autumn colour. Mildew-resistant and ideal as a small multi-stemmed feature.
Crepe Myrtle 'Biloxi' · Lagerstroemia 'Biloxi' A tall, upright Indian Summer hybrid with soft pale-pink summer flowers, dark mildew-resistant foliage and orange-red autumn colour. One of the larger crepe myrtles, suiting avenue and shade use.
Crepe Myrtle 'Lipan' · Lagerstroemia 'Lipan' A medium Indian Summer hybrid with lavender-pink summer flowers, striking near-white exfoliating bark and orange-red autumn colour. Mildew-resistant and well suited to feature planting.
Crepe Myrtle 'Muskogee' · Lagerstroemia 'Muskogee' A large, vigorous Indian Summer hybrid with long-lasting light lavender summer flowers, smooth mottled bark and red-orange autumn colour. One of the tallest and most disease-resistant crepe myrtles.
Crepe Myrtle 'Natchez' · Lagerstroemia 'Natchez' A vigorous Indian Summer hybrid crepe myrtle with abundant pure white summer flowers and outstanding cinnamon-brown exfoliating bark. Mildew-resistant with orange-red autumn foliage.
Crepe Myrtle 'Sioux' · Lagerstroemia 'Sioux' A medium Indian Summer hybrid with vivid mid-pink summer flowers, mildew-resistant foliage and rich maroon-red autumn colour. An upright, manageable feature tree for smaller gardens.
Crepe Myrtle 'Tuscarora' · Lagerstroemia 'Tuscarora' A popular Indian Summer hybrid bearing large trusses of coral-pink summer flowers above mildew-resistant foliage, with mottled tan bark and orange-red autumn colour. A reliable feature tree.
Crepe Myrtle 'Yuma' · Lagerstroemia 'Yuma' A medium Indian Summer hybrid crepe myrtle with bright lavender-lilac summer flowers, mildew-resistant foliage and orange-red autumn colour. A multi-stemmed feature for smaller gardens.
Crepe Myrtle 'Zuni' · Lagerstroemia 'Zuni' A compact Indian Summer hybrid with medium-lavender summer flowers, mildew-resistant foliage and orange-red to maroon autumn colour. A long-flowering choice for smaller gardens and screens.
Crepe Myrtle · Lagerstroemia indica A reliable summer-flowering tree bearing big crinkled trusses of pink, mauve, red or white bloom for months, with mottled peeling bark and rich autumn tones. A heat-tolerant favourite.
Liquidambar · Liquidambar styraciflua A tall, conical shade tree with star-shaped maple-like leaves that colour spectacularly in shades of crimson, purple and gold through autumn. A classic avenue and parkland tree.
Tulip Tree · Liriodendron tulipifera A stately fast-growing tree with uniquely shaped saddle-cut leaves that turn clear gold in autumn and curious greenish-orange tulip-like flowers in early summer. Needs room to spread.
Crabapple 'Gorgeous' · Malus 'Gorgeous' A small ornamental tree wreathed in white-and-pink spring blossom followed by glossy long-lasting red crabapples that attract birds and make excellent jelly. Perfect for compact gardens.
Bechtel Crabapple · Malus ioensis 'Plena' An ornamental crabapple bearing large, fragrant double pink rose-like blossoms in mid-spring. A rounded small feature tree with good autumn foliage colour.
Blush Pink Nandina · Nandina domestica 'Blush Pink' A dwarf nandina prized for soft pink to coral new growth in the warmer months, deepening to red in winter. A colourful, low-care choice for pots and edging.
Dwarf Sacred Bamboo · Nandina domestica 'Nana' A compact mounding shrub grown for fine ferny foliage that turns brilliant red and burgundy in cold weather. Tough and low, it makes a colourful mass planting or low border. Berries are toxic to pets.
Flirt Nandina · Nandina domestica 'Flirt' A very dwarf, dense nandina with deep red new growth that holds rich burgundy and crimson tones year-round. Sterile and tidy, perfect for edging and pots.
Gulf Stream Nandina · Nandina domestica 'Gulf Stream' A compact, non-invasive nandina with finely divided foliage emerging coppery-red, turning blue-green in summer and flushing brilliant scarlet through cold weather. Rarely fruits, so safe around birds.
Moon Bay Nandina · Nandina domestica 'Moon Bay' A dwarf mounding nandina with lime-green spring growth that deepens to fiery red in winter cold. Neat and dense, ideal for low borders and mass planting.
Obsession Nandina · Nandina domestica 'Obsession' A compact nandina with intense ruby-red new foliage contrasting against deep green older leaves, intensifying again in winter. Bushy and uniform for low hedges and borders.
Virginia Creeper · Parthenocissus quinquefolia A vigorous self-clinging deciduous vine with handsome five-fingered leaves that ignite into fiery red and burgundy tones in autumn. Excellent for quickly covering large walls, fences and pergolas.
Boston Ivy · Parthenocissus tricuspidata A self-clinging deciduous climber whose three-lobed green leaves turn brilliant crimson and scarlet in autumn before falling. The classic clothing for brick walls, it attaches by adhesive tendril pads.
Chinese Pistachio · Pistacia chinensis A tough, drought-hardy shade tree with glossy pinnate foliage that turns brilliant orange, red and crimson in autumn. An excellent, reliable choice for hot, dry street and park planting.
London Plane · Platanus ×acerifolia A large, robust shade tree with broad maple-like leaves and striking flaking cream-and-grey camouflage bark. Famously tolerant of pollution, pruning and tough urban conditions.
Flagpole Cherry · Prunus serrulata 'Amanogawa' A narrow, columnar Japanese flowering cherry ideal for tight spaces, bearing fragrant semi-double soft-pink blossoms in spring. Foliage colours warmly in autumn on its upright frame.
Flowering Cherry 'Mt Fuji' · Prunus serrulata 'Mt Fuji' A spreading ornamental cherry with horizontal tiers of branches draped in large, semi-double, fragrant snow-white blossom in spring. A spectacular cool-climate feature tree.
Kanzan Cherry · Prunus serrulata 'Kanzan' The most widely planted Japanese flowering cherry, with a stiff upright vase shape and masses of large double rose-pink blossoms in spring. Bronze new foliage turns orange in autumn.
Shimidsu Cherry · Prunus serrulata 'Shimidsu' A spreading, flat-topped Japanese flowering cherry with pendulous clusters of large frilly double white blossoms, pink in bud, in late spring. A dainty, elegant feature tree.
Weeping Cherry · Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula' A graceful weeping flowering cherry with slender cascading branches smothered in soft pink single blossoms in early spring. A classic specimen for lawns and feature positions.
Bradford Pear · Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford' A broadly rounded ornamental pear with dense white spring blossom and glossy foliage turning red-purple late in autumn. A vigorous shade and feature tree for street and garden use.
Cleveland Select Pear · Pyrus calleryana 'Chanticleer' A neat, tightly pyramidal ornamental pear with profuse white spring blossom and reliable burgundy-red autumn colour. A tough, disease-resistant street and feature tree.
Ornamental Pear 'Aristocrat' · Pyrus calleryana 'Aristocrat' A broadly pyramidal ornamental pear with horizontal branching, glossy wavy-edged foliage and white spring blossom. Autumn colour ranges through gold, orange and crimson-red.
Ornamental Pear 'Capital' · Pyrus calleryana 'Capital' A narrow, columnar ornamental pear bearing white spring blossom and glossy leaves that turn coppery-purple and red in autumn. Ideal for tight spaces, driveways and formal avenues.
Manchurian Pear · Pyrus ussuriensis 'Manchurian' A hardy, broadly rounded ornamental pear with abundant white early-spring blossom and glossy foliage that turns brilliant red, purple and orange in autumn. A tough, cold-hardy shade tree.
Pin Oak · Quercus palustris A fast-growing oak with a distinctive pyramidal crown and deeply lobed glossy leaves that turn rich russet-red in autumn and often persist into winter. A superb large avenue tree.
Christopher Wren Azalea · Rhododendron mollis 'Christopher Wren' A deciduous mollis azalea with large golden-yellow blooms flushed orange, carried in showy trusses in spring before rich autumn leaf colour. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Dr M. Oosthoek Azalea · Rhododendron mollis 'Dr M. Oosthoek' A deciduous mollis azalea bearing bold trusses of deep orange-red trumpet blooms on bare branches in spring, followed by rich autumn foliage. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Koster's Brilliant Red Azalea · Rhododendron mollis 'Koster's Brilliant Red' A deciduous mollis azalea bearing trusses of glowing orange-red trumpet blooms on bare stems in spring, followed by fiery autumn foliage. A cold-climate favourite. All parts contain grayanotoxins and are toxic to pets and people.
Golden Robinia · Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia' A fast-growing tree whose pinnate foliage glows golden-yellow from spring through summer before turning amber in autumn, lighting up the garden. Tough and tolerant of poor soils.
Twisty Baby Robinia · Robinia pseudoacacia 'Lace Lady' A novelty dwarf black locust with curiously twisted and contorted branches and curled blue-green foliage that turns gold in autumn. A sculptural feature tree, striking in winter silhouette.
Anthony Waterer Spiraea · Spiraea japonica 'Anthony Waterer' A reliable mounding spiraea bearing flat heads of deep carmine-pink flowers through summer, loved by bees. Hardy and easy, with leaves sometimes flecked cream and good autumn tones.
Goldflame Spiraea · Spiraea japonica 'Goldflame' A compact deciduous spiraea with new growth flushing coppery-orange over gold foliage, topped by flat pink flower heads in summer. Brilliant autumn colour and very hardy.
Kangaroo Grass · Themeda triandra An iconic native grassland species with blue-green tufts that turn russet-bronze in summer and nodding rusty seed heads. Drought-hardy, it suits meadows and low-water plantings.
Small-leaved Lime · Tilia cordata A neat, pyramidal shade tree with heart-shaped leaves and clusters of intensely fragrant cream flowers in summer that are loved by bees. A classic European avenue and parkland tree.
Chinese Elm · Ulmus parvifolia A graceful, spreading shade tree with small glossy leaves and beautiful mottled, flaking bark in tones of grey, orange and cream. Tough, disease-resistant and a popular bonsai subject.
Blueberry · Vaccinium corymbosum A productive berry bush that also earns its keep ornamentally with white spring bells and fiery autumn foliage. Needs acidic soil — ideal for a dedicated pot of ericaceous mix.
Brigitta Blueberry · Vaccinium corymbosum 'Brigitta' A late-season highbush blueberry with large, firm, sweet-tart berries and excellent shelf life. Needs acidic, moist, free-draining soil and rewards cool-climate gardens with bright autumn foliage.
Snowball Tree · Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' The sterile snowball viburnum, smothered in rounded heads of pure white florets that age to soft pink in spring. Deciduous with good autumn leaf colour and a fine cut-flower shrub.
Mariesii Viburnum · Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii' A doublefile viburnum with distinctive horizontal tiered branches lined with flat white lacecap heads in spring. A striking architectural feature shrub with red autumn tones.
Black Muscat Grape · Vitis vinifera 'Black Muscat' A black seeded grape with a rich, perfumed muscat flavour, excellent for fresh eating and dessert wine. A hardy deciduous vine that crops well over a pergola and colours warmly in autumn.
Cabernet Sauvignon Grape · Vitis vinifera 'Cabernet Sauvignon' A small-berried black wine grape with deep colour and tannin, also handsome as an ornamental and edible covering for a pergola. Drought-hardy once established, it rewards a hot, dry, sunny aspect.
Crimson Seedless Grape · Vitis vinifera 'Crimson Seedless' A late-season seedless red table grape with firm, crisp, sweet fruit and excellent keeping quality. A vigorous deciduous vine that needs full sun, a long warm season and a sturdy trellis.
Ornamental Grape · Vitis vinifera 'Purpurea' A deciduous tendril climber grown for its dramatic foliage, opening grey-pink and deepening to wine-purple before turning rich crimson in autumn. A handsome, shade-giving cover for pergolas.
Sultana · Vitis vinifera 'Thompson Seedless' The classic seedless white grape grown for fresh eating, sultanas and drying, with sweet pale-green fruit on a vigorous vine. Self-fertile and deciduous, it needs a sunny wall, fence or pergola and winter pruning.
Japanese Zelkova · Zelkova serrata An elegant vase-shaped shade tree related to elms, with serrated leaves turning shades of yellow, orange and bronze-red in autumn and attractive flaking grey bark. Tough and elm-disease resistant.