FLEMINGS' BEST OF AUTUMN TREES

The final hoorah just before they hunker down for winter, autumn show-stoppers such as acers, liquidambars, parrotia, lagerstroemia, quercus and cercis will burst out in a fabulous display.

First and most impressive of the autumn foliage trees are the Lipstick® Maple Trees range. Including Acer x freemanii Autumn Blaze®, Acer rubrum ‘Fairview Flame’ (PBR), Acer rubrum October Glory®, and the newest addition: Acer rubrum 'Frank Jr’ Redpointe. Each of these north American maples will deliver outstanding autumn colour and all feature a very uniform tree structure that make them a knockout as a street tree, avenue or a feature tree.

Acer rubrum October Glory® (left) and Acer rubrum 'Frank Jr’ Redpointe (right)

Another stunning maple is Acer negundo ‘Sensation’ (PBR), rightly named with autumn bringing a sensational display of fire-to-burnt oranges which appears to give the whole tree a golden glow. ‘Sensation’ is medium tree that grows to about nine metres at maturity and is a great choice as it will handle most urban conditions very well.

Need something smaller? Try the Cercis and specifically to the gorgeous Cercis Canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’. With large heart-shaped leaves that are normally deep purple, in autumn they brighten the garden with light orange-to-yellows.

Cercis Canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ (left) and Lagerstroemia indica x L. fauriei ‘Sioux’ (right)

One of the best all-rounder trees on the market today is the Indian Summer® range of crepe myrtle. These trees feature stunning flowers in summer, look great bare in winter with smooth exfoliating bark and the best bit they also delivery a gorgeous autumn display too. The most notable of which is the Lagerstroemia indica x L. fauriei ‘Sioux’. 

Perfect for streets, tough urban environments, parks, avenues and feature tree positions, Sioux is a wonderful form of upright crepe myrtle with a fiery-red autumn display and is a great option for those looking for something to work in a narrow space.

One rarely thought-off autumn colour beauty is the Nyssa. Featuring deep green glossy leaves, the Nyssa sylvatica will provide a slightly more subtle autumn colour but is impressive with tones of apricot and yellow slowly spreading over the tree.

Nyssa sylvatica (left) and Parrotia persica ‘Persian Spire’ (right)

A tree that deserves more consideration is Parrotia persica. Featuring an unusual leaf form, parrotia will turn brilliant shades of reds, oranges and bronzes and even a little purple. New to the Australian market is Parrotia persica ‘Persian Spire’. An excellent, hardy, smaller tree (growing to approx. 7-8m at 20 years) and featuring a narrow, upright form with foliage that emerges purple-bronze before maturing to green in summer before turning long lasting autumn tones of red and orange.

Of course, autumn foliage trees come with their inevitable fall which means a good stint on the rake at the end of autumn, but boy is it worth it for the joy they will bring you while they are in their glory.

For further information, visit Flemings via the links below.