Kinghorn Gardens

Five Fabulous Plants for Fall

September 23rd, 2010

Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance’ (Serviceberry)

Serviceberry is an elegant understory tree, grown either as a single or multi-stemmed plant.  Beginning in spring, with its delicate white flowers, which fade into bright red June berries, this plant constantly has something to offer, but perhaps its best feature is its fall color.  The leaves become a brilliant red-orange, rivaling any plant in the fall landscape.

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Plumbago)

A mat-forming groundcover, Plumbago saves everything for fall.  It’s bright blue flowers begin appearing in late summer and persist into fall, often appearing along side its burgundy fall leaves.

Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea)

A shrub for all season’s, but perhaps the Oakleaf Hydrangea’s best show is in fall.  The giant, coarse leaves take on shades of red and burgundy, often persisting into winter.  It is truly a show-stopper.

Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’ (Virginia Sweetspire)

This easy to grow shrub is a favorite for nearly any situation from full shade to sunny spots.  It’s graceful arching branches and fragrant white flowers make it hard to resist, but fall is when it really stands out.  The typically bright green leaves begin turning red-purple and often persist into winter.

Callicarpa dichotoma (Beauty Berry)

Often over looked in the garden – until fall – Beauty Berry has a graceful – arching habit and its inconspicuous flowers may go unnoticed. But in September, the clusters of small berries which adorn the branches begin to turn shades of amethyst-purple, truly becoming a standout in any fall landscape.