By MARTY WINGATE
SPECIAL TO THE P-I
Think "fall color" and your mind automatically goes to the genus Acer. Maples offer a huge selection of trees that light up in autumn. But maples aren't the only show in the autumnal garden.
Those gardeners who have lost a maple to verticillium wilt -- a soil-borne fungus -- need to avoid most maples, because the disease persists in the soil. But anyone can enjoy the display put on by the following 10 trees.
Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) -- The colors range from apricot to red on this pyramid-shaped tree native to the Southeast. It prefers to grow in full sun or part shade, and acid soil. It will put up with wet, poorly drained sites, but also will tolerate dry soil once it's established. Mature size can be 40 feet high and 20 feet wide. 'Autumn Cascade' is a weeping variety.
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) -- Another native of the Southeastern U.S., sourwood shows its membership in the heather family by the fingerlike flower clusters that appear in fall (they look much like the flowers on a Pieris). The flowers show up well against the shocking red-orange color of the foliage. The best autumn color comes from trees planted in full sun. Sourwood has a columnar shape: It grows up to 25 feet high and 15 feet wide.
Beech (Fagus sylvatica) -- Fall turns the European beech from its summer green to warm gold. Its fine form (a large pyramid) and its mature size (60 feet high and 40 wide) can be daunting for smaller gardens. So look for 'Dawyck,' which grows tall but only about 10 feet wide (non-green forms 'Dawyck Purple' and 'Dawyck Gold' are available). Beech leaves make the best crunch underfoot on autumn walks.
Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) -- Many members of the witch hazel family can be relied on for a good autumn show, and Parrotia is a prime example. Shades of orange, red and scarlet turn green leaves into a multi-hued extravaganza; for the best show, buy one now, so you can see its color. With a visually pleasing spread, the tree reaches about 30 feet high and wide; 'Vanessa' will reach the same height, but not as wide.
Washington hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) -- Great fall color from this disease-resistant hawthorn, but its ornamental qualities go beyond that: It has glossy green leaves and clusters of white spring flowers that develop into sprigs of red berries, much like a pyracantha (and thorns to match). You're already sold on its characteristics, and then comes the scarlet fall color. The Washington hawthorn grows about 30 feet high and wide.
Raywood ash (Fraxinus angustifolia 'Raywood') -- A fine street tree that offers an interesting turn on autumn color, the 'Raywood' ash turns from green to a chocolate maroon, then fires up into orange. Its compound leaves are divided into narrow leaflets, which gives a soft overall texture to the tree. It grows up to 35 feet high and 25 feet wide.
Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia) -- More often seen as a shrub, but the single-trunk crape myrtles make fabulous small trees, as some gardeners are discovering. Although it's late to leaf out, the new growth makes up for it, glowing bronze-red. Panicles of late-summer flowers age to marble-size fruit, then, in late fall, leaves turn bright red. Overall, it's late, but worth it. Plus, mature bark becomes mottled with patches of gray, pink and brown. Look for: 'Centennial Spirit,' 'Dynamite' or any other selection that has been trained into a tree form (or enjoy it as a large shrub, multi-trunk style).
Japanese stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia) -- A small tree for light shade and protected places, it will repay you many times over for the care you take. Single, white, summer flowers are followed by red and orange fall color. Elegant pointed buds, pretty bronze new growth, flaky bark, a layered branching pattern and 25 feet high and 15 feet wide -- who could ask for anything more?
Ornamental pear (Pyrus) -- White spring flowers and glossy green leaves in summer give you two seasons, and fall color makes it three for ornamental pears. Be choosy when you select a variety, because older cultivars such as 'Capital' are prone to limbs breaking in snow or wind. 'Autumn Blaze' grows 30 feet high and 20 feet wide with scarlet fall color; 'Redspire' is slightly taller with yellow to red fall color.
Ginkgo biloba -- If only those ginkgos near Vantage had made it out of the Miocene period, we could call this a Northwest native tree. Still, it's a fine, tough tree for gardens, streets and public places. Its unusual leaves resemble a maidenhair fern frond. Bright green in summer, they turn to butter-yellow in fall. 'Princeton Sentry' grows 40 feet high and 15 wide; 'Saratoga' as tall and 30 feet wide; 'Autumn Gold' offers stronger fall highlights.
Marty Wingate, a Master Gardener, is the author of two garden books. She can be contacted at: martywin@earthlink.net. Her Web site, including a blog, is martywingate.com.
