When it comes to fall color, it’s not only trees that put on a dazzling
show. Select the right shrubs and you can have a display of autumn colors
closer to ground level. Here are a few of my favorites:

Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus compacta)
It is sometimes called Cork Tree or Dwarf Winged Euonymus, but nothing can
better describe this shrub than the name Burning Bush! In the fall, the
foliage turns to such a brilliant – almost luminous – red that it almost
seems too perfect to be real. But real it is, of course.

If left untrimmed, it can reach a height of about 6 to 10 feet and
produces orange/red berries that provide food for wildlife through the
winter. A row of Burning Bushes in front of your house, particularly if
backed by a white or light-colored wall, will create a colorful welcome to
visitors in the fall. Although Burning Bush is somewhat shade-tolerant,
you’ll see the brightest color if the shrubs are planted in full sun.

Fothergilla (Fothergilla Hamamelidaceae)
Like many plants, this one has an interesting history. It is named after
Dr. John Fothergill (1735 – 1780), a physician and botanist, who
championed the cause of the American colonists and became a friend of
Benjamin Franklin.

Fothergilla is a dense, compact shrub producing fragrant, feathery, white
flowers in the spring that remind me of bottle brushes. The rounded,
dark-green leaves turn to a delightful orange-red and even scarlet.
Fothergilla are tolerant of most soils, but do best in acid, moist,
well-drained soil.

Clethra Ruby Spice (Clethra alnifolia Ruby Spice
The first time I saw this plant (or to be more accurate, a whole section
of them) growing at a friend’s nursery, I was immediately struck by the
cinnamon-like fragrance that was apparent from at least 50 feet away! It
was July and the clusters of pink flowers were in full bloom.

Later, in the fall, the foliage becomes a very pleasant shade of yellow
and then golden-brown. Ruby Spice is a good choice for shrub borders or
around water features. I don’t recommend planting in drought-prone areas,
but on the other hand, it is fairly adaptable to semi-waterlogged clay
soils.

Little Henry (Itea virginica)
Little Henry could be a good choice when you’re looking for an attractive
perennial shrub that maintains a compact size. Topping out between 1 and 3
feet at maturity, Little Henry is a semi-evergreen with dark green leaves
that turn to a reddish tint in early fall and then go all the way to
remarkable shades of dark crimson and scarlet as the temperatures drop. As
I have said before, Little Henry is the one plant that can truly rival
Burning Bush when it comes to eye-popping fall color.

I’ve found Little Henry to be quite easy to grow and it seems relatively
free of problems associated with disease and insects. It’s an adaptable
little fellow, tolerant of damp or dry soils, variances in pH and tolerant
of light conditions from shade to full sun. I’d say Little Henry would be
a good choice to cover a bank or a hillside that’s not easy to mow. It
looks good around a pond or lake, too.

Shenandoah grass (Panicum virgatum)
This elegant ornamental grass is sometimes mistaken for Japanese Blood
grass, but is just different enough to give your landscape a unique edge.
Shenandoah has a cascading form with foliage that starts out green with
the tips beginning to turn red by about mid-July. By the fall, the entire
plant will have turned to a mixture of orange and red, for a spectacular
display.

Shenandoah is a fairly fast-growing grass that can reach a height of
around 4 to 5 feet. Plant it where it can get the benefit of full sun in
order to achieve the full benefit of the spectacular color.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs and
landscaping to and for resources and additional
information, including archived columns, visit www.landsteward.org




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