Small Trees for Adding Fall Color

Adding more color to your garden and yard during the fall months is a problem for most gardeners and homeowners. Small trees that bloom through the fall, or add color with leaves that fade rather than brown, produce berries or blooms, or have an interesting bark color are all great options.

Because of their petite size, small trees can be a great tool in the design of your landscape, fill gaps in gardens or natural privacy screens, and help in creating areas of your garden for rest with the addition of seating. Fortunately, there are several small trees that are perfect for adding fall color to the garden that grow successfully in a wide number of hardy zones.

If you want to add autumn color to your yard and garden this year, the following small trees will add a welcome burst of color.

Flowering Dogwood Trees
Their small size and bright flowers make the dogwood tree a great choice for the home garden. Available in several flowering colors, the leaves are a shocking red and deep burgundy in the fall, providing the perfect amount of shade and a scenic backdrop to any seated garden spot. If you are interested in the most color for your dollar, the pink flowering varieties are the showiest and blooms last for more than two weeks each year, with even more color in the autumn. All varieties of dogwood are able to survive hardiness zones 5 through 8.

Japanese Maple
The many varieties of Japanese maple trees can be the focal point of your garden all year round, and with even more dwarf varieties available now than ever before, choosing a small one for your yard is easy. The feather like leaves are always a deep shade of red to burgundy in color, and depending on the variety, the trunk and branches will either grow upright or branch outward in interesting positions that will attract attention long after its leaves have fallen. For the best effect, plant near ponds and water gardens, or in gardening gaps when you need to connect two gardens and create a continuous line. Most varieties do well in zones 5 to 8.

Hawthorn Tree
The slow growing hawthorn tree maintains a small stature and is a great source of autumnal color. Originally grown as a hedge or small bush, new varieties have made the trunk more pronounced and with early pruning you can train your hawthorn tree to grow in almost any shape you desire. Each variety is very leafy and in autumn the leaves fade from a deep green to a shocking red, orange and then bright yellow. Native to Europe, the hawthorn does well in zones 5 to 8.

Each of these small tree options is a great way to add a pop of bright color to your garden this autumn, as well as the rest of the year. Showcase each tree by drawing attention to them with the addition of a garden bench, water fountains or bird bath.