15 of the Best Woody Shrubs for Fall Color | Gardener's Path

15 of the Best Woody Shrubs for Fall Color

The flora of spring and summer with their lush foliage and eye-catching flowers receive a lot of attention in the garden.

But we shouldn’t forget about autumn’s contribution to Mother Nature’s colorful palette.

Many deciduous shrubs and bushes shine brightly as the dog days of summer wane and a hint of fall’s crisp air begins to sneak in.

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Let’s look at our top picks, a collection of woody shrubs that are particularly memorable and well-suited for landscapes east, west, north and south.

All of these selections add vivid color and will definitely make an impact in your landscape in the autumn and most can be grown throughout temperate North America and Europe.

American beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, is native to southern North America and suitable for cultivation in Zones 6 to 10.

In fall, the bright green leaves turn a fantastic shade of yellow which are beautifully set off by the clusters of bright purple BB-pellet-sized fruits.

As a bonus for those looking for an understory shrub, this plant is shade tolerant – it prefers a part shade location. With a shrubby, open growth habit, this plant tops out at three to five feet tall and wide.

American beautyberry is not picky about soil, either, and it’s quite drought-resistant, though it does perform better with regular watering, especially when it’s young.

American Beautyberry

If you’d like to add American beautyberry to your garden, you can find plants in three-gallon pots available at FastGrowingTrees.com.

And you can check out our guide to growing