The Most Beautiful Shrubs with Spectacular Fall Colors (Other Than Japanese Maple)

In the fall, you can enjoy the most beautiful foliage colors on trees and shrubs. Most of the well-known trees and shrubs with beautiful fall colors grow very large. Think of the sweetgum, maple, and ornamental cherry. But did you know that there are also many smaller trees and shrubs with fall colors that are truly worth checking out? Of course, there’s the Japanese maple: fantastic plants with stunning fall colors. But there are even more shrubs with beautiful fall foliage. We’d love to list our favorites for you.

Our favorite trees and shrubs with beautiful fall colors

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

Okay, let’s start with the Japanese maple: Japanese maples are simply the best-known small trees or shrubs with beautiful fall colors. Many varieties grow to less than 2–3 meters tall and are therefore ideal for a small garden. Japanese maples have a lovely, irregular growth habit. In addition to their attractive leaf shape and fresh new growth (which is sometimes colored) in the spring, you’ll enjoy stunning shades of color in the fall. The variety is vast: from golden yellow to bright orange, fiery red, scarlet, and deep purple.

The best Japanese maples for fall colors:

• Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ (bright red fall color)
• Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ (deep purplish-red foliage in the fall)
• Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ (golden-yellow foliage)
• Acer palmatum ‘Fireglow’ (purple-red to fiery-red foliage)

Dogwood (Cornus)

Dogwood is a large genus of plants, many species of which develop beautiful fall colors. White dogwood (Cornus alba), for example, develops orange-red to sometimes purplish-red leaves. The leaves of the red dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) turn yellow-orange-red in the fall. Both white and red dogwoods also have beautiful red branches in the winter. In Cornus alba, the branches are even fiery red. Japanese dogwood (Cornus kousa) is best known for its large white or pink flowers, but it also has beautiful fall colors, turning shades of yellow, red, and purple.

The best dogwoods for fall colors:

• Cornus kousa ‘Teutonia’ (the most beautiful kousa variety for fall color)
• Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ (red to purplish-red foliage and red branches)
• Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ (yellow-orange foliage and orange-red branches)

Winged spindle tree (Euonymus alatus)

The winged spindle tree, also known as the cardinal’s hat, is called the “burning bush” in English, which aptly describes its fall color. In the fall, the leaves of this shrub turn a brilliant fiery red. The Dutch name comes from its distinctive fruits. This Euonymus also has graceful corky stems, which are clearly visible in winter once the leaves have fallen. Euonymus planipes and Euonymus europaeus also develop beautiful fall colors.

Bellflower (Enkianthus campanulatus)

Enkianthus campanulatus, also known as the bellflower, is a shrub with bell-shaped cream-white flowers in the spring and striking fall color. In the fall, the leaves of this shrub turn bright orange to vivid red. Cultivars such as ‘Red Bells’ have flowers with pink-red edges. Enkianthus grows to about 2–3 meters tall without pruning and thrives in full sun or partial shade.

Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)

Heavenly bamboo is an evergreen shrub with finely pinnate leaves that turn orange-red to fiery red and purplish-red in the fall. In addition, it produces bright red berries during the same season. In late spring, Nandina blooms with small white flowers. It looks beautiful both as a specimen plant and in a hedge, and thrives in full sun as well as in partial shade.

The best Nandinas for fall colors:

• Nandina domestica ‘Fire Power’ (fiery red foliage and red berries)
• Nandina domestica ‘Obsessed’ (red foliage)
• Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream’ (orange-red foliage)

Lamp-Cleaner Bush or Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii)

Fothergilla gardenii is known in Dutch as the “lamp cleaner shrub” or “dwarf fothergilla” and is a compact shrub that produces creamy-white, brush-like flowers in the spring. The flowers have a delightful fragrance and appear on the still-bare branches. The foliage is blue-green. In the fall, the foliage turns shades of yellow, orange, and red. Plant in well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. Well-known cultivars include Fothergilla gardenii ‘Blue Mist’, ‘Blue Shadow’, and ‘Suzanne’.

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)

Blueberries are delicious to eat. But did you know that they also make beautiful shrubs? In the spring, they produce lovely white flowers, which turn into tasty berries during the growing season. The vast majority of blueberry bushes also display beautiful fall colors. The leaves of these plants turn yellow, orange, and red.

The best blueberries for fall colors:

• Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Bluecrop’ (red-orange foliage in the fall)
• Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Northcountry’ (yellow-orange-red foliage)
• Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Pink Lemonade’ (yellow to bright orange)

15 more shrubs with spectacular fall colors:

Fortunately, there are many more beautiful shrubs with lovely fall colors. Here is a brief overview, in which we list the leaf color in the fall for each one.

• Chokeberry (Aronia; orange-red to bright red)
• flowering willow (Itea virginica; purplish red)
• grape heath (Leucothoe; purplish-red)
• oak-leaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia; red to purplish red)
• sumac (Rhus typhina; yellow, orange to red)
• Guelder rose (Viburnum opulus; red leaves with red berries)
• Japanese snowball (Viburnum plicatum; orange-red to purplish-red)
• serviceberry (Amelanchier lamarckii; yellow, orange, red)
• mahonia shrub (Mahonia; purple-red)
• Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica; orange, red)
• smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria; orange to red)
• spiraea (Spiraea japonica; yellow, orange, red)
• witch hazel (Hamamelis; yellow, orange)
• wild spindle tree (Euonymus europaeus; bright red)
• wild grapevine (Parthenocissus; bright red to purplish red)