10 bushes and trees with intense autumn colors

There is one thing above all else that belongs to autumn: colorful leaves! Find out here which bushes and trees develop the most beautiful colors in autumn.

Many people consider autumn to be the best time of the year. Especially the bright colors of the leaves have always fascinated young and old and ensure a breathtaking play of colors. But not every tree and every shrub colors its leaves so beautifully orange, yellow or red. So that you can still look forward to a colorful autumn, we show you ten shrubs and trees that have the most beautiful and intense colors.

So that your garden also has a real sea of ​​colors to offer in autumn, some of the following shrubs and trees should definitely find their way into your garden.

1. ginkgo

In his home country China is the

Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba) is especially popular because of its beautiful autumn colors. No wonder, after all, the leaves are bright yellow in autumn and cannot be overlooked from afar. Fortunately, nobody has to travel to Asia anymore to admire this natural phenomenon: Ginkgo is now growing worldwide and is also enjoying increasing popularity in Germany. The ginkgo grows almost by itself in sunny locations. However, a purchase should definitely be considered carefully. On the one hand, ginkgos grow up to 40 meters high and form a spreading crown that can quickly lead to space problems in small gardens. On the other hand, female ginkgo trees develop mirabelle-like fruits in September that have a very unpleasant smell. That is why many gardeners prefer the male variant of the tree that does not bear fruit.

2. Barberry

the Barberries (Berberis) are now a popular hedge plant. Above all, the fact that they are extremely easy to care for makes them ideal for this task. As a rule, a barberry does not need to be watered or fertilized after it has grown in - it virtually takes care of itself. There are also many species that are evergreen and promise good privacy in winter. But the barberry can do even more: its glowing flowers look beautiful and make the hedge a visual eye-catcher. The barberry also bears small, red fruits that are very tasty, but also slightly sour, so that the barberry bears the name "sour thorn" or "vinegar berry" in many areas. In autumn, many species also show a beautiful leaf color. The hedge barberry (Berberis thunbergii) appears, for example, in deep orange to dark red, while the golden barberry (Berberis thunbergii ´Aurea´) shines in a beautiful golden yellow. With the barberry you offer a real beauty instead of a bland, green hedge.

tip: Why do the leaves change color in autumn? We provide the answer to this question in our special article, in which we also explain why the leaves fall in autumn.

3. Witch hazel

The name of the sounds a bit magical Witch hazel (Witch hazel) already on. But anyone who has seen the beautiful shrub once can hardly deny its magical beauty. The witch hazel is simply one of the most beautiful flowering shrubs. Witch hazel is a real eye-catcher, especially in winter: while all other plants are deeply The witch hazel suddenly drifts thread-like, bright yellow to red Petals off. A truly unreal sight between snow and ice. But even in autumn the witch hazel shows its best side and has leaves in color variations from yellow to carmine red.

4. Vinegar tree

Of the Vinegar tree (Rhus typhina) got its unusual name because its fruits should taste as sour and almost like vinegar. His berries have also fallen into disrepute in Germany and have long been considered poisonous. In fact, his berries are actually very healthy and tasty. In his native North America, the fruits of the vinegar tree have long been used for the production of the well-known "Indian Lemonade", which is a real vitamin C bomb. The red berries also look fabulous when they stay on the otherwise bare branches in winter and stand out from the white snow. But its autumn color is also one reason why the vinegar tree is gaining popularity again as an ornamental wood: its leaves turn orange to bright red. Especially in combination with evergreen hedges or dark purple asters, the vinegar tree becomes a visual sensation.

5. Japanese maple

The Japanese maple is probably a real autumn classic. With its filigree leaves, which turn yellow-orange to crimson red in October, it also looks simply wonderful. In addition, its picturesque growth with the short trunk and the sweeping crown reinforces its impressive effect. As a rule, three types are grouped under the name Japanese maple: The Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), the Japanese maple (Acer japonicum) and the golden maple (Acer shirasawanum ´Aureum´). The golden maple is characterized in autumn with a particularly bright and intense yellow color that is wonderful to look at. The Japanese maple turns into a dancing sea of ​​flames in autumn and, with a height of up to seven meters, is significantly larger than the golden or Japanese maple. But also the Japanese maple is in no way inferior to its two brothers when it comes to leaf color - its filigree leaves show a wide variety of shapes and colors, depending on the cultivated form. With almost 400 different varieties, into which the three species are divided, almost every gardener will find a suitable tree.

6. Rock pear

Not just for autumn, but for the whole year: The Rock pear (Amelanchier) is a great tree for the home garden. In the spring the tree shines with beautiful, star-shaped flowers and in the autumn with an incredible color. There are almost 25 varieties of rock pear and all of them are easy to care for. Their colors vary from copper red to bronze and especially the North American species are real eye-catchers with their colorful foliage. But also the fruits of the rock pear are not to be despised, although many gardeners don't even know that they are edible. The small blue fruits are not only reminiscent of blueberries in appearance, but also in taste and are very healthy. In Germany, the fruit served as a substitute for currants for a long time, which is why the rock pear is often still called the "currant tree" in the vernacular.

7. Wild Wine

Not only trees and bushes can shine in bright red in autumn. How about, for example, a fence, a wall or an entire wall? With wild wine (Parthenocissus) that's not a problem at all. The undemanding climber is not only wonderfully easy to care for, it also grows quickly and conceals desolate facades under its green leaves. Especially in autumn, the wine becomes a real eye-catcher: Instead of bright green, the leaves turn deep red and bring autumnal beauty to every house. Incidentally, the leaves change color particularly intensely when the wine gets a lot of sun. But wild wine should not only move into your garden because of its beautiful color: the greenery Your house facade works like a natural air conditioning system and ensures a pleasantly cool summer Climate.

8. Chokeberry

Bright red leaves and deep black berries - in autumn the Chokeberry (Aronia), also called aronia, is a real eye-catcher. But the chokeberry is not only a feast for the eyes in autumn - it also enchants with beautiful white flowers in spring, which is why it is often grown as an ornamental plant. But the fruits of the chokeberry are by no means to be despised: With a lot of vitamin C, folic acid and antioxidants, the fruit is not only very healthy, but above all very tasty. It is a popular delicacy, especially as juice, jam and liqueur, but the dark fruits are also eaten dried as raisins. However, you should be careful when consuming the fruits raw, because they have a slight laxative effect. They also have a slightly sour taste, which not everyone likes. But just because of its breathtaking autumn colors, a chokeberry in the garden is definitely worth it.

9. Beautiful fruit

It is not the leaves, but the berries that make this plant so charming. the Beautiful fruit (Callicarpa bodinieri) definitely deserves its name: The intensely purple colored berries exude their very own flair. The small fruits, which almost resemble colored pearls and therefore gave the plant the name "love pearl bush", only appear on the otherwise rather inconspicuous bush in autumn. The beautiful berries linger on the plant until December and make an almost picturesque picture. However, one should not be deceived by the idyll - for people the fruits are poisonous despite their appetizing appearance. Otherwise, however, this fascinating eye candy is not very demanding: its cultivation requires little effort and is therefore also well suited for beginners.

10. Sweetgum tree

A colorful fireworks display in your own garden? With the sweetgum tree (Liquidambar) that's not a problem. This particular tree is native to North America and has leaves similar to the maple. While it is bred in its homeland mainly for its sweet-smelling resin, it is a popular ornamental tree in Europe. And not without reason: When it comes to the autumn colors, hardly anyone can hold a candle to the sweetgum tree. The sweetgum tree has a wide variety of shades from yellow to red to a deep purple. It is not uncommon for a tree to have entire color gradients that give the sweetgum tree a particularly beautiful appearance. Multiple shades of color can even appear on the same sheet. The sweetgum tree is not just a feast for the eyes, but for all the senses. If you rub the colorful leaves between your fingers, a pleasant scent flows towards you, which quickly reveals why the resin of the tree is so popular.

On the one hand, autumn leaves provide work in the garden, on the other hand it can be useful and offers some useful applications. What you all with Autumn leaves in the garden can get started here.

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