Top 10 Autumn Trees😍

Millbrook Golf Course, Arrowtown

Walking around in Autumn is exhilarating.  There are so many colours, with shades ranging from a delicate yellow, to the kind of deep and intense claret that practically urges you to uncork a nice bottle for a pleasant afternoon spent in the company of nature. 

But just what are the trees that take to the stage every Autumn for this annual show of colour?  We’ve taken the guesswork out of it for you.  Below is a link to what we believe to be the Top 10 Autumn Colour Trees.  Before you click the link, here are two worthy of particular mention.

Above: Vibrant colours at the Millbrook Golf Course

AMELANCHIER cannadensis

AMELANCHIER cannadensis - Millbrook, Arrowtown, April

Some trees give you a sign. The ‘Service Berry’ certainly does. When the white starry flowers arrive it usually coincides with the arrival of whitebait. The bronze tipped leaves of spring will give way to a fresh, almost mint green colour during the summer months as the flowers fade. Then when the Autumn show begins, you’ll welcome oranges and bright reds, even the odd intense crimson or purple, before the wonderful display moves to the ground below as the leaves fall. The Service Berry is tolerant of dry, exposed conditions and will grow to 4 x 3 metres.

Above: established Amelanchier tree in Arrowtown showing its full colours!

AMELANCHIER cannadensis - April

Striking autumn foliage of the Amelanchier

QUERCUS palustris - Pin Oak

QUERCUS palustris - Queenstown, April

Found around the rivers, lakes and swamps of North America, the Pin Oak (otherwise known as the ‘Swamp Oak’) is a remarkable tree.  Native Americans would use its bark as an insect repellent while its hardwood makes for a hearty fire.  It also has the most unusually attractive foliage.  It’s deeply cut, with these pointed lobes that give the impression the leaf is trying to reach out in multiple directions, away from the stem.  Bright green in spring, they turn to wonderful shades of coppery russet and fiery red in autumn. These are the leaves that produce the most satisfying crunch underfoot as winter moves in.  The neat pyramidal form of this deciduous marvel will reach 8 x 6.

Above: Quercus palustris – Pin Oak in Millbrook

QUERCUS palustris 200lt, Heritage Range, May

Quercus palustris – Pin Oak 200lt container 5m+ grade

TOP 10 Autumn Colour Trees - free download

Autumn colour trees - Top 10
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