Home >> Science & Nature >> Nature

The Best Trees for Fall Color & Shade

Tall trees with medium to large leaves are the best for shade from extreme heat in the summer. Consider it a bonus if the tree also produces vibrant colored leaves in the fall for your viewing pleasure. Fortunately, there are many trees that provide optimal amounts of shade in the warmer months and change numerous shades of festive colors during the fall.

Liquidambar styraciflua - Sweetgum
- More commonly known as the sweetgum tree, Liquidambar styraciflua is a tree native to North America. The tree is known for its glossy, star-shaped leaves. Around autumn, the Sweetgum tree turns magnificent shades of burgundy, orange and red. This particular species of tree is capable of towering up to 80 feet.
Betula lenta - Sweet Birch
- Sweet birch trees turn vibrant shades of yellow in autumn.
  
  The sweet birch tree provides shade with its medium, triangular leaves and adds an unusual touch to a yard with its cinnamon-colored peeling bark. Sweet birch trees thrive in sunny areas with some shade and in moist soil. The Betula lenta is native to eastern North America and is often found in cooler areas like the Georgia mountains and in the Southwest.
Acer saccharum - Sugar Maple
- Sugar maple trees turn a variety of colors in fall, including red and orange.
  
  Also known as the sugar maple, Acer saccharum grow up to 70 feet in ideal conditions (moist, well-drained soil with plenty of sun). The tree is native to North America and during active growing periods (spring and summer), the sugar maple provides a cool place to retreat to escape the heat. At the end of the season, sugar maple leaves turn festive shades of red, orange and yellow.

Nature