Top Five Trees for Amazing Fall Color

A Poetic Tribute to Autumn

John Keats’ 1820 poem ‘To Autumn’ is a romantic ode to the season that gently leads us into winter. The vivid descriptions of nature’s slowing pace, the changing colors, and the brisk temperatures are mirrored in how we embrace fall today—through decorations, apple orchard visits, and the much-loved Pumpkin Spice craze.

“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells…
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.”

Fall Color in Bluff Country

In Red Wing’s beautiful bluff country, nature transforms green landscapes into a riot of golds, burgundies, and crimsons when autumn arrives. These vibrant hues don’t have to be admired from afar—they can also grace your own backyard, bringing stunning fall color to your landscape.
Here are five stunning trees to cultivate autumn’s beauty right at home:

1) Autumn Blaze Maple

A hybrid of silver and red maples, this tree delivers stunning fall colors and adapts to a variety of growing conditions. Its rapid growth means you’ll enjoy its vibrant display sooner than slower-growing varieties.

Height/Spread: Grows to about 50 feet tall with a 40-foot spread
Foliage: Green throughout the season, turns to a bright orange in fall
Bark: Furrowed gray with brick red branches for year-round interest
Flowers: Showy red clusters in early spring before the leaves emerge

This tree is perfect for shade or as a landscape accent, and its high canopy makes it ideal for areas where you want to allow foot traffic underneath. Maintenance is minimal, but prune only in summer after leaves have fully developed to avoid sap bleeding. Under ideal conditions, the Autumn Blaze can live for over 80 years.

Sunlight: Full sun
Water: Average to wet conditions, tolerates standing water
Soil Type: Adaptable, not particular about pH
Maintenance: Low, prune in summer

It is highly tolerant of urban pollution, making it a good choice for city environments.

Autumn Blaze Maple-Monrovia

2) Fall Fiesta Sugar Maple

The Fall Fiesta Sugar Maple is a sturdy, hardy tree that bursts into a fiery display of yellow, orange, and red in the fall. It’s a long-lasting tree that provides reliable shade and is perfect for large spaces.

Height/Spread: Typically grows to 60 feet high and wide
Fall Color: A mix of yellow, orange, and red
Lifespan: Can live for 100 years or more
Growth Rate: Medium

This low-maintenance tree requires pruning only in summer after the leaves have developed. It thrives in rich soils and doesn’t tolerate drought well, so it prefers moist conditions.

Sunlight: Full sun
Water: Average to moist conditions
Soil Type: Not particular about soil pH, prefers rich soils
Maintenance: Low, prune in summer

Although it is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, this tree truly shines in more natural landscapes with space to grow.

Fall Fiesta Sugar Maple-NetPS Plant Finder

3) Majestic Skies Pin Oak

This stately tree adds deep red color to your landscape in the fall. The Majestic Skies Pin Oak features dark green foliage that turns glossy red during autumn and has interesting furrowed gray bark with silver branches.

Height/Spread: Reaches 60 feet tall with a spread of 45 feet
Fall Color: Glossy red leaves
Lifespan: Can live over 100 years
Growth Rate: Medium
Acorns: Acorns can be messy, which may require cleanup if you’re a fussy landscaper

The tree is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It thrives in a variety of conditions but prefers acidic soils. In alkaline soils, the leaves may develop chlorosis (yellowing).

Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Average to moist conditions
Soil Type: Prefers acidic soils, avoid alkaline
Maintenance: Moderate, prune in late winter

The Majestic Skies Pin Oak is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution and can be a fantastic addition to large landscapes.

4) Burgundy Belle Maple

For a striking fall display of reddish to burgundy leaves, the Burgundy Belle is a wonderful option. This compact tree provides dense shade and is known for its rich, wine-like color in autumn.

Height/Spread: Typically reaches 50 feet tall with a 40-foot spread
Fall Color: Reddish to wine-burgundy
Lifespan: Around 80 years
Growth Rate: Medium

This tree is relatively low maintenance and should be pruned in summer once the leaves have fully developed to prevent sap bleeding. It’s highly adaptable to various growing conditions, including some standing water.

Sunlight: Full sun
Water: Average to wet conditions, tolerates some standing water
Soil Type: Prefers acidic soils, susceptible to chlorosis in alkaline soils
Maintenance: Low, prune in summer

The Burgundy Belle is an excellent choice for compact landscapes or where space is more limited.

5) Quaking Aspen

The Quaking Aspen is a beautiful, native tree known for its distinctive white bark and delicate round leaves that shimmer and flutter in the slightest breeze. In autumn, its leaves turn a vibrant gold.

Height/Spread: Grows to about 50 feet tall with a spread of 30 feet
Fall Color: Gold
Lifespan: Around 50 years
Growth Rate: Fast

While beautiful, this tree is best suited to more natural, forested settings as it suckers vigorously, making it challenging to control in a manicured landscape. It also requires regular maintenance and is best pruned in late winter. Quaking Aspens are drought-tolerant and can even tolerate some standing water, making them great for xeriscaping.

Sunlight: Full sun
Water: Tolerates both dry and wet conditions
Soil Type: Not particular, but avoid urban areas due to pollution intolerance
Maintenance: High, prune in late winter