Good to the last drop
The spectacle of fall foliage invites us to take a second look at common wild plants that seem to be changing their personalities this month. For instance, humble staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is often considered a weed, but it is actually a native tree that grows in clumps up to 30 feet tall. In fall it sprouts velvety red twigs that look like budding deer antlers, hence the name, and 2-foot-long leaves with dozens of leaflets that turn glowing orange and scarlet. (Some people confuse it with poison sumac but that grows only in wetlands.) There are even some ornamental staghorn sumac cultivars for gardens such as Dissecta, a mutant discovered in Massachusetts in the late 1800s with deeply divided leaflets that create a fine textured ferny effect.
Fall is also the time to take notice of the American larch or tamarack (Larix larcina). It's our most cold-hardy tree, growing all the way north to the Arctic Circle (and as far south as New Jersey). Though a conifer closely related to pine trees, it survives the cold by dropping its needles each fall after they turn brilliant yellow. Some people unaware of this unique trick have cut down mature larches in winter, thinking they've died. (Whenever people ask me about removing a supposedly winter-killed plant, I advise them to wait and give it the benefit of the doubt.)
Most birch trees also need a cold climate to thrive, and do poorly where summers are hot. The paper birch is also called the canoe birch because its white, water-tight bark was used by Native Americans for making boats. It's the state tree of New Hampshire and the most conspicuous marker of the North Woods. Most birch trees have bright yellow leaves in fall but not all have white bark. Sweet birch (Betula lenta) has the best fall color but its bark is a rich dark red.
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is the standard by which all other trees are measured for spectacular fall foliage -- and it produces maple syrup, too. Autumn colors range from gold to orange to red, often all on the same leaf.
Our New England forests abound with many other native trees with good fall color, including other maples, shadblows (Amelanchier), American hornbeam (Carpinum caroliniana), yellowwood (Cladrastis), dogwoods (Cornus), oaks, tupelo, mountain ash (Sorbus americana), and sassafras (Sassafras albidum).
When planting a specimen tree for your home, always consider its potential for fall color. But don't confine your attention to what's growing in your back yard. This is the time of year to take a walk in the woods and savor New England's season of glory.
