Contrary to popular belief, LA does, in fact, have seasons. They may not happen when or how you expect them to, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a fix of fall color in your life this autumn.
Some of our evergreen natives color up in fall when the temperatures drop by getting a reddish or purple tint to their leaves. Others turn yellow or orange before dropping their leaves. To be a leaf peeper, visit our local natural areas in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Angeles National Forest, and the San Bernardino National Forest. To see native and non-native beauty the L.A. County Arboretum and Botanic Garden or any of the other local botanic gardens (Descanso Gardens, South Coast Botanic Garden, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, The Huntington Library, Art Collection and Botanical Gardens). And don’t forget to appreciate our street and park trees (crape myrtle, sweetgum, tulip tree to name a few)!
If you’re looking to plant natives with colorful autumn leaves, flowers, and fruit, these are some fantastic options:
For colorful leaves –
- Western redbud
- Roger’s Red grape
- Cottonwood
- Golden currant
- Skunkbush/ Basket bush
- Western sycamore
- California Black Walnut
For colorful flowers and fruit –
- Bladderpod
- California aster
- California buckeye
- California buckwheat
- California fuchsia
- California goldenrod
- California wild grape
- California wild rose (hips)
- Chaparral currant
- Chaparral Honeysuckle
- Rabbitbrush
- Seaside daisy
- Toyon
To learn more about how you can bring a dash of autumn color to your yard with California native plants, visit treepeople.org/yards for helpful guides, explainers and tips.