native trees Archives - Nature Center at Greenburgh

The Northeastern United States is famous for fall foliage. “Leaf peepers” come from all over the world to see our native plants in their dramatic fall colors.

Why, then, should a walk around suburban neighborhoods, in the same region during the same season, be so disappointing? Where are the colors?

The plants that thrill “leaf peepers” grew in abundance before the suburbs were developed, and they would still thrive here – if only they were planted! It seems that every suburban yard uses the same non-native “foundation plants” — boxwood, pachysandra, ivy, and hedges of yew or privet or even bamboo! – all completely devoid of our famous fall colors!

C’mon people! We can do so much better than this! Why not plant our yards with the same trees, shrubs, and perennials that make this region a tourist attraction in the fall? Let’s add some color, life, and seasonal interest beyond pumpkins! There are so many great choices with our incredible abundance of Northeastern native plants.

Red maple (*Acer rubrum*)
Photo: Michael Martini

The undisputed rock-stars of fall color are our native Maples, and Oak trees are a close second. If you have a lawn, you probably have room for a Maple or a native Oak. Oaks have enormous value for wildlife — and for homeowners! [See this blog post] Both Maples and Oaks are beautiful year-round, but autumn is their glory season.

Our native flowering trees are also brilliant in the fall. Nothing beats the American Dogwood (Cornus florida) with its intense maroon foliage and vivid scarlet berries. Crabapples (Malus spp.) also produce colorful fruit, and American Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) starts blooming in October!

The Northeast is also blessed with native shrubs that produce kaleidoscopic colors in the fall. While evergreen foundation shrubs are useful, why not add some of the flowering and fruiting native shrubs that bring color and interest in both spring and fall? Here are some easy choices to add to your yard. All of the shrubs pictured below are locally available, easy to grow, valuable to wildlife, have beautiful flowers, and are spectacular in the fall.

Oakleaf Hydrangea (*Hydrangea quercifolia*)

Possumhaw Viburum (*Viburnum nudum*) pictured with
American Witch Hazel

Low Bush Blueberry (*Vaccinium angustifolium*)

American Cranberrybush (*Viburnum trilobum*)

And don’t forget fall flowers and grasses in gorgeous colors!

Aromatic Aster (*Symphyotrichum oblongifolium* ‘Raydon’s Favorite’)

Switch Grass (*Panicum virgatum* ‘Cheyenne Sky’) shown with Ironweed (*Vernonia lettermanii* ‘Iron Butterfly’)

Not only are these plants beautiful, they are incredibly valuable to the ecosystem of the Northeastern US. So many suburban landscapes use non-native plants that offer nothing to birds, butterflies, bees and other insects, and many are destructively invasive as well. If your only fall color is coming from burning bush or Japanese maple, you may want to consider native alternatives for those reasons. Privet, bamboo, ivy, vinca, and pachysandra are all known to be invasive plants and can be replaced easily with native plants that are beautiful in the fall, and year-round.

And wouldn’t you enjoy an autumn view like this?

Willow leaf oak (*Quercus phellos*), American dogwood,
and Pin Oaks

And this?

Oaks, Inkberry (Ilex glabra), Blue Star (Amsonia tabernaemontana and A. hubrichtii), High Bush Blueberry(Vaccinium corymbosum), Common juniper, and Possumhaw Viburnum

The fall glory of native plants lies within your reach!

THIS BLOG IS AUTHORED WEEKLY BY CATHY LUDDEN, CONSERVATIONIST AND NATIVE PLANT EDUCATOR; AND BOARD MEMBER, GREENBURGH NATURE CENTER. FOLLOW CATHY ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE PHOTOS AND GARDENING TIPS @CATHYLUDDEN.

If you were a hungry bird looking for a high-protein snack in mid-winter, where would you go to find some tasty insects? And if you are a human desperate for something interesting to look at in the mid-winter landscape, what would you like to see out your window or along a path? To answer both questions, take a look at the gorgeous bark of our native River Birch (Betula nigra).

River Birch is a great tree for landscapes in our area. As the name implies, its native habitat is stream-side or near a pond. But it is perfectly happy in our acidic soil with average moisture. We have it planted next to the Meadow at the Nature Center, without any irrigation at all, and it is doing fine. It is also perfect in an area that floods occasionally, as long as the soil dries out in a few days, and there is plenty of sun.

Young River Birches at the edge of the Nature Center’s Meadow

River Birch can be a single-trunk tree, but it is more commonly multi-trunked, which adds some interesting variety to residential plantings. It is fast growing – over two feet per year – and can reach 50 to 70 feet ultimately. It does not pose a risk to houses or other structures, but it will drop lots of small twigs after a wind storm. River Birch has small glossy leaves that move lightly in the breeze and provided dappled shade. Fall color is golden yellow and lasts for weeks.

A gorgeous stand of River Birches pond side – *Photo courtesy of Mia Edwards*

Birch trees are one of the most valuable host species for butterflies and moths, providing the critical food source for 413 species of Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth family). And that means birds will flock to your River Birch all summer to find caterpillars to feed their chicks. A birch grove is a bird sanctuary all summer with lots of food and hiding places. And in the winter, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, and many other birds will hunt in the millions of folds and crevices in the bark for over-wintering insects.

A close look at the bark reveals a food pantry for birds

Can you see where the woodpeckers have been hunting?

As River Birch matures, the bark becomes less flaky on the lower trunks, but the upper branches retain that cinnamon color and peeling texture. Don’t underestimate the ultimate size when you plant River Birch. After 20 years or so, each trunk can reach over a foot in diameter, so a multi-trunked tree will need some room.

But what a pleasure that bark is in the winter landscape!

A 20-year old River Birch shows off its “winter interest”

This blog is authored weekly by Cathy Ludden, conservationist and native plant educator; and Board Member, Greenburgh Nature Center. Follow Cathy on Instagram for more photos and gardening tips @cathyludden.