Most people agree that the best displays of fall foliage include a smattering of gold, yellow, orange, red and burgundy. We thought it would be helpful to offer you examples of trees and shrubs that provide those colors. In This Article 1. Removing fallen leaves off junipers Coming up with a list of plants that reliably turn a certain color was a bit of a challenge. That's because air temperature, soil moisture and sunlight all play roles in determining the intensity of fall foliage.
Cloudy weather decreases the intensity.
So as you review our list, keep in mind that some trees, such as hickory and birch, will always turn yellow. Others might follow a different path. Red maples tend to turn red and sugar maples, orange, but either could end up yellow due to environmental factors. The truth is, fall color can vary even on a single plant, as with the leaves of a sweet gum, which might be red in sun but yellow in shade. August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.