18 Most Stunning Trees That Turns Red in Autumn

Autumn brings so much calm and beauty into the atmosphere. The days become shorter while the temperature goes down, making it a perfect season for the colours to shine in the streets, lawns and gardens. There is a vivid play of shades of red and brown in the foliage of the trees. Do you also admire the red colour taking over the trees during this season, almost creating an amazing spectacle of nature? The shades like red, yellow and brown last only a few weeks, making it extra special. It is very important to cherish this time and especially the trees with red leaves in autumn because it’s an experience that should not be missed.

If you wish to see trees with red leaves or if you want to plant these trees in your lovely gardens, then make sure to read this article.

It contains 18 most beautiful trees with red leaves during the autumn season.

18 Beautiful Trees with Red Leaves in Autumn

Catch the beauty of the red-leaf trees in the autumn season near your surroundings. Not just the names of these trees but also wonderful information would be shared in the list. We hope that the list will give you some inspiration for the adornment of your yard and help you in choosing the right red colour for your garden.

Check out the list of trees below, so you can cherish the season’s hues while they last.

1. Red Oak

Red Oak is one of the fastest-growing oak in eastern North America. The foliage’s autumnal colours and the durable wood of the tree are its biggest attraction. This deciduous tree can grow up to 25m(80ft) and develops a rounded crown. It is considered a great habitat for insects and birds. This tree produces spring catkins which are followed by acorns. It has a high ornamental value and is mostly planted in gardens and parks. Its wood is also used to make flooring, furniture and construction.

Original Name: Quercus Rubra

Size: Height- 70 to 80ft and diameter- 2 to 3ft

Growing Conditions: In moist and well-drained deep fertile soils

Hardiness Rating: H7

2. Amur Maple

Amur Maple is a small deciduous tree famous for its brilliant fall colour. The tree’s foliage turns into a stunning red colour that makes it shine brighter during the autumn. It also produces green-white fragrant flowers in the late spring. Despite its slow growth, this maple tree can reach a height and spread up to 10m. It is well-suited for parks and public gardens. This is a very hardy plant, well resistant to drought, pollution and salt for icy roads.

Original Name: Acer ginnala

Size: Height- 7 to 10m and width- 4 to 8m

Growing Conditions: Sun and moist but well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H7

3. Japanese Maple

Japanese Maple is a small, deciduous maple tree with decorative foliage. It is one of the best trees with red leaves in autumn. This landscaping tree gives a perfect touch of the autumn season with shades ranging from dark purple, orange and bright red in the foliage. It is easy to grow in soil and containers. This tree looks good in gardens as it adds fiery hues to the nature surrounding it.

Original Name: Acer palmatum

Size: Height- 15 to 25ft and width- upto 20ft

Growing Conditions: Shade or part-shade and moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H6

4. Dogwood

Dogwood is a small broadleaf shrub which is famous for its springtime flowers. This tree is wildlife-friendly and produces pink or white flowers in masses throughout May and June. Not just only flowers, but this tree is also known for its heart-swooning foliage. The tree produces red fruits when the leaves of the tree become crimson and purple-like shade in autumn. It can make your garden look more pretty.

Original Name: Cornus

Size: Height up to 25ft tall

Growing Conditions: Sun to shade and moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H5 or H6

5. Sweet Gum

The Sweet Gum tree is a large deciduous tree which is mainly used in landscaping or street trees. The tree has glossy green leaves before autumn comes. There are so many shades of autumn that the leaves of this tree attain throughout the season. Colours like red, orange, burgundy and scarlet can be seen on the leaves that adorn this big tree. It creates a wonderful spectacle and is worthy of planting in a beautiful location.

Original Name: Liquidambar styraciflua

Size: Height- 60 to 75ft and width- 40 to 50ft

Growing Conditions: Sun to shade and well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H6

6. Katsura Tree

The Katsura tree is a single or multi-trunked deciduous tree with an upright, pyramidal and rounded form. The green and purple foliage of the tree turns into an orangish red and golden foliage in the autumn. It gives a magnificent look to the tree. This spectacular tree gives off the fragrance of caramel and cinnamon when its leaves are shedding off in winter. The tree looks attractive even after the leaves drop because of its pyramidal structure. This landscaping tree is worth planting in your garden.

Original Name: Cercidiphyllum Japonicum

Size: Height- 40 to 50ft and width- 25 to 35ft

Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and moist, organically rich and well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H5

7. Bald Cypress

Bald Cypress is a deciduous conifer with short needles arranged in pairs with slender branchlets. The yellow-green foliage turns into a captivating reddish or orangish brown in autumn. It is a very interesting tree as it grows into a pyramidal shape. It adapts well to wet and dry conditions. When planted in the right soil in yards, parks or streets, the tree performs very well and transforms into a big mesmerizing tree.

Original Name: Taxodium distichum

Size: Height- 50 to 70ft and width- upto 25ft

Growing Conditions: Sun and moist or wet soil

Hardiness Rating: H6

8. Tupelo

The Tupelo tree is a conical slow-growing, medium-sized tree with horizontal branches. The oval-shaped leathery leaves turn fiery red and purple during autumn. The tree also produces small creamy white flowers and dark blue fruits, which increase the ornamental value of the tree. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution. It can be grown in a garden, in parks or even in a pot.

Original Name: Nyssa Sylvatica

Size: Height- 30 to 50ft and width- 20 to 30ft

Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade and moist, loam, clay or sand-based soil

Hardiness Rating: H6

9. Tall Stewartia

The Tall Stewartia is a deciduous tree that will add a beautiful tinge of autumn twist to your garden. The dark green leaves with the cinnamon-brown bark display a stunning landscape. In late summer, it produces white camellia-like flowers. During autumn, the leaves turn from yellowish-red to reddish-purple, which makes it a perfect fit to fall into the category of a tree with red leaves in autumn.

Original Name: Stewartia Monadelpha

Size: Height- 12 to 40ft and width- 8 to 25ft

Growing Conditions: Full sun to dappled shade and moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H5

10. Rowan Tree

Rowan is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree. It has a silvery-grey bark with feather-like oval leaflets. The tree creates a charming vision throughout the year. The leaves of the tree turn into shades of red, orange and gold, giving an appealing autumn twist to the overall tree. Besides the red leaves, the tree also produces berry-like fruits in orange and red colours attracting wildlife into the surroundings. This tree can be a perfect fit for your garden as it provides shades of autumn and sweet fruits.

Original Name: Sorbus Aucuparia

Size: Height- 16 to 40ft and width- upto 6m

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained, acidic soil and adequate irrigation

Hardiness Rating: H5 to H6

11. ‘Forest Pansy’ Redbud

Forest Pansy is a small tree known for its dynamic visuals created by its foliage. It has glorious heart-shaped leaves, mainly of vibrant ruby red and golden yellow colours in summer. The tree takes on shades of orange, red, yellow and purple during the autumn season. It also bears beautiful pink flowers in spring, making the overall tree look fantastic. This tree needs space to grow and show some pretty shades throughout the year. The public parks, gardens and lawns are very much suitable for this tree.

Original Name: Cercis Canadensis

Size: Height- 20 to 30ft and width- 25 to 35ft

Growing Conditions: Full sun or partial shade and well-drained loan, clay, chalk or sand-based soil

Hardiness Rating: USDA Zones 5 to 9

12. Smokebush

Smokebush is a large deciduous shrub that offers beautiful foliage. When it flowers, the shrub appears wreathed in smoke, hence the name of this plant, Smokebush. In summer, the plant’s leaves are purple or gold, and in autumn, it blooms a very spectacular shade of red in it. The shrub looks spectacular, and its broad dark red leaves add decorative value to the gardens. It is a low-maintenance small tree that can grow in hedges and borders.

Original Name: Cotinus coggygria

Size: Height- 10 to 15ft and width- 10 to 15ft

Growing Conditions: Shade to part shade and moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H5

13. Red Leaf Hibiscus

The Red Leaf Hibiscus is a small tree and has glossy and dense leaves. The tree has foliage of the darkest chocolate-red colour, which blooms the entire tree. It retains the beautiful red colour even on the hottest days. As a shrub, it gives depth and intensity to the hedges and borders growing on it. It is tolerant of droughts and heat. This tree with red leaves will look good on patios, terraces and gardens during autumn.

Original Name: Hibiscus ‘Mahogany Splendor’

Size: Height- 4 to 6ft and width- upto 4ft

Growing Conditions: Full sun or partial shade and well-drained loan, clay or sand-based soil

Hardiness Rating: H4

14. Sorrel Tree

The Sorrel tree is also known as Sourwood. It is a deciduous tree that can be perfect for decorating your garden, patio, lawn and open woodland areas. The leaves of the tree are glossy and fine-toothed. The sorrel tree with red leaves in the autumn season is very eye-catching. The tree also produces small white drooping flowers with a slight fragrance in late summer. It has a slow growth rate and has no disease or pest problems. It does not react well to drought-prone areas.

Original Name: Oxydendrum Arboreum

Size: Height- 20 to 30ft and width- 10 to 15ft

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade, moist and well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H6

15. Japanese Snowball ‘Mariesii.’

‘Mariesii‘ is a large Viburnum hybrid shrub with wide-spreading tiered branches. It has veined dark green oval-shaped leaves that turn into a beautiful wine-red colour in the autumn season. In late spring, this tree welcomes flat heads of creamy white flowers in large numbers. It also produces attractive ruby-red fruits that make the tree stand out in a landscape.

Original Name: Viburnum plicatum ‘mariesii’

Size: Height- 10 to 12ft and width- upto 15ft

Growing Conditions: Sun to partial shade, moist and well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H6

16. Burning bush

The burning bush is an excellent landscape plant. It is known for its fiery scarlet red foliage in the autumn season. The tree is low maintenance and easy to grow as a plant or bright red row. It bears red and orange berries in the fall that become winter food for the birds. However, burning bush has become an invasive plant in some parts of the country, so before planting, check out if that’s a problem in your area.

Original Name: Euonymus alatus

Size: Height- 4 to 8ft and width- 4 to 8ft

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H3

17. Sumac

Sumac is one of the best trees with red leaves in the autumn season. It is a deciduous tree with great autumn displays of vibrant red, yellow and orange foliage. It also bears pyramids of crimson berries relished by the birds in winter. This small tree tends to spread very wide, so it needs plenty of space to grow. This tree is mainly planted on embankments and mixed borders. It can be a great addition to gardens and parks as well. It is a tough tree that can tolerate most soil conditions because they are very well-drained.

Original Name: Rhus Typhina

Size: Height– 2 to 4m and width- 2m

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H3

18. Serviceberry

Serviceberry is an easy-growing and small tree loved for its cheerful beauty. It starts the season with bearing small white springtime flowers. The tree produces edible berries that are loved by birds and are also used in many sweet dishes. Then for the final touches, the tree welcomes the autumn season by turning its foliage into glorious shades of red and orange. This tree is an excellent choice for small gardens and parks due to its compact size.

Original Name: Amelanchier canadensis

Size: Height– 4 to 8m and width- 4 to 8m

Growing Conditions: Full sun for the beautiful autumnal colours and moist, well-drained soil

Hardiness Rating: H7

Conclusion

The Autumn season brings out warmth and cheerfulness into the atmosphere. The trees with red leaves in autumn play a huge role in highlighting the season and the weather of the place. With these 18 trees presented above, we hope you may also get inspired by the beauty of the trees with red leaves. There is a tree for every house in the above list, even if you have a large open space or a small garden or yard. You can possibly turn that plain garden of yours into a full landscape and eye-catching experience.

So select your favourite tree to adorn your place with positive and warm vibes. The elegance of these trees will make your house look ten times more beautiful than it already is!

Good Luck with your Garden and Trees with Red Leaves!