Native Plants
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A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Friday - November 27, 2015
From: Ashburn, VA
Region: Select Region
Topic: Plant Lists, Trees
Title: Colorful Maples for Virginia and Pennsylvania
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
We are trying to find out which trees have three or more leaf colors in the fall in Virginia and/or Pennsylvania. We found that Sweetgum and some maples do. Can you please let us know which maples have several leaf colors in the fall or other trees? Thank you!ANSWER:
Maples native to Pennsylvania and Virginia ...
Acer barbatum (Southern Sugar Maple) Fall foliage is usually yellow
Acer negundo (Box Elder) Fall foliage is insignificant
Acer nigrum (Black Maple) Fall foliage is yellow to orange-red
Acer pensylvanicum (Striped Maple) Fall foliage is lemon yellow
Acer rubrum (Red Maple) Fall foliage variable, ranging from brilliant red to yellow or greenish-yellow
Acer saccharinum (Silver Maple) Fall foliage ranges from yellow-brown to yellow tinged with bright red
Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple) Fall foliage brilliant red, yellow and orange
Acer spicatum (Mountain Maple) Fall foliage mottled orange to bright red
Some additional trees for great fall color include Nyssa sylvatica (Blackgum) with fluorescent yellow, orange, scarlet and purple in the fall; Sassafras albidus with deep orange, scarlet, purple and yellow leaf colors; and Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweetgum) with purple and red leaf colors
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