Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

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

 

From the Image Gallery


Tupelo
Nyssa sylvatica

Sassafras
Sassafras albidum

Sassafras
Sassafras albidum

Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua

Southern sugar maple
Acer floridanum

Box elder
Acer negundo

Black maple
Acer nigrum

Striped maple
Acer pensylvanicum

Red maple
Acer rubrum

Silver maple
Acer saccharinum

Sugar maple
Acer saccharum

Mountain maple
Acer spicatum

More Trees Questions

Stressed Ashe juniper is dropping needles
May 07, 2015 - We have a large Ashe juniper tree in our backyard, at least 20 ft tall. This past winter/spring, several limbs have died and it's dropped a ton of leaves (clumps of "needles" really). Is it slowly ...
view the full question and answer

Failure of flameleaf sumacs to produce fruit
January 09, 2013 - Our two flame leaf sumacs produce none to little fruit. Both are about 4 years old, quite large, healthy looking; flowering this year was very good, but no fruit. What keeps them from producing fruit?
view the full question and answer

Need for sunlight for Sophora secundiflora to bloom
June 22, 2007 - My mountain laurel doesn't bloom. We live in Oak Hill and planted it about seven years ago. It bloomed one year at about age three or four. Since then nothing. What can I do? It only gets indire...
view the full question and answer

Low Water Use Plants for a Pond Island
November 06, 2014 - We have a medium sized pond/tank with a small island covered in black willows. The pond loses a lot of water and we were told it was partially due to the willows. We want to remove them and replace ...
view the full question and answer


February 24, 2015 - I have an Ehretia anacua in the way of possible development of a new building and I have a few questions.\r\nWhat is the typical life span of that tree and are the roots sensitive to compaction and ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.