Native Plants

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?

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