Fall colored red maple.
by Jude Hsiang
Maine’s weather watchers have told us to expect a shorter, and perhaps earlier fall foliage season this year due to the continuing drought. However, many of us have been reporting spectacular color in recent days.
Driving past the local bogs lately, I’ve been startled by the bright reds in the last week or so. The red maples, viburnums, and high bush blueberries are always reliably red. The sumac along the roadside varies from orange to bright red, with deeper red on their flower spikes at the top.
New England aster.
Another tree, that like the red maple, prefers wetter areas is the black gum or tupelo. At a distance, it blends in with the colorful display, but a closer look reveals it’s oval leaves. Black gums are favorites of honeybees but are less well known to New England people than some of our other native trees. Tall and straight trunked, when planted in an open yard or park Black gum make impressive wide branching shade trees. In fall their leaves become bright red a little earlier than the red maples, prolonging our colorful foliage season.
As our other trees like birches and poplars turn to yellow and orange, the oaks are generally late to bring their deeper wine reds to the display. Tamaracks, our deciduous conifer, make an impact in some large stands as their needles turn gold before dropping to reveal their handsome conical structure.
Two vines catch our eyes. The native Virginia creeper’s deep red leaves are set off by dark blue berries. We may not appreciate the colorful poison ivy, but the birds welcome its berries. Sadly, the invasive Asiatic bittersweet has been allowed to spread, in part because of its fruits –– red berries peeking out of yellow capsules. If you have delayed cutting it down to the roots (orange under the soil) to slow its growth, you can still spot it now by its yellow leaves as it climbs trees and the guy wires of power poles.
Tupelo.
The pines, spruces, firs, and hemlocks provide contrast with their shades of dark greens as the golds and greens of fields and pastures frame the brighter colors. The picture is completed by our lovely New England Asters. With bright blue skies on cool, sunny autumn days our rainbow is complete. Enjoy the glorious color that precedes the quiet winter scenes to come.
© Judith Chute Hsiang
Jude Hsiang is a retired University Extension Master Gardener Program instructor and a member of the China Community Garden.
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