AUTUMN IN THE FRUIT GARDEN

Leaf-peepers. In the Northeast, that's what tourists looking at the brilliant autumn foliage are called. Many parts of the U.S. have beautiful fall color. But we don't really have to travel any farther than our backyards to see nature at its best. A number of fruit plants are noted for their autumn foliage.

The highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) welcomes fall with vivid red foliage. It has many features that make it a great choice for the edible landscape. Hardy in zones 4 through 8, this low-maintenance beauty is usually about six to nine feet tall with an equal spread. This informal shrub is often used for hedges and screens. It thrives in woodland settings where trees create dappled shade.

All blueberries do best in acid soils. the pH of my glacial soil is so alkaline, so that's where containers come in handy. By using a peat-based soilless mix, I can give it the acidic conditions it needs.

The highbush cranberry plays a starring role in the autumn when its foliage becomes yellow to purplish-red. Not really a cranberry, it is actually one of the viburnums (Viburnum trilobum). It tolerates a range of soil types, and does well in either sun or shade. Extremely winter-hardy, it is often used as hedges and screens. The plants can be large, up to twelve feet tall. The fruits are often made into jellies, preserves, and sauces much like cranberries.

Of the Amelanchiers, the shadblow serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis) is particularly noted for its lovely fall color. The foliage may be yellow, gold, orange or red. For more, see my article on saskatoons.

Other fall beauties include many of the crabapples. The autumn color may vary widely, depending on the cultivar. Because some crabs tend to be so disease-prone, choose resistant ones like Sugar Tyme and Dolgo or others ranked highly by the International Ornamental Crabapple Society. Crabapples are valuable as pollenizers for apple trees. Don't forget their fruits make delicious jellies. In the days before powdered pectin was available, cooks used crabapples instead.

The black chokecherry (Aronia melanocarpa) is especially ornamental in the fall. Colors can range from red to purplish-black. Despite the name, the sweet fruits are quite edible. In fact, they're widely grown in Europe, and the juice is imported to the U.S. Instead of waiting for the juice to arrive at your local supermarket, why not grown your own Aronia fruits?

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic