Pike Nurseries Recommends Superhero Shrubs and Trees for Fall Planting

Fall planting is in full swing, and Pike Nurseries has advice and top recommendations for hardy plants, perfect for the cool weather season. Planting these tough trees and shrubs in the crisp fall months provides the ideal amount of time for strong, healthy root systems to develop for prime flowers and foliage next spring.  

Benefits of Planting Trees & Shrubs
There are a host of advantages to adding trees and shrubs to the landscape. Not only do these plants beautify the space, but homeowners with a well-designed landscape plentiful in trees and shrubs may also enjoy increased property values and lower energy bills (as plants can provide shade and block winds). Trees and shrubs also provide numerous environmental benefits including preventing soil erosion, reducing stormwater runoff, providing habitats for wildlife, trapping carbon to help cool the planet, and releasing oxygen so we all can breathe a little easier.

Why Plant Trees & Shrubs in Fall
Cooler temperatures put less stress on trees and allow for far less watering compared to spring planting and care through hot summer months. In addition, with shorter days and cooler air temperatures, plants spend less energy on growing foliage and flowers and more on building root systems. 

Japanese Maple
One of the most popular trees for home landscapes, these gorgeous, unique beauties create a stunning focal point in the garden. With so many types, sizes, colors, and growth habits, there is a Japanese maple for any type of garden. These versatile understory trees will thrive in full sun to partial shade. For a classic tree shape, gardeners should choose upright Japanese maples that can grow about 20 feet tall. Popular upright varieties include ‘Bloodgood’ (red foliage) and Coral Bark, also known as ‘Sango Kaku’ (green foliage and bright red branches). Weeping Japanese Maples are smaller in stature and have cascading branches. Popular weeping varieties include ‘Crimson Queen’ (red foliage) and ‘Viridis’ with bright green lacy foliage.

Fruit Trees
Fruit trees are a fantastic addition to the landscape plus they provide sustenance for years to come! Many fruits thrive in Georgia, including apples, peaches, pears, plums and figs. 

Dogwood Trees & Shrubs
Dogwood trees are well loved for their beautiful spring flowers that come in white or pink. They also provide a deep maroon color in the fall and bright red berries that attract birds. Popular dogwood tree varieties include ‘Kousa’ and ‘Cherokee Princess.’ Native to the Southeast, dogwood trees are an excellent choice for residential landscapes. Gardeners may also be interested in the dogwood tree’s cousin: the variegated red twig dogwood shrub. These shrubs feature eye-catching green and white foliage in spring and summer while the bright red stems are on display in late fall and winter. Both dogwood trees and shrubs will take full to partial sun.  

Azaleas
Azaleas are Southern Garden staples famous for putting on an unsurpassed show of color in gardens in late March and early April. Reblooming azaleas such as the Encore and Bloom-a-thon series will bloom again in fall and hold their leaves through winter unlike some other azaleas.  Azaleas come in a wide variety of colors — from radiant purple hues to rich salmon tones to pure white.  Most azalea shrubs will thrive in partial shade but the Encore series can take full to partial sun, these shrubs can handle lighting as low as partial shade and prefer well-drained soil for optimal growth.

Camellias
Camellia shrubs are gorgeous evergreens with show-stopping red, pink, white, or bi-colored flowers that bloom from mid-fall to early spring, depending on the type. Sasanqua camellias will bloom October to January; popular varieties include ‘Shishi Gashira’ and ‘Yuletide. Japonica camellias bloom January to March; popular varieties include ‘Nuccio’s Gem’ and ‘Carter’s Sunburst.’ Homeowners are encouraged to plant both types to enjoy these stunning flowers for six months out of the year! Camellias thrive in partial shade and can get quite large though they are slow-growers. These beauties can be used as privacy screens or property borders or as focal statements in smaller gardens.  

Loropetalum
Relatively low-maintenance loropetalum shrubs offer striking year-round purple foliage and fringy flowers in the spring. These shrubs are truly versatile in gardens, tolerating full sun to partial shade and growing two to five feet tall, depending on the variety. Popular varieties include ‘Purple Pixie’ dwarf spreading loropetalum, compact ‘Crimson Fire’, large ‘Ruby’ and variegated ‘Jazz Hands.’—

Abelia
An evergreen that showcases beautiful fall colors in colder months, this durable shrub is ideal for beginners and experienced gardeners alike. Abelias are compact plants that do well in pots or smaller gardens. Abelias also attract butterflies and other pollinators with their small white blooms from mid-summer to early fall. Popular abelia varieties include ‘Kaleidoscope’ with yellow, orange and red leaves, ‘Radiance’ with variegated green and white foliage, and new ‘Twist of Mango’ with bright yellow leaves. 

Gardeners can visit any Pike Nurseries location to chat with an expert or visit pikenursery.com for planting tips, videos, and more. 

For more information, please visit Pike Nurseries online at pikenursery.com. Visit Pike Nurseries on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.