Autumn is my favourite season.

I know, for some it is just a sign winter is coming, but as long as it lasts, we need to enjoy this wonderful weather and the changing of leaf colours.

What is there not to like? The leaves slowly become more and more colourful, taking on shades of gold, amber orange and vivid red.

Here are a few of my favourite plants for their fall colour:

Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) 

The black gum tree (aka tupelo) is another native to southern Ontario especially along the shores of Lake Erie. 

It is one that has not been used as much in the industry but should be used more often. 

The black gum is a moderate tree that can eventually reach about 60 feet tall.

Its smaller, oval, dark green, glossy leaves add an interesting texture in the summer months. 

In late spring, the tree bears small clusters of whitish green flowers that attract bees and other pollinators. 

Its small, half-inch fruit provides food favoured by foxes, pileated woodpeckers and wild turkeys. 

In the fall, the leaves will turn a bright reddish orange to wine red, depending somewhat on the variety of black gum. 

The brilliant colour, along with the horizontal branching habit, makes this tree a great addition to any garden.

Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenia)

A shrub that does not get near the attention it deserves is fothergilla. 

This slow-growing, deciduous shrub bears fragrant, white, bottlebrush-like flowers in late April or early May. 

The flowers alone make this worthy of space in your garden. 

Its fall colour never disappoints either. The fall leaves are a mix of gold, bright orange and wine-red tones. 

The shrub does well in full sun or part shade and in a well-draining soil. 

It is a compact-growing shrub reaching three to four feet high. Pruning is seldom required!

Narrowleaf bluestar (Amsonia hubrictii) 

Most perennials are not known for their fall colour, but the narrowleaf bluestar has an outstanding golden-yellow fall colour.

 It is native to the Ouachita Mountains in central Arkansas and Oklahoma, where it was discovered in the early 1940s by Leslie Hubricht. 

A slow grower, it may take one to two years before this plant’s true beauty can be seen.

It forms erect clumps with feathery light green foliage, making it an excellent backdrop for low-growing annuals and perennials. 

In late spring through early summer, it produces clusters of powdery blue star-like flowers followed by slender, elongated seed pods.

It is prized for its great fine texture and bright yellow fall colour.

Bluestar is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. It will tolerate poor soils and some drought.

The plant will become floppy if grown in too much shade or too rich soils. Use in borders, rock gardens, open woodlands, and in mass plantings.

Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) 

Boston ivy is a fast-growing, clinging vine with large, dark green glossy leaves.

Following small, inconspicuous creamy white flower clusters in late spring, clusters of purplish-black berries begin to form, ripening and remaining on the vine in fall and into the winter months. 

In autumn, these large leaves turn shades of orange, burgundy and wine red. 

Great as a clinging vine or groundcover, especially when you need to control soil erosion.

Joanne Young is a Niagara-on-the-Lake garden expert and coach. See her website at joanneyoung.ca