![]() ![]() ![]() Two notable female cultivars are ‘Wildwood’, selected by the U.S. To be sure you have female and male plants, buy shrubs when they are in fruit in fall. Male plants, which are evergreen in mild years, need to be planted near female plants to pollinate the female flowers for good fruit set. The aromatic, waxy fruit persist from early fall until the following spring and appeal to many bird species. The deciduous female plants produce an abundance of ghostly blue-gray berries along their upper and outer stems. A North American native, plants are either male or female (dioecious). One of my favorite fall fruiting plants is the northern bayberry ( Myrica pensylvanica and cvs.). ![]() Good for: naturalizing seashores northern climates Northern bayberry Northern bayberry is a workhorse in poor conditions. For good fruit set, stick with larger varieties like ‘Wentworth’ and ‘J. Horticulturists have selected more compact forms, but be aware that some dwarf cultivars do not set much fruit. Plant this shrub outside a window in a spot that receives afternoon shade. The fruit of this viburnum remain after the leaves have dropped, and hold well into winter without discoloration, even in fierce below-zero temperatures. The red contrasts nicely with the shrub’s green, maplelike leaves. The product of striking, white, lacecap flowers set in late spring, the astringent fruit turn to a golden hue in late summer, then take on a red blush before deepening to red in fall. The fruit sparkle in the low light of fall and winter, and are often accentuated by a blanket of snow. I can think of no other large shrub that provides such brilliant red fruit as the American cranberry bush viburnum ( Viburnum trilobum and cvs.). Good for: spring flowers large landscapes northern climates ![]() American cranberry bush viburnum American cranberry bush viburnum offers brilliant red fruit. It grows rather quickly and probably needs another cultivar of apple or crabapple somewhere nearby to cross-pollinate, which is usually not a problem in most parts of the country. The tree requires full sun or nearly so to produce the best fruit. ‘Harvest Gold’ has a dense, rounded form and is easy to grow in a wide range of well-drained soils. They fade to the color of dried apples when fierce cold strikes, but they will remain on the tree until birds clean the branches. The fruit are especially beautiful when enveloped in evening light. The fruit become the star of the show as they turn a magnificent golden yellow in fall after the foliage drops. Starting off in midspring with fragrant, red-budded, white flowers, this selection hits the gardening season running.Īs the flowers fade, the disease-free foliage emerges. Of the several disease-resistant, yellow-fruiting cultivars, ‘Harvest Gold’ seems to be one of the best. Good for: three-season interest large landscapesĬrabapples ( Malus cvs., Zones 3–9) come in a wide array of fruit colors: burgundy purple, red, orange, green, and-my favorite-yellow. ‘Harvest Gold’ flowering crabapple ‘Harvest Gold’ flowering crabapple shines when cloaked with golden fruit. Follow the same design strategies used for flowering plants: harmonize or complement the fruit colors with other garden elements or plants. In milder climates, place these plants along a garden path or near a patio. Plant trees and shrubs with fall fruit where you can view them from a cozy location in your home, especially in areas with inclement weather in fall and winter. The fruit isn’t toxic, but it doesn’t taste very good. And although the birds love to eat them, gardeners should refrain. Gardeners are not the only ones who benefit many resident and migrating songbirds dine on the fruit and disperse their seeds. Ranging in color from candy apple red to jet black, the ornamental fruit of these plants provides as much color as the spring and summer flowers of many trees and shrubs-and often last much longer. That’s why I add trees and shrubs with dazzling and dramatic late-season fruit to my designs. Because most plants are heading into dormancy at this time, flowers and even attractive foliage are typically nonexistent. Plants that yell, “Hey, look at me!” can sometimes seem hard to come by in fall and winter. ![]()
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