Autumn plants of interest

• 60 - Zelkova serrata

  The Japanese zelkova is native to Japan, Korea, eastern China and Taiwan. It is often grown as an ornamental tree and its attractive shape and colours makes it ideal for bonsai. In Korea, Zelkova serrata has been considered a symbol of protection for villages since ancient times, and can still be found planted at central points in cities, towns and villages around the country. It is planted in this country as a lawn or park tree for its attractive bark, leaf colour and vase shape. It also makes a good replacement for elm trees as it is highly resistant to Dutch Elm disease.

  Common name: Japanese zelkova

• 61 - Acer 'Golden Boy'

  Acer “Golden Boy” was bred at Furzey Gardens and is named after the young son of the Head Gardener, Peter White! It is a Snake Bark cross, meaning it is similar to the beautiful Acer davidii or Snake Bark maple, grown for its striking green and creamy white striated bark, which resembles snake skin. This gives rise to its common name, although it is also known as Père David’s Maple tree in honour of a French priest who discovered it.

  Its large, lobed, mid-green leaves turn a rich buttery yellow in autumn. When the leaves have fallen, the bold white snaking lines on the bark take centre stage and provide fantastic winter interest.

  Common name: Snakebark cross

• 62 - Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood'

  Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ is one of the best purple-leafed Japanese maple varieties, with a wonderful rich red/purple colour flooding the deeply lobed leaves in spring and the colour holding well throughout summer. The foliage turns a stunning bright crimson, or blood red in autumn, giving this maple its name. Best planted in a sheltered position with free draining soil, this Japanese Maple is an ideal small tree for the garden and will provide vibrant colour for most of the year.

• 63 - Ginkgo biloba

  Commonly known as the Maidenhair Tree, Ginkgo biloba is a hardy deciduous tree with unique, fan-shaped leaves which is linked to a primitive family of trees commonly found 160 million years ago in China. Considered to be the world’s oldest living species of tree, Ginkgo trees are planted around temple sites in Japan and considered to be sacred. Ginkgo trees produce an herbal product popular around the world, most specifically in Asian cultures. Its beautiful fan shaped leaves turn bright yellow in autumn.

  Common name: Maidenhair tree

• 64 - Acer palmatum 'Shindeschojo'

  Also known as the Spring Ruby Tree, this delicate Acer has brilliant shrimp-pink young foliage in spring. The leaves turn green with pink/red margins in the summer, with the leaves turning orange, red and bronze in autumn. It is a bushy, but compact tree reaching only about 2.5 x 2.5m in height and spread, so is suitable for all gardens as well as containers. All Japanese maples like a sunny or semi shade situation with some shelter – this variety has best leaf colour in partial shade.

  Common name: Spring Ruby Tree

• 65 - Acer henryi

  Acer henryi is originally native only to China and is rarely grown in Britain. Branching and multi-stemmed, it has tinted, vibrant red leaves when young, which mature into mid-green during the summer, turning into a spectacular red in the autumn. Dainty yellow flowers in slender drooping catkins appear with the unfolding leaves in spring.

• 66 - Disanthus cercidifolius

  A native of China and Japan, Disanthus cercidifolius is a very rare plant and one of the most beautiful of all shrubs, with a fantastic display of foliage colour in autumn. It has bright green leaves in spring and summer which turn glorious shades of coppery-gold, orange and red in autumn. The leaves are translucent and look like stained glass when the sun is behind them, also heart-shaped and very similar in appearance to those of a Cercis, hence the species name. It can grow up to 3 metres, with a 3 metre spread. This is an original specimen, dating back to 1938.

• 67 - Betula lenta

  Known as the Sweet Birch or Cherry Birch, Betula lenta is long lived, with most living for an average of 200 years. The oldest known has been confirmed at over 360 years old! As it matures, the bark peels off and is replaced by a much darker, black cherry-like bark. However this tree’s most striking feature is the beauty of its deep golden autumn foliage. Cherry birch is not attractive to deer and so particularly useful in locations with high deer populations. This is an original specimen which probably dates back to 1937, when a variety of birches were planted here at Furzey.

  Common name: Sweet birch

• 68 - Cercidiphyllum japonicum pendulum

  Commonly known as the Weeping Katsura Tree, this lovely tree boasts small pink flowers in the spring and heart-shaped, green leaves turning to vibrant shades of orange, red and purple in autumn. The leaves hang on graceful weeping branches that touch the ground, creating a dome like shape for the tree. Do you smell candy floss in the air? The foliage gives off a rich fragrance of burnt sugar or candy floss on warm autumn days.

  Common name: Weeping Katsura Tree

• 69 - Oxydendrum arboreum

  Known as the Sorrel tree or Sourwood, this slow growing deciduous tree is native to South-eastern North America. Its leaves have a sour taste, hence the name. In spring, fragrant creamy white flowers similar to Lily of the Valley and up to 25 inches long are produced at the branch tips, which can be used to make a prized honey. It is one of the best trees for autumn colour, with dark green leaves that turn fantastic shades of crimson, orange and yellow in autumn.

  Common name: Sorrel tree or Sourwood

• 70 - Acer rubrescens 'Rosie'

  A Snakebark maple, Acer rubrescens Rosie was bred at Furzey Gardens and named after the Head Gardener’s daughter! Rare in the UK, Acer rubescens is a small and spreading tree with green bark covered with vertical, sinuous white lines, hence the name snakebark. Shiny glossy leaves emerge in the spring and as the tree matures, it gives a beautiful spring flower display. The leaves have good orange/bronze autumn tints before they fall.

• 71 - Enkianthus campanulatus

  A hardy narrow upright deciduous shrub, this enkianthus has bright green shiny foliage which turns stunning shades of bright red, orange and yellow in autumn. A profusion of small bell shaped creamy white flowers with red markings appears from late spring to mid-summer, similar to those of the distantly related Pieris. An Enkianthus campanulatus was first planted at Furzey Gardens in the 1930s.

• 72 - Cladrastis kentukea

  Cladrastis kentukea grows in forests in the south-eastern United States and was discovered by the French botanist André Michaux in 1796. The name Cladrastis comes from the two Greek words klados (branch) and thraustos (fragile), denoting the species’ fragile branches. This large tree has the nickname of Kentucky Coffee Tree because early Kentucky settlers noticed the resemblance of its seeds to coffee beans – the seeds are however completely inedible! It makes a beautiful specimen tree for parks and large gardens.

  Common name: Kentucky coffee tree

• 73 - Acer calcaratum

  Acer calcaratum is a small, tender, deciduous tree native to Asia, growing up to 7 metres in height. It has bronze-green stems, green when young and bears glossy, three-lobed, olive to dark green leaves, which turn good shades of yellow, orange, or red in autumn. In spring, clusters of reddish-brown buds open to white flowers followed by red winged seeds.

• 74 - Liquidambar styraciflua "Stella"

  Liquidambar “Stella” is a beautiful deciduous conical medium sized tree with star shaped, green leaves which turn dramatic shades of purple and rich red for several weeks before falling in autumn. Common name Sweet Gum, its leaves are deeply lobed and of a similar shape to maple leaves. Sweet gums prefer deep, evenly moist but well-drained soil that should be acidic or at least neutral. They will not thrive on chalk or lime. Once established they can take both temporary flooding and drought. The more acidic and moist the soil, the better the autumn colours.

• 75 - Acer rubrum "October Glory"

  The clue is in the name with this stunning red maple ‘October Glory’, as it provides an outstanding autumn display that very few species can rival. In spring, it produces a small number of solely female red flowers. Its leaves start off a dark emerald green, with a blueish-white underside. The exceptional autumn leaf colour is later than other maples but produces the most fantastic display of brilliant reds. As the name suggests, this tree is at its best in October, with the outstanding autumn display continuing through till the end of November.

• 76 - Nyssa sinensis

  Commonly known as the Chinese tupelo, or Sour Gum, this rare small tree is native to China and Vietnam and is superb for autumn colour. It has a bushy spreading form with long slightly arching branches. Its mid green, narrowly ovate leaves, bronze when young, change to dark green in summer as they age, before turning startling shades of bright yellow, orange or red in autumn. Nyssa sinensis will suit almost any location in the garden if it is given enough space to grow.

• 77 - Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki'

  Japanese maple ‘Osakazuki’ is a small tree or large shrub with an attractive open habit. It grows fairly quickly as a young specimen, reaching a maximum size of about 4 x 3 metres in 20 years. Its leaves have seven lobes, green in spring and summer, transforming into a blaze of fiery orange scarlet in autumn. Many believe the award-winning ‘Osakazuki’ to have the most intense, long lasting scarlet autumn colour of all the Japanese Maples. Its size and autumn colour make it ideal for the smaller garden.

• 78 - Nyssa sylvatica 'Sheffield Park'

  A beautiful ornamental tree with glossy, mid-green foliage that turns striking shades of orange, red and yellow in the autumn, Nyssa sylvatica grows in a symmetrical, conical shape spreading to 5 x 4 metres in 20 years, so it never gets too big for most situations. This attractive tree will grow in most well-drained soils in a sheltered position in full or partial sun. The Black tupelo tree is definitely a great choice where autumn colour is a must. This variety, N. sylvatica ‘Sheffield Park’, was selected from one of the many plants raised by Arthur Soames of the National Trust garden at Sheffield Park in East Sussex, its brilliant orange-red colouring starting two or three weeks before other Nyssa. A specimen of Nyssa sylvatica was first planted at Furzey Gardens in 1932.

• 79 - Acer palmatum dissectum 'Seiryu'

  Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Seiryu’ is an unusual variety, as it is the only green dissected Japanese Maple tree with an upright growth habit, rather than the usual domed or weeping form. The delicate lacy foliage is a bright, lime green throughout the spring, mid green in the summer, sometimes with a red tinge, before displaying beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red in the autumn. It makes a great small tree for the garden, reaching a height and spread of only 4 x 4 metres in 20 years. Like any Japanese Maple, plant in moist but welll drained soil and protect from cold winds.

• 80 - Acer palmatum 'Katsura'

  Acer palmatum ‘Katsura’ is a beautiful large shrub, with stunning lobed, orange new growth with reddish margins in the spring. The leaves then fade to green, retaining their orange edges in the summer. It boasts a spectacular display of vibrant yellows, reds and oranges in the autumn months. Growing to 4m wide by 4m tall and with this long season of interest, it is an ideal plant for smaller gardens.

• 81 - Euonymus alatus

  Commonly known as the Winged Spindle or Burning Bush, E. alatus is a large, spreading, deciduous shrub native to central and northern China, Japan, and Korea. Alatus is, in fact, the Latin for “winged”, as the branchlets often develop conspicuous corky wings. Its leaves oval, turning rosy-crimson in autumn, with small greenish flowers followed by purplish-red fruits, splitting to reveal orange seeds. A specimen of Euonymus alatus was first planted in Furzey Gardens in 1932.

• 82 - Liquidambar formosana monticola

  Known as the Formosan Sweet Gum, this liquidambar is a deciduous tree growing up to 15 metres tall, with a conical shape. The glossy leaves are hairless and 3-lobed, in contrast to other liquidambars, which may have five lobed leaves, turning a beautiful scarlet-red in autumn. Large spiky fruit capsules, up to 2.5 cm, appear on long, thin stalks and remain hanging on the tree until deep into winter. It has good frost resistance but prefers a sheltered site.