Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Sets the autumn garden alight — creamy white — happy in clay and loam soil and hardy in zones 3–8.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
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- Fall color
Connecticut · Zones 5–7
Native Plants for Fall Color in Connecticut
Native trees, shrubs, and grasses that set the autumn garden alight with red, orange, copper, and gold. Every species here is genuinely native to Connecticut and the wider flora of the Northeast and hardy through zones 5–7 — proven performers for Connecticut's cool, humid continental climate across Northeastern Coastal Forest, not a generic list. Local standouts include Arrowwood Viburnum and Serviceberry. The natives behind New England's famous foliage will do the same work in your yard, and the show lasts far longer than the flowers did. Sugars trapped in the leaves on cool, sunny fall days drive the brightest color, so plant these in full sun for the most intense display. Pair fiery shrubs with the copper and amber of warm-season grasses for a season finale that rivals any flower bed.
The plants
13 native species for Connecticut
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Fall color that lasts — white spring lace, 10–20 ft wide and good through zone 8.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Lights up in autumn, rose-magenta, for a long late-season show, rose-magenta flowers and good through zone 9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Turns white bracts in fall, long after the flowers are gone; white bracts flowers and hardy in zones 5–9.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Fall color that lasts — inconspicuous green, inconspicuous green flowers and reaching 30–50 ft.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Lights up in autumn, white to pink, for a long late-season show, reaching 5–10 ft and hardy in zones 3–7.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Fall color that lasts — yellow catkins, 5–10 ft wide and reaching 2–6 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Lights up in autumn, chartreuse-gold, for a long late-season show, hardy in zones 4–9 and reaching 6–12 ft.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Lights up in autumn, blue-green to copper, for a long late-season show, reaching 2–4 ft and spreading 1.5–2 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Fall color that lasts — bronze-purple seed heads, reaching 4–7 ft and 2–3 ft wide.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Sets the autumn garden alight — airy pink-gold panicles — 2–3 ft wide and reaching 3–6 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Fall color that lasts — bronze-gold plumes, happy in sand, clay, and loam soil and 4–7 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Lights up in autumn, fine emerald to amber, for a long late-season show, for sand, rocky, and loam ground and 2–3 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Connecticut
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.