Going Against the Green

Plants that Add Interest to Your Fall Garden

There are many plants that add interest to the fall garden by going beyond simply flowering. These plants grow well in the Orange County area, say Ron Vanderhoff, manager of Flowerdale Nursery in Santa Ana, Laguna Beach landscape architect Ann Christoph, and Dana Point landscape designer Jeff Garton.

Trees, Shrubs, and Vines with Fall Color

  • Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) ‘Veitchii’
  • California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa)
  • Chinese Flame Tree (Koelreuteria bipinnata)
  • Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis)
  • Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
  • Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum) ‘Mariesii’
  • European White Birch (Betula pendula)

Plants with Seed Heads and Pods

  • Agave species
  • Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)
  • California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)
  • Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara)
  • Fountain Grass (Pennisetum rubrum) – red or purple
  • Giant Feather Grass (Stipa gigantea)
  • Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) ‘Gracillimus’
  • Money Plant (Lunaria Annua)
  • Yarrow (Achillea filipendulina; A. millefolium)

Plants that Produce Berries or Fruit

  • California Pepper Tree (Schinus molle)
  • Chinaberry Tree (Melia azedarach)
  • Christmas Berry Bush (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
  • English Holly (Iliex aquifolium)
  • Japanese Persimmon (Diospyros kaki)
  • Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)
  • Mahonia
  • Natal Plum (Carissa macrocarpa)
  • Night Jessamine (Cestrum nocturnum)
  • Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Ornamental Bark or Stems

  • African Sumac (Rhus lancea)
  • Cajuput Tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia)
  • California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa)
  • Chilean Blueberry (Luma apiculata)
  • Compact Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’)
  • Corokia (Corokia cotoneaster)
  • European White Birch (Betula pendula)
  • Evergreen Elm (Ulmus sempervirens)
  • Gum Myrtle (Angophora costata)
  • Ironbark Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sideroxylon) – red or pink
  • Lemon-Scented Gum Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora)
  • Pink Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) ‘Rosea’
  • Pittosporum (Pittosporum tenuifolium)
  • Strawberry Madrone (Arbutus) ‘Marina’
  • White Ironbark Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus leucoxylon)

Julie Bawden-Davis

Julie Bawden-Davis is a bestselling journalist, novelist, blogger, and YouTuber. A prolific author, Julie writes in several genres. She enjoys creating page-turning suspense served up with a dose of romance, garden books that turn any brown thumb green, and spiritual books meant to enlighten and inspire. Widely published, Julie has written 45 books and more than 4,000 articles for a wide variety of national and international publications. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys sunny, blue skies most days and year-round gardening. Julie gains inspiration from being surrounded by plants when she writes.