Fall leaf color in Texas may sound like an oxymoron.
However, we have some plants that can do a great job of coloring up our state in the fall.
One of the best is the Red Oak, it is a native tree that does good through the southern and central portions of the state, all the way up into the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex.
The Red Oak's cousin, the Shumard Oak, also does well in the deeper soils, especially in the eastern to central parts of Texas.
Another other good choice for fall color is the Chinese Pistache. It gives a nice vibrant orange-to-red color in the fall.
For smaller trees, there's the Bradford Pear or the Aristocrat, two of the ornamental pairs that have beautiful blooms, but also color up well. They are not trees that live very long, but they do make a great small tree for the landscape in the medium-life range.
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Fall colors
Texas AgriLife Horticulturist Skip Richter has some great ideas on how to bring autumn to your Texas landscape.
 
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Another good choice for fall color is Cedar Elm. It has a nice golden-yellow color and is a dependable tree throughout many parts of the state of Texas.
Those of you who live in the southeastern parts of the state are very familiar with Chinese Tallow, which is the number one tree for coloring up in the fall here in Texas. However, it's short-lived and tends to be weedy.
There are many other good choices to color up your Texas landscape for autumn.
Talk to your county extension agent for some ideas for trees that do well in your particular area.
Keep in mind that those cool, crisp nights with mild days is what gives us our best color, so some seasons are just naturally better than others.
