Extension Report

Baldwin County Extension Office

302A Byrne Street

Bay Minette, AL  36507

Telephone (251) 937-7176 or

928-0860/943-5611 ext. 2222

FAX (251) 937-7285

Beau Brodbeck

Regional Extension Agent

Forestry, Wildlife & Natural Resources

September 22, 2009

Selecting Trees for Fall Color on the Gulf Coast

Trying to get some fall color in your yard?  Have the red maples you planted, renowned for fall color, done poorly or died after only a few years?  If you answered yes, continue reading for some tree options better suited to the Gulf Coast.

Aesthetic attributes are important to landscape designers and homeowners alike when considering what trees to plant.  Commonly considered landscape attributes include flowers, fruit, shape, shade, and fall color.  Along the Gulf Coast, the warm temperatures and moist summers lend themselves to a rich selection of tree species, which thrive in our climate.  There are no shortages of tree species with various landscape characteristics except for possibly fall color.

The bright reds, oranges and yellows of a picture perfect fall in Maine or the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina are difficult to find on Alabama’s Gulf Coast.  There are many factors that contribute to the reduced vibrancy in fall colors.  The foremost factor is different tree species, the varieties of maples, oaks, hickories and other northern species are generally not found on the Gulf Coast.  Secondly, the climatic differences between the cool crisp nights in the northeast versus the more temperate and humid nights of the Gulf Coast causes less drastic color variations.  Finally, genetic variability between northern and southern trees of the same species also contributes to reduced fall color. 

Regardless of the fact that our fall colors are more subdued, there are some good tree selections that can add color to our urban forests.  An important factor to consider when selecting any tree for any attribute is to first consider its native range.  Any given tree has a certain climatic zone in which it thrives.  This is a primary factor why many of the red maple cultivars commonly purchased are difficult to grow in south Alabama. 

There are a seemingly endless number of maple cultivars that are propagated for a variety of landscape attributes, of which fall color is a dominant factor.  However, many of these cultivars are native to regions ranging from Michigan  to Tennessee.  The climatic ranges of these maples generally come from “Plant Hardiness Zones” of 4 to 7 while most of Baldwin and Mobile counties are in zone 8b (hardiness zones range from zone 2 near the Canadian border to zone 10 in south Florida).

While there are red maples native to south Alabama, they are not commonly propagated for retail, instead cultivars like ‘October Glory’ are more common.  The drastic climatic differences between Ohio’s zone 4 and the gulf coast’s zone 8b make many red maple cultivars a poor choice.  Trees planted out of their hardiness zones generally become stressed due to different conditions like heat and humidity and become more susceptible to a variety of pests and diseases.  Many red maple cultivars in southern Alabama suffer from excessive heat and commonly become infested with flathead borers.  This infestation leads tree decline without the tree ever reaching its promised appearance.

Seldom do these red maple cultivars live more than six years under ideal conditions on the Gulf Coast and most decline and die within three years.  Treatment of pests like borers is difficult and only a temporary solution as the major predetermining factor is the cultivars poor adaptability to the climate.  Good urban forest management starts with proper tree selection for the right climatic zone, light exposure, soil type and available growing space.

Borer damage in “October Glory” Red Maple

There are a variety of tree species that will provide fair to good fall color ranging from yellows to reds.  However, remember due to our humid temperate fall nights and the slow onset of fall, leaf colors are often highly variable from year to year.  The more cold crisp fall nights above freezing occurring in any given year will improve that year’s fall color.

Good selections for fall color in Mobile and Baldwin counties include the following trees:

For additional information, please contact Beau Brodbeck at the Alabama Cooperative Extension Office – Baldwin County Office in Bay Minette by email (brodbam@auburn.edu ) or by phone (251-937-7176).

Alabama Community Leadership Network Conference Oct. 6-7 at Auburn University

The Alabama Community Leadership Network Conference is Oct. 6 and 7 at the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.

The Alabama Community Leadership Network is a group of organizations and individuals committed to building, supporting and enhancing community leadership programs through education, training and information sharing that will equip local leaders with necessary leadership skills for the betterment of Alabama. 

The conference is structured to help community leaders, state and local officials, economic and community developers, Chamber of Commerce members,

nonprofit executives, community health specialists and other individuals improve leadership in their communities. 

Keynote speakers include David Bronner CEO, Retirement Systems of Alabama, and David Wilson, chancellor, University of Wisconsin Colleges and UW-Extension. 

A panel discussion addressing today’s pressing issues and concerns with local and state leaders is set for Wed. Oct. 7. Gubernatorial candidates Kay Ivey and Ron Sparks will take part in this discussion.

Breakout sessions include topics such as starting and sustaining a leadership program, constitutional reform, grant writing, economic development, conducting meetings using parliamentary procedure, effective communication, workforce development, engaging youth in community development, community health, energy, education, social networking using Facebook and Twitter, and other

special topics.

Cost of the conference is $150 per person. Make checks payable to Economic and Community Development Institute. Checks should be sent to ECDI, 213 Extension Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36829 by Sept. 28. 

Registration information and additional details can be found at www.acln.info or by contacting Arturo Menefee at (334) 844-2307 or menefas@auburn.edu.

A group room rate of $96 per night is available for conference participants through Sept. 21 at the Hotel at Auburn University.  Room reservations can be made by calling The Auburn University Hotel at (800) 228-2878.

Email address: brodbam@auburn.edu

Phone: 937-7176 or 943-5611, ext. 2222

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity educator and employer.