Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Fall color that lasts — creamy white, for clay and loam ground and cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Illinois · Zones 5–7
Native Plants for Fall Color in Illinois
Native trees, shrubs, and grasses that set the autumn garden alight with red, orange, copper, and gold. For Illinois, the right natives are shaped by Central Tallgrass Prairie and a humid continental climate. Every species below, from Arrowwood Viburnum and Eastern Redbud to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Illinois and the wider flora of the Midwest and hardy through zones 5–7. 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 Illinois
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Turns rose-magenta in fall, long after the flowers are gone; good through zone 9 and for clay, rocky, and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Fall color that lasts — white bracts, white bracts flowers and happy in loam soil.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Turns white spring lace in fall, long after the flowers are gone; hardy in zones 3–8 and happy in clay and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Lights up in autumn, chartreuse-gold, for a long late-season show, cold-hardy to zone 4 and 6–12 ft wide.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Lights up in autumn, inconspicuous green, for a long late-season show, cold-hardy to zone 3 and 30–50 ft tall.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Turns white to pink in fall, long after the flowers are gone; 5–10 ft tall and for clay, rocky, and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Fall color that lasts — yellow catkins, cold-hardy to zone 3 and spreading 5–10 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Lights up in autumn, blue-green to copper, for a long late-season show, happy in sand, clay, rocky, and loam soil and 2–4 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Fall color that lasts — airy pink-gold panicles, reaching 3–6 ft and hardy in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Sets the autumn garden alight — bronze-gold plumes — 4–7 ft tall and for sand, clay, and loam ground.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Turns fine emerald to amber in fall, long after the flowers are gone; good through zone 8 and reaching 2–3 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Lights up in autumn, bronze-purple seed heads, for a long late-season show, reaching 4–7 ft and good through zone 9.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Illinois
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.