Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Sets the autumn garden alight — rose-magenta — 20–30 ft tall and rose-magenta flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Ohio · Zones 5–7
Native Plants for Fall Color in Ohio
Native trees, shrubs, and grasses that set the autumn garden alight with red, orange, copper, and gold. Every species here is genuinely native to Ohio and the wider flora of the Midwest and hardy through zones 5–7 — proven performers for Ohio's humid continental climate across Eastern Corn Belt & Allegheny Plateau, not a generic list. Local standouts include Eastern Redbud 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 Ohio
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Lights up in autumn, white spring lace, for a long late-season show, 10–20 ft wide and 15–25 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Lights up in autumn, white bracts, for a long late-season show, 15–25 ft wide and 15–25 ft tall.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Fall color that lasts — creamy white, for clay and loam ground and 6–10 ft wide.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Lights up in autumn, yellow catkins, for a long late-season show, yellow catkins flowers and hardy in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Sets the autumn garden alight — white to pink — spreading 5–10 ft and white to pink flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Turns chartreuse-gold in fall, long after the flowers are gone; 6–12 ft tall and spreading 6–12 ft.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Fall color that lasts — inconspicuous green, reaching 30–50 ft and happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Turns bronze-gold plumes in fall, long after the flowers are gone; for sand, clay, and loam ground and 4–7 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Turns airy pink-gold panicles in fall, long after the flowers are gone; 2–3 ft wide and 3–6 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Turns fine emerald to amber in fall, long after the flowers are gone; for sand, rocky, and loam ground and spreading 2–3 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Lights up in autumn, blue-green to copper, for a long late-season show, for sand, clay, rocky, and loam ground and 2–4 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Fall color that lasts — bronze-purple seed heads, 4–7 ft tall and cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Ohio
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.