Bring out the pumpkin spice and apple cider – autumn is here! However, nothing screams autumn more than fall-colored leaves. Despite Florida’s warm climate, there are some trees here that turn beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and red in the fall. On your next drive or walk through your neighborhood, look out for one of these trees with fall foliage.

Florida Maple

Although it’s too hot in Florida for most maples, the Florida maple can be found throughout North Florida and some areas of Central Florida. The Florida maple is best known for its stunning fall color. Its leaves turn bright red in the autumn then fall off in the winter months. It begins to regrow leaves in the spring, and these new leaves have a red tint too! Florida maples are good shade trees. They quickly mature to about 40 feet tall — perfect for mid-sized yards.

Crape Myrtle

While best known for their showy summertime flowers, crape myrtles also have beautiful fall leaves. But not all crape myrtles are alike! Crape myrtles with white flowers typically have yellow leaves during the fall. Those with red or pink flowers tend to have orange and red leaves.

Sweetgum

Sweetgum trees have beautiful glossy, star-shaped leaves. In Central Florida their leaves turn bright red, purple, yellow, or orange in early winter. They grow up to 75 feet tall and 50 feet wide, making sweetgum a great large shade tree.

Sycamore

Speaking of large shade trees, the sycamore tree is a monumental tree reaching heights of 75 to 90 feet tall. It is best known for its beautiful white bark that peels in patches. It is one of the earliest trees to change leaf color, turning shades of yellow and brown beginning in September. By winter, its leaves are mostly brown and fall off slowly.

Florida may not be the premiere destination for fall foliage, but we do have splashes of fall-colored leaves. Try to spot one of these trees while you’re out and about this autumn season!

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