Planning Ahead: Great Trees to Plant in Your Yard This Fall

by | Jul 19, 2025 | Big Tree Supply

By Nancy Penrose

When it comes to landscaping, timing is everything—and fall is one of the best times of the year to plant trees. While spring often gets the spotlight, many experienced gardeners and landscapers know that fall offers ideal conditions for establishing strong, healthy trees that will thrive for decades to come. If you’re planning improvements to your yard, now is the perfect time to consider what trees to plant come autumn.

Here’s why fall is such a great time for planting, plus a curated list of tree varieties that perform exceptionally well when planted in cooler months.

Why Plant Trees in Fall?
Fall offers several key advantages for planting:

  • Cooler Temperatures: The stress of hot summer days is behind us. Milder temperatures reduce transplant shock and allow young trees to establish more easily.
  • Moisture Availability: Autumn rains help keep the soil consistently moist, which is critical for new root development.
  • Root Growth Continues: Even after the leaves fall, tree roots continue to grow as long as the soil temperature stays above freezing. This gives trees a head start before the spring growing season.
  • Fewer Pests and Diseases: With insect activity and disease pressure slowing down, your new trees face fewer threats.

In short, planting in fall gives your tree the gift of time—several months to root in before the stress of summer returns.

Best Trees to Plant in Fall
Here are some excellent tree choices that establish well in fall and provide long-term beauty and function for your landscape:

1. Red Sunset Maple (Acer rubrum)
Red maples are among the most popular landscape trees in North America, known for their brilliant fall color, fast growth, and adaptability. They thrive in a wide range of soils and can tolerate wet conditions. Planting a red maple in the fall ensures strong root development, and you’ll be rewarded with blazing red foliage next autumn.

2. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Japanese maples are beloved for their delicate, lace-like leaves and elegant structure. Available in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes—from deep red to vibrant green—they add striking ornamental value to any landscape. Ideal for smaller yards or accent plantings, they thrive in partial shade and well-drained soil. Fall is a great time to plant Japanese maples, giving their roots time to settle before spring growth begins. They’re particularly stunning in autumn, with brilliant red, orange, or gold foliage.

3. Crimson King Maple (Acer platanoides ‘Crimson King’)
This bold and beautiful maple variety features deep maroon to purple foliage that holds its color from spring through fall, making it a standout tree for dramatic contrast in the landscape. Crimson King Maples are hardy and adaptable, growing well in urban settings and a variety of soil types. They form a dense, rounded canopy that provides ample shade. Fall planting helps this slow-to-moderate grower establish roots before winter, setting the stage for vigorous spring growth.

4. Excelsa Cedar (Thuja plicata ‘Excelsa’)
Excelsa Cedar is a fast-growing, dense evergreen tree that’s ideal for privacy screens, windbreaks, or creating a natural green wall. Unlike Leyland Cypress, Excelsa Cedars are known for maintaining a fuller, more uniform shape as they mature. They tolerate a range of soil types, and their deep green foliage stays vibrant year-round. Planting in fall allows their root system to develop over the winter, ensuring a healthier, more resilient tree by spring.

5. Korean Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
Dogwoods are classic ornamental trees known for their spring blooms and graceful structure. Cornus kousa is an Asian variety that’s more resistant to disease. This type establishes well when planted in the fall and offer multi-season beauty.

6. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
Ginkgo trees are living fossils known for their fan-shaped leaves and vivid yellow fall color. They’re incredibly hardy, tolerant of urban conditions, and virtually pest-free. Be sure to choose a male cultivar (such as ‘Autumn Gold’) to avoid the unpleasant odor of female fruits.

Tips for Successful Fall Tree Planting
To get the most out of your fall tree planting, follow these best practices:

  • Plant Early in the Season: Aim for early to mid-fall to give roots time to establish before winter. In colder climates, plant no later than 4–6 weeks before the first hard frost.
  • Water Thoroughly: Even though temperatures are cooler, young trees still need consistent moisture to root properly. Water deeply once or twice a week, depending on rainfall.
  • Mulch Wisely: Apply 2–3 inches of mulch around the base of the tree, but keep it a few inches away from the trunk to prevent rot and pests.
  • Skip Fertilizer: Hold off on fertilizing newly planted trees in the fall. Encouraging new top growth right before winter can actually weaken the tree.
  • Stake if Necessary: If you’re planting in a windy location or with a top-heavy tree, staking can provide temporary support.

Plan Now, Enjoy for Years
By planning your tree selection now and preparing for fall planting, you’re making a smart investment in your landscape’s future. Trees provide shade, increase property value, reduce stormwater runoff, and create a habitat for birds and pollinators.

Whether you’re aiming for ornamental beauty, food production, or long-term shade, fall offers the perfect window to get trees in the ground and off to a strong start. Visit our nursery to see which varieties are available and appropriate for your growing zone (no appointment needed). And don’t hesitate to ask for help selecting the right species for your yard.

Nancy Penrose is the owner of Big Trees Inc., located in Snohomish, WA in the Seattle area. The company is one of the largest tree nurseries in the Seattle area with over 120,000 trees available in over 300 varieties. They not only deliver young trees, but also mature trees in a wide range of sizes. Some types of trees available include spring flowering, deciduous, evergreen, and privacy trees. The company also does tree transplanting including large trees. Their blog can be seen at https://bigtreesupply.com/blog/ or http://arboristblog.com/. They can be reached at 360-563-2700.

Big Trees Inc.
10928 Springhetti Rd
Snohomish, WA 98296
360-563-2700