Where there are deciduous trees, there will likely be flame-colored leaves come autumn. Sure, the maples, oaks, sweetgums, and hickories in the Northeast net much of the attention when it comes to fall foliage season, but there’s a certain poetry in the stately yellows and oranges of the quaking aspens, cottonwoods, and birches out West. In the South, a seasonal flush hits the hardwood trees dotting river deltas and wetlands. And in the far north, hardy Arctic shrubs and wildflowers darken to jewel-like hues as they prepare for a blistering winter on the tundra. Only Hawaii seems to miss the wave of colorful changes, though non-native plants might add a splash of crispness.
