What varieties of flowering trees are there for autumn viewing? A complete guide to common ornamental flowering tree species

Autumn, though not as ablaze with flowers as spring, still sees some trees reveal their unique charm in this season.

Osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans) is a highly representative flowering tree of autumn. Its blossoms are small and delicate, borne in cyme clusters in the leaf axils, and their rich fragrance can drift far on the air. The golden-yellow petals stand out brilliantly against the green leaves, adding a deep, heady sweetness to the whole of autumn.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is no less impressive in autumn, putting on a captivating display. Its flower colors are rich and varied, including elegant purple, sweet pink and pure white. The blooms are large and beautiful, borne singly in the leaf axils at the tips of the branches; each opens in the morning and falls by evening, yet new flowers open every day, showing tenacious vitality and lasting ornamental appeal.

Cotton rose (Hibiscus mutabilis) is likewise a presence that cannot be overlooked in autumn. Its flowers are large and showy, and their color shifts with time and light, from pure white as snow in the early morning to pink or deep red like sunset clouds by evening, as if enacting the passage of time within a single day. When the cotton rose is in full bloom, it looks like brilliant rosy clouds alighting on the branches, bringing a touch of vivid, living color to the somewhat bleak autumn.

The beautiful silk floss tree (Ceiba speciosa) blooms in autumn with the whole tree covered in pink or purplish-red flowers, like dreamy clouds on the horizon. The blooms are large and vivid, with petal edges faintly crinkled, giving a uniquely soft and romantic impression, as though nature were offering a precious gift in this season.

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) still blooms in all its beauty in autumn. Its flower colors are rich and varied, including tender pink, mysterious purple and pure white; the flowers cluster at the tips of the branches, forming dense balls of blossom. The crape myrtle has a long flowering period and can keep blooming through autumn, offering people lasting ornamental value.

There is also the goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata), whose flowers are yellow, tiny and densely packed, forming panicles. In the warm autumn sunlight, the golden blossoms and the gradually changing leaves set each other off, creating a captivating scene full of color and beauty.

Besides the species above, Bougainvillea is also a common flowering tree in autumn. It comes in a great many colors, and its bracts resemble petals, crowding together to form fiery balls of bloom. Those brilliant colors bring a bright splash of scenery to autumn.