Best autumn-flowering trees to plant in October – 3 to plant now for gorgeous displays while the rest of the garden falls asleep

I’m all about pretty trees, so this season, I thought I’d track down the best autumn-flowering trees you can plant in October.

Just like autumn-flowering shrubs, trees that produce blooms during the autumn ways can add much-needed colour and beauty to the garden. Some autumn-flowering trees are available to buy fully-grown, which means they’ll burst into bloom this autumn, while others can be planted in their bare-root form now for flowers over the coming years.

I asked the experts to share their favourite autumn-flowering trees to plant in October for beautiful cool-weather blooms.

What you'll need

1. Winter-flowering cherry

Cherry blossoms are up there with my all-time favourite trees, but not every variety flowers in spring. Winter-flowering cherries happen to be among the best autumn-flowering trees, too, and when I spoke to Annelise Brilli, Thompson & Morgan’s horticultural expert, she recommended Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis Rosea'.

‘This elegant, spreading cherry brings welcome colour to the garden when other trees have finished flowering,’ Annelise says. ‘Semi-double, rosy-pink flowers emerge from dark pink buds during mild spells from late October through to March. The blooms open intermittently, creating an extended display that can brighten even the coldest months.’

You can buy a fully-grown (200-210cm) Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ from Gardening Express, or start with a bare-root Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis Rosea' tree from Thompson & Morgan (you’ll just need to wait a little longer for the first flowers to appear next year).

‘In autumn, the foliage adds another splash of colour as the leaves turn a warm, buttery yellow before falling,’ Annelise adds.

2. Strawberry tree

Ever heard of the strawberry tree? Known botanically as Arbutus unedo, It produces fruits that look just like the popular berries (but don’t taste like them!).

Before that, though, it produces beautiful white blooms. It’s another recommendation of Annelise’s for autumn-flowering trees.

‘Dainty, urn-shaped white flowers dangle alongside red strawberry-like fruits, offering a rich autumnal display,’ says Annelise. ‘Its glossy evergreen foliage and peeling red-brown bark adds further interest, while its spreading, shrubby habit gives it an elegant, natural shape.’

Annelise advises a sunny, sheltered position for the strawberry tree, and says it’s particularly well suited to coastal gardens, too. You can order an established strawberry tree from B&Q.

3. Witch hazel

Witch hazel generally flowers from December to March, but if you’re lucky, it’ll open its blooms as early as October – so it’s among the best autumn-flowering trees you can plant now as well as a brilliant winter-flowering shrub.

‘Witch hazel (Hamamelis) is a small, slow-growing tree or large shrub with fragrant, spidery flowers in late autumn through winter, depending on the variety,’ says Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres. ‘It’s ideal for a sheltered spot in partial shade and adds scent when little else is flowering.’

American witch hazel is generally the most reliable for autumn flowering, while varieties like witch hazel ‘Jelena’ from Crocus burst into bloom from early winter.

Plant these autumn-flowering trees now for beautiful displays every year.