Don't overlook the shrubs flaunting colorful fall foliage

Most of us probably picture trees showing off their leaves painted bright red, glowing yellow and brilliant orange when we imagine the colors of fall foliage, but there are also many shrubs with outstanding fall color. And, unlike trees, shrubs are easier to fit into suburban landscapes.

Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) boasts brilliant red leaves and berries in autumn. Brilliantissima is a popular variety often found at garden centers. It grows 6 to 8 feet tall. Its upright habit is perfect for a neighbor-friendly hedge. Easy to grow in a wide range of soils, red chokeberry prefers full sun to part shade.

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) lights up the fall garden when its foliage turns yellow. Depending on how happy it is where it is planted, it grows 3 to 8 feet tall in an oval shape. Panicles of fragrant, white flowers bloom in summer. Summersweet is native to wet soils and is an ideal choice for areas in the garden that remain moist much of the year. Hummingbird is a compact cultivar just 4 feet tall. Ruby Spice is a pink-flowering variety.

The foliage of dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii) changes from bluish-green to yellow, orange and scarlet as temperatures cool. Best fall color occurs in full sun, but it is still pretty growing in part shade. Fragrant, bottlebrush-like flowers appear in spring. It prefers slightly moist, acidic soil. Dwarf fothergilla is ideal for foundation plantings or as a specimen in a perennial border.

Native to the United States, Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) features dark green leaves that turn to scarlet or reddish purple in fall. It grows 3 to 5 feet tall in a loose, pendulous form. Fragrant, white flowers bloom in June or July. It grows natively in areas with wet soil but is adaptable to most soils and grows well in sun or part shade.

Lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) are not often included in conversations about fall color, but Miss Kim is an exception to its family's rule. Growing about 5 feet tall and wide, it sports the expected fragrant, purple flowers in May. But unexpectedly in fall, its leaves develop a purplish hue that deepens as temperatures cool. Grow lilacs in well-drained soil and in full sun for the best flowering.

Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) is one of the best viburnums for fall color. Most people buy this shrub in spring when they breathe in the sweet perfume of its flowers. Come fall, they are delighted with the wine-red color of its foliage. Reaching 5 feet tall and wide, this is a good choice for small gardens.

Blueberries are most often planted to harvest their delicious fruit in summer, but their foliage also turns a gorgeous shade of red in fall. Plant blueberries in moist, acidic soil in a spot with full sun for the most fruit and the best fall color.

• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist, garden writer and speaker. She blogs at gardenwithdiana.com.