The Fall season and leaf change are upon us, so, to get ahead, we wanted to share a guide on where to see the trees on property and what to look for. We have two miles of trails that run through our woods here and are an ideal place to see native flora and fauna. At the end of August, we went out to identify and catalogue a few of our key species with our handy Trees of the Smokies book, so that when fall hits, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking at when you get out to see the leaves.
American Holly (Ilex Opaca)
An ideal decoration for Christmas, Holly is easily recognizable due to its leaves. These can be found in our woods, but there weren’t any berries yet when we went out.
Fall Color: Stays Green
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Perhaps one of the most prominent trees on property, these are also some of the most recognizable due to their vibrant color.
Fall Color: Red
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
If you have ever wondered where the name Sugarland came from, the area known as Sugarland Valley (where the visitor’s center is) was named for its abundance of Sugar Maples. These can be found on our trails.
Fall Color: Yellow or Orange
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
Beech nuts are a favorite treat of our squirrels and other critters that inhabit the woods.
Fall Color: Yellow or Orange
Post Oak (Quercus stellata)
This tree got its name because of the use of its wood for fence posts. It produces acorns that are an important food to much of our wildlife and can primarily be found on the trails.
Fall Color: Yellow Orange or Red
Black Oak (Quercus velutina)
Another abundant tree on the property, these are located right off the path of many of our trails.
Fall Color: Red or Orange
Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Our state tree, we have these both up the hill and at the bottom across from our garden.
Fall Color: Yellow
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
A favored native Appalachian wood and food, Black Walnuts can be found across from the garden at the bottom of our hill.
Fall Color: Yellow or Brown
Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
Hemlocks are our most prosperous coniferous trees here on the property and are plentiful along the trails.
Fall Color: Stays Green
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Easily recognizable by the leaf shape as well, these trees can be found across from the garden at the bottom of the hill.
Fall Color: Varies
Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)
For this tree, berries are in season over the summer before disappearing again.
Fall Color: Yellow
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
An iconic flowering tree, you can’t miss its blooms in the Spring. For Fall, berries replace the flowers.
Fall Color: Red
River Birch (Betula nigra)
Typically found in moist areas, this tree is located next to the garden across from the gravel lot at the bottom of our hill.
Fall Color: Yellow
Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)
Mimosa Trees don’t turn in the Fall, but you might see these pods hanging from them. They’re an invasive species that has made quite a home here in the Smokies which is problematic because they threaten native species.
Fall Color: Stays Green
Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
For a fun bonus, on our travels we also found a Jack-in-the-Pulpit beginning to grow its fall berries that will be turning red soon.
Trees of the Smokies
For this post, we used GSMA’s Trees of the Smokies book which can be found at our Smoky Mountains Outdoors Center.
Note: When you’re out in the woods, always remember to look out for poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.