Last May, Napa Valley lost one of its most beautiful fall color displays. A grove of Chinese pistache trees (Pistacia chinensis) at the intersection of Salvador and Highway 29 on school property was cut down and turned into chips in a matter of minutes. These venerable trees have been replaced by an asphalt parking lot and small rectangular school buildings. Two trees are still slightly visible behind the buildings.                                     

     Chinese pistaches are probably the most “friendly” trees we have in the valley. By friendly, we mean that they don’t send out invasive suckers, as many trees do. They don’t drop offensive and sometimes dangerously large seed pods or large leaves or attract pests or diseases, and they grow in almost any kind of soil that has good drainage.

     The tree’s paired leaflets are long and narrow along graceful stems. And they make great shade trees. The leaflets are just the right size for the compost bin. The pistache’s chief attribute is evident in fall when the leaves turn yellow, orange or red and take on stained-glass brilliance in sunlight. In November, Chinese pistache trees beautify the streets of Yountville and many Napa Valley neighborhoods.

     Buy Chinese pistache in the fall when nurseries have several color choices available. If you want a particular color, a nursery may be able to reserve it for you.

     The valley boasts many deciduous trees that provide fall color worthy of a photo safari to local parks, schools or the main streets of our towns. Take your photographs to a local nursery and ask about characteristics, such as height, spread, soil requirements, diseases and pests. Sunset’s Western Garden Book is invaluable when it comes to such information. Also consult the Master Gardener website (address below) or call the Napa County Master Gardener office at 707-253-4221 and request a list of deciduous trees. The Napa Tree Department maintains a list of suitable street trees, some of which are deciduous and produce fall color. All those recommended have non-invasive roots.

     Other good tree choices for fall color include the following:

·         Red maple (Acer rubrum): ‘October Glory’ or ‘Red Sunset’ varieties.

·         Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba): butter-yellow fan-shaped leaves and a mature height of 50 feet.

·         Ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa): ‘Raywood’ variety has purple-red fall leaves and is fast growing to 35 feet.

·         Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica): Look for hybrids between L. indica and L. fauriei, including ‘Muskogee,’ which has lavender flowers with red fall leaves; and‘Natchez.’ with white flowers and orange-red fall leaves. Both grow to 25 feet.

·         Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera): large tulip-shaped leaves that turn bright yellow in fall; fast growing to 60 to 80 feet.

·         Sweet gum (Liquidambar): L. styraciflua ‘Burgundy’ has deep purple fall leaves; ‘Palo Alto’has red fall color; and ‘Festival’ has yellow to orange fall leaves. All have maple-like leaves and grow to 60 feet. Roots can be invasive, and trees produce annoying spiny balls that drop in winter.

·         Sour gum, also called Tupelo tree and Pepperidge (Nyssa sylvatica): leaves turn yellow then  bright orange-red.  Slow to moderate growth to 50 feet.

·         Ornamental pear (Pyrus calleryana): ‘Autumn Blaze’ variety has glossy, leathery, dark green leaves that turn crimson in fall. Grows to 30 feet.

·         California black oak (Quercus kelloggii): new leaves are soft dusty pink. Mature leaves are

       glossy dark green and turn yellow and orange in the fall. Reaches 30 to 80 feet. Give it room.

       This tree is susceptible to sudden oak disease.

·         Blue oak (Quercus douglasii): blue green leaves turn orange and yellow in fall. Wider than tall, it can grow to 50 feet with a width of 40 to 70 feet. It is immune to sudden oak death.

·         Red oak (Quercus rubra): red-orange fall color; grows fast to 70 feet. Give it space.

·         Chinese tallow tree (Sapium sebiferum): This tree grows from seed. Keep it away from rivers and wetlands where it might self-seed and take over natural areas. Planted in patios, lawns and terraces, it produces heart-shaped leaves that turn from light green to red, yellow and purple. A good shade tree, growing to 40 feet.