A:     The mild-winter climate of the central coast supports a native flora with occasional and subtle displays of autumn color. Toyon shows red on hill slopes with the autumn ripening of its fruit, as does naturalized California pepper. Poison oak splashes red with the turning of its leaves in accompaniment to the yellow of cottonwood and willow in the creeks.

The horticultural trades offer a selection of plants which color to enhance this native palette. Many will thrive in our climate to display hues ranging from brilliant reds and purples through gold, pastel yellows, and white.

Deciduous fruits and nuts can be used for autumn color. Persimmon can produce a dramatic orange show of ripened fruit, followed by yellow and orange to deep red as its leaves finally turn. Chinese pistache will often color brilliantly crimson, scarlet, orange and yellow.

Varieties of liquidambar, reminiscent of maples, are easy to grow and widely used for striking autumn color in mild-winter climes. ' Palo Alto' and ' Burgundy ' may hold their deep red-burgundy to red-purple hues for a relatively long period of time, while ' Festival ' colors in the yellow, peach and orange range.

Ginkgo biloba can generally be relied upon for light to intense yellow, and golden hues. Potential textural counterpoint to conifers, they are relatively easy to maintain, and generally resistant to pest and disease. Available varieties include ' Autumn Gold ' and ' Fairmont '.

Crape myrtle , birch, and poplar will turn to shades of yellow, and occasionally orange, while varieties of Boston ivy, including ' Beverly Brooks ' and ' Green showers ' can be used for burgundy and red.

Cape honeysuckle blooms red orange during fall and winter, and for splashes of white, the ample and powerfully fragrant blooms of southern magnolia continue to unfold through the autumn months.

Autumn can be an advantageous time to select and plant for fall color. The actual colors a plant is likely to produce can be seen by browsing local nurseries. Planting in fall may allow winter rains to supply irrigation as plants become established.