Hi Laure,

One of the quickest and most brilliant orange trees is the Sensation Boxelder (Acer negundo 'Sensation'), a male clone that does not produce fruit (and therefor does not attract boxelder beetles).  These are readily available commercially.

Certain varieties of sugar maple can also grow well here, including varieties called 'John Pair', 'Autumn Splendor', and FLASHFIRE.  Norway maples including 'Crimson Sentry' and 'Royal Red' are also options, though these can be prone to leaf scorch in hot or windy sites.

Texas Red oak (Quercus buckleyi) and Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii) also have red fall color; these are more difficult to find commercially and you would need to be careful to select plants from northern sources.  Red oaks (Quercus rubra) can grow well in many parts of the state, too, though in soils with high pH it is susceptible to leaf chlorosis.

Smaller oaks, including several hybrids from the Allan Taylor series, also generate great fall color, but these will be the most difficult to find of the selections above--for the enthusiast with a small space!

I hope this is helpful!

Cordially,

John



You're welcome and good luck!