When you think of berries, you may imagine tasty treats like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. But you can also find many ornamental plants with beautiful small red, black, and white fall berries. Although these berries aren’t always delicious to humans, they provide food for wildlife and beautify the landscape after flowers and greenery fade.
Adding some of these shrubs and small trees to your landscape will provide a burst of color as leaves begin to change. Many of these fruits also remain throughout the winter, as long as birds and small mammals don’t eat them all. Plus, you can cut the fruit-studded stems and bring them indoors to use as festive holiday decor.
Not all of these plants produce fall fruits that are considered berries in the botanical sense. However, all of these fruits are small and round, so people often refer to them as berries.
Winterberry
The females become covered with small red, orange, or yellow fruits in the fall.
A type of native holly, winterberry is one of the best shrubs to plant if you want to support wildlife and add beauty to the garden. The female plants become covered with small red, orange, or yellow fruits in the fall. Birds and small mammals consume the berries throughout the colder seasons, making this plant an excellent choice for wildlife.
Although winterberry is a member of the ivy genus, it loses its leaves in the fall. Therefore, the berries are easy to see in the late fall and winter.
It’s important to note that female plants must be pollinated by males in order to produce fruits. If you want to enjoy the fruits, plant one male per every one to five females.
American Beautyberry
In the late summer and early fall, the flowers turn into clusters of small, bright purple berries that are an important food source.
A beloved native plant, American beautyberry produces long, arching branches covered with oppositely arranged green leaves. Clusters of tiny flowers appear between each set of leaves during the spring. In the late summer and early fall, the flowers turn into clusters of small, bright purple berries that are an important food source for songbirds, armadillos, opossums, and squirrels.
You can find multiple beautyberry species, but this one is native to most of the southeast United States. It naturally thrives in open meadows, woodland edges, and stream sites, but you can plant it in any spot with well-draining soil and at least six hours of daily light. It makes an excellent addition to the front of houses and wildlife gardens.
Red Chokeberry
It is beautiful throughout the seasons, with bright green leaves that turn crimson in the fall.
This large shrub is native to much of the eastern and central United States. It often grows multiple branches from a single base, creating a beautiful, arching V-shape. The plants easily form suckers and spread to form large clusters.
Red chokeberry is beautiful throughout the seasons, with bright green leaves that turn crimson in the fall. They also produce white or light pink flowers in the spring that turn to hanging red berries in the fall. These tart berries are beloved by birds, and they also work well in jams and sauces.
Red chokeberry can tolerate wet areas but also grows well in moderately moist soil. However, it’s not drought-tolerant.
Arrowwood Viburnum
In the summer, the flowers transform into small, round, deep blue fruits.
The arrowwood viburnum is native to many parts of the eastern and central United States. During the spring, the shrubs produce flattened clusters of small, white flowers that attract pollinators. In the summer, the flowers transform into small, round, deep blue fruits. Birds and small mammals eat the berry-like fruits, so they’re often gone by mid-fall.
This viburnum species isn’t picky about soil or moisture, so it can thrive in many locations. It can tolerate compacted soil, drought, and heat, making it an excellent low-maintenance plant.
Common Snowberry
The fruits remain through the fall and into winter.
While many of the plants on this list have red or blue berries, this shrub produces light cream berries in the fall. The fruits remain into winter, making them a great way to keep winter gardens interesting. Although the fruits are mildly toxic to humans, they provide food for birds.
A member of the honeysuckle family, the common snowberry is native to most of the northern half of the United States. It can tolerate poor soil as long as it’s well-draining.
These shrubs grow compactly with lots of branches. They readily grow suckers and often grow into larger colonies. However, you can remove the suckers to keep them tidy.
Coralberry
The colorful berries remain on the plants after the leaves fall.
Also known as Indian currant or buckbush, coralberry is a member of the honeysuckle family that’s native to much of the eastern United States. They grow in dense mounds and are covered with ovular green leaves. Clusters of small white flowers appear near the stems in the spring and summer, and bright pink berries appear in the late summer or fall.
The colorful berries remain on the plants after the leaves fall. The fruits aren’t edible to humans, and they’re not a favorite of wildlife. However, birds will often eat them in the late winter when other food is scarce.
Pyracomeles
Varieties like Berry Box™ produce oodles of bright red berries in the fall.
Pyracomeles is an interesting plant created by talented breeders. While most hybrids are made by crossing two different species in the same genus, the creation of this shrub involved crossing two separate genera! It’s a combination of Pyracantha and Osteomeles plants.
While not all Pyracomeles varieties produce berries, some cultivars do. Varieties like Berry Box™ produce oodles of bright red berries in the fall. To keep them happy, plant them in an area with well-draining soil and keep the soil moderately moist.
American Bittersweet
An outer orange coating splits open to reveal a bright red fruit called an aril.
American bittersweet is a woody vine that can grow multiple stories tall. Its green leaves look rather ordinary in the spring and summer, but when they drop in the fall, the colorful fruits are on full display. An outer orange coating splits open to reveal a bright red fruit called an aril. These fruits are eaten by wildlife, and they also make beautiful fall decor.
The vines can grow quickly and easily go over and through shrubs, trees, and fences. Therefore, choose your location carefully and train a vine’s growth when it’s young.
When you’re searching for bittersweet cultivars, make sure you choose the American variety over the invasive oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus). The latter can quickly choke out other plants and take over entire yards and forests.
Linden Viburnum
It produces large, flat clusters of small white flowers that mature into red fruits that turn black.
Linden viburnum is a flowering and fruiting shrub that’s popular for ornamental plantings. However, it’s not a native viburnum and can choke out its neighbors. Therefore, I recommend choosing a less invasive viburnum.
With that said, you can often see it planted in landscapes. Its leaves resemble those of linden trees, hence its common name. It produces large, flat clusters of small white flowers that mature into red fruits that turn black.
Black Chokeberry
The plant also produces white flowers in the spring and dark blue berries in the late summer.
The black chokeberry is a member of the rose family native to eastern North America. It produces oblong green leaves that turn red in the fall. The plant also produces white flowers in the spring and dark blue berries in the late summer or early fall.
The dark fruits are edible and often used in jams, jellies, syrups, and wines. They’re also enjoyed by birds and mammals.
These shrubs can tolerate a wide range of soils, including those that remain wet. This hardy nature, coupled with their tendency to spread by suckers, makes them a popular choice for erosion control and windbreaks. However, you can also add single specimens to landscapes.
Eastern Red Cedar
Female plants produce small, blue cones that look like small berries.
This juniper species is native to eastern North America, where it grows as a medium tree. It has beautiful blue-green scale leaves that sometimes turn brown or bronze in the winter. The trees are tough and can tolerate poor soil and drought.
Female plants produce small, blue cones that look like small berries. These appear in the fall and often last into the winter. Many birds feed on the juniper berries, including cedar waxwings and robins.
Scarlet Firethorn
It has oblong leaves that remain evergreen or semi-evergreen, depending on where you live.
Scarlet firethorn is a large shrub native to parts of Europe and the Middle East. It has oblong leaves that remain evergreen or semi-evergreen, depending on where you live. The stems have notable spines and grow in wild branching form, but you can prune them so they remain tidy.
In the spring, the plant produces clusters of five-petaled white flowers with an unpleasant smell. These flowers turn to bright red-orange fruits in the fall. Birds like to eat the fruits, but if left untouched, they often remain on the plants throughout the fall.
The plant has been reported to be invasive in some southern states, so take caution if you choose to plant it. It’s readily spread by birds, so don’t be surprised if new plants pop up each year.
American Holly
American holly can grow as a shrub or tree, and its height is largely dependent on the surrounding environment.
This quintessential holly is native to portions of the central and southeast United States. The plants produce leathery, evergreen leaves with curved margins complete with noticeable spines. Female plants also sport round, bright red berries that are often used as holiday decor.
American holly can grow as a shrub or tree, and its height is largely dependent on the surrounding environment. Since it grows slowly, it will take many years for it to become a tall tree. The ideal environment includes well-draining soil, afternoon shade, and moderate moisture.
Black Hawthorn
The deciduous trees have ovate leaves with serrated margins.
You can find black hawthorn growing in the Pacific Northwest as well as parts of the Mountain West. It grows as a small to medium tree with wild, scraggly growth and sometimes forms large thickets. Black hawthorn prefers moist areas, but it can tolerate brief dry periods.
The deciduous trees have ovate leaves with serrated margins. Clusters of white flowers appear in the spring, and the trees produce deep purple fruits in the fall.
Oregon Grape
The evergreen plants have thick, glossy, spiny leaves that resemble holly.
Although it has clusters of grape-like fruits, the Oregon grape isn’t a true grape. Instead, it’s more closely related to other members of the barberry family. However, unlike many invasive barberries, this species is native to western North America.
The evergreen plants have thick, glossy, spiny leaves that resemble holly. In the winter, the leaves turn red. The plants produce large clusters of bright yellow flowers above their leaves. In the fall, the flowers turn into deep purple berries that resemble grapes.
Spicebush
The small red fruits provide a pleasant spice that adds flavor to cookies and stews.
The first time I learned about spicebush, I was amazed. The oblong green leaves didn’t look like anything special, but crushing them revealed a fragrance similar to allspice and cloves. Plus, the small red fruits provide a pleasant spice that adds flavor to cookies and stews.
This large shrub is native to the central and eastern United States, where it grows in the dappled light of forest understories. The plant can tolerate a variety of soil types but doesn’t do well with intense heat or drought. Watering the plants during hot, dry periods will help keep them happy.
If you want to enjoy the fruits, make sure to plant at least one male and one female plant. Only the females will produce fruit, but they require a male for proper pollination.
Scarlet Hawthorn
It produces white flowers that have an unpleasant fragrance.
Scarlet hawthorn is a small tree or large shrub native to much of the eastern United States. It produces white flowers that have an unpleasant fragrance. However, the flowers eventually give way to beautiful red fruits.
Since the stems have long thorns, you should be careful about where you plant this hawthorn. It’s also helpful to know that the plant can spread by suckers.
Bearberry Cotoneaster
Bearberry cotoneaster is a low-growing yet sprawling shrub that is often used for erosion control.
Plants in the Cotoneaster genus are all members of the rose family. They grow as branching shrubs with small leaves that are semi-evergreen or evergreen. Bearberry cotoneaster is a low-growing yet sprawling shrub that is often used for erosion control.
Since this species is native to cool regions in China, it doesn’t grow well in the hot summer sun. However, it can form wide mats in areas with cooler summers. The plants produce clusters of small white flowers in the spring, and red berries follow in the late summer.
Flowering Dogwood
Although the fruits are small, they remain on the plants through the fall and winter, matching the red leaves.
While the flowering dogwood is known for its large bracts that resemble flowers, the small trees also produce beautiful red fruits. Although the fruits are small, they remain on the plants through the fall and winter, matching the red leaves.
The trees are native to the eastern United States, where they occur in dappled understories and open forests. Their small size, beautiful form, and year-round interest make them a beloved landscaping tree. Plus, they provide excellent habitat and food for wildlife.
Silver Buffaloberry
It is a large shrub with shimmery, light green leaves and bright red fruits.
Silver buffaloberry is a large shrub with shimmery, light green leaves and bright red fruits. The plants are native to Great Plains as well as scattered areas in the eastern and western US. Since it’s a native member of the Elaeagnaceae family, it makes an excellent alternative to the invasive autumn olive shrub.
The plants prefer moist areas with good drainage, but they can grow in a variety of conditions. They can tolerate light drought and poor soil, but don’t grow well in bogs and wetlands.
If you want to enjoy the plant’s berries, be aware that male and female flowers exist on different plants. Therefore, you need at least one of each plant for proper pollination to occur. You should also watch out for the long spines on the stems.
Bunchberry
In the fall, a cluster of red berries appears on the tops of the plants.
While most of the plants on this list are shrubs or small trees, bunchberry is much smaller. The stems remain under a foot tall, yet produce flowers and fruit identical to larger members of the dogwood genus. Therefore, this plant is a great option if you want to enjoy the beauty of dogwoods but don’t have much space!
Bunchberry works well as ground cover, particularly in shaded areas. The leaves remain green in the spring and summer before turning red in the fall. The small true flowers are surrounded by large bracts which many people mistake as petals. In the fall, a cluster of red berries appears on the tops of the plants.
