Small Trees with Bright Orange Berries to Brighten Up Your Landscape

Vibrant orange berries on trees can add a pop of color and interest to your yard in late summer through winter. While many people think of hollies or pyracantha when they imagine shrubs with red berries, there are several excellent small tree options that produce eye-catching orange berries.

In this article, we will look at some of the best small trees that have ornate orange berries We’ll discuss their key features, growth habits, and how to use them in your landscape Read on to learn about these underutilized trees that can bring color and wildlife benefits when the garden is looking a bit dull.

European Mountain Ash

One of the most popular small trees grown for its voluminous clusters of orange-red berries is the European mountain ash. Also known as the rowan tree this lovely landscape specimen hails from Europe, western Asia and North Africa.

The mountain ash is a deciduous tree that matures at about 15-20 feet tall and wide, making it a nice choice where you need a small accent tree. It has an upright oval growth habit with gracefully arching branches studded with compound leaves made up of 9-15 leaflets.

The real showstopper with the mountain ash is the abundant decorative orange berry clusters that develop by midsummer. These bright orange fruits contrast beautifully against the fine, deep green foliage. The berries often persist into winter, providing late season color and food for birds.

An added cool feature of the mountain ash’s berries is that each one has a little five-pointed star on the bottom! Besides being ornamental, the tart orange berries can be harvested for jams, jellies, wine, liqueurs, and even a coffee substitute.

Winterberry Holly

For brilliant winter color, few trees can compare with winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata). This deciduous holly is grown for its eye-catching orange-red berries that shine like holiday decorations against a blanket of snow.

Native across eastern North America, winterberry hollies are naturally found in swampy areas but adapt well to gardens. These shrubs grow 6-10 feet tall and wide, with a rounded form. The leaves are a handsome glossy green that turns yellow in fall.

Tiny white flowers in late spring give way to the main event: abundant clusters of round orange-red berries that cover the branches by late summer. The berries remain into winter, providing vital cold weather food for birds.

There are many cultivars available, but ‘Winter Gold’ and ‘Little Goblin’ are two compact varieties that produce prolific amounts of orange berries. For best fruiting, plant one male pollinator winterberry near several female plants.

Pyracantha

Pyracantha is an excellent evergreen shrub, well known for its sharp thorns and prolific clusters of shiny red, orange, or yellow berries in autumn. The colorful berries persist all winter, adding interest and bird food to the winter garden.

With dozens of cultivars to choose from, it’s easy to find a pyracantha well-suited as a specimen shrub or hedge in your landscape. For orange berry varieties, some top selections include:

• ‘Yukon Belle’ – Copious clusters of orange-red berries and good hardiness make this a standout choice. It grows 6-8 feet tall.

• ‘Kasan’ – Abundant orange berries contrast beautifully against dark green foliage. Grows 8-10 feet tall.

• ‘Santa Cruz’ – A low-growing variety at just 3-5 feet tall, it produces heavy crops of orange berries. Good as a groundcover.

• ‘Gnome’ – A dwarf shrub growing just 4-6 feet tall, it’s ideal for small hedges and still delivers generous orange berry production.

With their sharp thorns and dense growth habit, pyracantha shrubs make excellent natural security barriers around properties. They require full sun to part shade and adapt to many soil types.

Viburnum

Viburnums represent a large group of flowering shrubs, many of which produce berry-like fruits that add ornamental value in late summer through fall. While most fruits are red or bluish-black, a few viburnums offer varieties with orange berries.

One of the best is Viburnum dilatatum ‘Tandoori Orange’, which is a compact deciduous shrub that grows 6-8 feet tall and wide. It produces flat-topped clusters of white flowers in late spring, followed by drooping clusters of vivid orange berries in late summer. The leaves turn red and purple shades in fall for additional seasonal interest.

Other viburnums worth considering for orange fruit include Viburnum trilobum ‘J.N. Select’ and Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’. Site viburnums in full sun to part shade and provide moderately fertile, well-draining soil. Prune immediately after flowering if needed to maintain shape.

Choosing the Right Spot

When selecting trees and shrubs with ornamental berries, it’s important to site them properly so you can enjoy their full beauty. For the brightest berry display, plant them against a plain backdrop like a wall or fence so the berries pop against the background.

Locating them near outdoor living spaces where you’ll regularly see them, such as next to a patio or deck, is ideal. Providing a dark mulch around the base also makes the berries stand out more vibrantly.

Trees and shrubs with persistent berries also work well in combinations with conifers, grasses, sedums, and other late season plants. That way, you can create colorful winter vignettes in the landscape.

Attract Birds with Ornamental Berries

Aside from their visual appeal, berry-producing trees and shrubs offer the practical benefit of providing food for birds. This is especially important in winter, when wild food sources are scarce.

Planting several different trees and shrubs that fruit at varying times extends this valuable food source. The orange berry varieties highlighted here persist late into winter, making them a lifeline for birds during cold weather.

You’ll enjoy observing cardinals, waxwings, thrushes, mockingbirds, bluebirds, robins, and many other species feasting on the berries. Just be sure to avoid invasive plants like barberries or Bradford pears, and choose native species whenever possible.

Add Pops of Color with Trees Bearing Orange Berries

Small ornamental trees with brightly colored orange berries can energize your yard’s late season appeal. They continue the show after most plants have gone dormant while attracting desirable wildlife.

Use one or more of these exceptional small trees bearing winter berries to inject vivid color into your dreary winter garden. They’ll quickly become year-round favorites thanks to their enticing fruit display.