Fall Colors
Self-Guided Tours Around the Campus

A crisp fall day is a great time to take a walk around the campus and enjoy the colors of the season. Here are some possibilities.

Walk #1: A Loop Around Green Library.

This walking tour begins on the south side of Green Library and highlights some outstanding fall plants. To the west of the library entrance, a row of young sawleaf zelkovas trees (Zelkova serrata) runs along the length of the wall and begins to turn from green to red later in the season. Nearby are several American sweetgums (Liquidamber styraciflua), a familiar tree with maple-like leaves and spiky round seed pods. These trees are some of our most colorful plants in fall, with leaf color ranging from purple to red to orange to yellow.

Heading west around the School of Education, look for the variegated box elder trees (Acer negundo 'Variegata') that lose their leaves early. Nearby, the upright birch trees (Betula jacquemontii) inside the courtyard turn yellow later in the fall. The next stop, on the west side of Green Library, is Centennial Memorial Fountain. The soft pink roses surrounding the seating area are a selection of shrub rose named Bonica. The trees with red fall color and tiny acorns are red oaks. (Quercus rubra), native to eastern North America.

Continuing around to the north side of Green Library, you will see several young Japanese maples (Acer japonicum) planted against the building foundation. The graceful form, small size and ease of care of this tree have made it a popular landscaping choice in home gardens as well. A little further east, the foundation planting includes the green shrub sweet olive (Osmanthus fragrans). Its tiny flowers open in fall and scent the air with the fragrance of ripe apricots.

From here, head north up the stairs to the Hoover Tower plaza. On the left is a row of European hornbeams (Carpinus betulus ''Fastigiata') that turn orange later in the fall. The curious plant straight ahead is Harry Lauder's Walking Stick (Corylus avellana 'Contorta'). The growth form of this hazelnut relative is crooked and gnarled, making it a kind of living sculpture. The Hoover building is trimmed with Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis), a vigorous vine with fragrant clusters of flowers in spring. In fall, the leaves turn yellow before falling and revealing velvety bean-like seed pods. These open explosively as they dry out, shooting their contents in all directions. More Japanese maples brighten the seating area in the center of the plaza nearby.

Heading east, go down the steps of the Hoover Plaza and enter Galvez Mall. Straight ahead in the lawn along Encina Hall are American ash (Fraxinus americana). The largest and
oldest tree dates to 1898.

As you walk south on Galves Mall, you come to a little seating area on the east side of Green Library. Looking east, you see another eastern oak, the pin oak (Quercus palustris). Its leaves are smaller and narrower than those of the red oak. Two plantings at the corners of the lawn around Crothers Hall turn bright red in fall. In the garden itself, there is a floss silk tree (Chorisia speciosa), one of only a few on campus. These subtropical trees suffer in cold winters here, so they tend to be of small size. The leaves often drop in fall, just as the large pink flowers open. A telltale characteristic of this South American native is the thick spines that stud the gray-green trunk.

To the west of the garden, at
the edge of the lawn at Green Library, is a collection of young maidenhair trees (Ginkgo biloba). Their characteristic fan-shaped leaves turn a lime-yellow color
in fall that is truly spectacular.

Continue up the path past the Moonbeam Cafe, and you're
back to the starting point.

Walk #2: A Fall Walk Near White Plaza

This walk begins in front of Dinkelspiel Auditorium, at the foot of the beautiful blue oak (Quercus douglasii). This deciduous native loses its leaves in late fall, with leaf color ranging from pink to orange and yellow. Go around the corner of the Dinkelspiel and Braun buildings, past the colorful red berries of the firethorn shrubs (Pyracantha coccinea). At the southwest corner, you'll find American sweetgum trees (Liquidamber styracifula) in an array of colors.

Laryx at Mayfield Mall
Leaves and berries on Crataegus
Liriodendron tulipifera
Pyrus calleryana

Across the path, at the corner of Storey House, are three young dawn redwood trees (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). One of the few deciduous conifers, their leaves turn an orange to red color before falling off completely. Just ahead, in the circular planter, is another deciduous conifer, a selection of larch (Laryx x eurolepis 'Varied Directions'). This particular variety has a prostrate habit.

Look south along Mayfield Mall to the rows of Washington thorns (Crataegus phaenopyrum) and lindens (Tilia cordata). Washington thorns are thorny small trees with pretty white clusters of flowers in spring that give rise to shiny red berries in fall. The leaves soon turn an orange-red color before falling.

Linden trees can grow to 50 feet tall, so these young trees still have a ways to go. If fall nights
are cold, the usual brown fall color can be replaced by more dramatic yellows. Nearby are bright yellow to orange tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera), and in the distance are several older plantings of stately English elms (Ulmus procera).

Head north through Braun Music building's breezeway. The plaza you come to has more colorful American sweetgums (Liquidamber styraciflua) and two types of flowering pears. Ornamental pear (Pyrus calleryana) is a deciduous native of China. While mainly planted for their spring flower show, some cultivated varieties have reliable
fall color in shades of reds and purples. Nearby and sometimes hard to distinguish is evergreen pear (Pyrus kawakamii). This tree is not truly evergreen here, and when the leaves have fallen, the angular growth structure is revealed. Walking toward the
Post office, you see small deciduous magnolias (Magnolia x soulangeana). While these too are planted for their saucer-shaped pink and white flowers in spring, they turn a lovely yellow in the fall. On the west side of the Post Office are two orange trees (Citrus sp) with colorful fruits in winter. Around the corner, on the south side, is a floss silk tree (Chorisia speciosa). This tender plant from South America is often hit by winter cold and survives in only a few locations on campus. The leaves drop early on this tree, just as the large hibiscus-like pink flowers appear in fall.

Continue around the back of the post office and look for a pair of dogwoods (Cornus sp) tucked into the northeast corner of the building. These turn green and red before losing their leaves. Overhead are showy yellow Modesto ash trees (Fraxinus velutina 'Modesto'). Once widely planted because of their quick growth, these trees are no longer recommended because of their susceptibility to anthracnose. A relative, Shamel ash (Fraximus uhdei), is planted in front of the bookstore nearby. Cross through the breezeway between the post office and the bookstore and head toward Old Union. Prominent in front is a fall flowering coral tree (Erythrina humeana). This South African native is somewhat marginal in this climate but still puts on a reliable flower show much of the year. Peek inside the courtyard to see an old specimen of pomegranate (Punica granatum), whose fruits are a favorite table decoration. Outside the courtyard and around the corner from the coral tree, on the south side of Old Union, is a row of white mulberries (Morus alba). This is another example of a plant once popular for its growth and yellow fall color.

In the lawn across the way are more towering tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera). Native to the Southeast, these giants have tulip-shaped leaves that turn yellow to orange before falling. To warm up on a cold day, sip a hot beverage on the patio of Tresidder Union, under a canopy of semievergreen Chinese elms (Ulmus parvifolia). Ahead of you is Dinkelspiel Auditorium, the starting point for this walk.

Two more exceptional sites for fall color on campus are Bowdoin Street and Santa Teresa Street, where Chinese pistache trees (Pistacia chinensis) seem to glow in the vivid reds, yellows, oranges and greens.

For more fall color locations on the Stanfored University campus, check here.