The black gum trees (Nyssa sylvatica), also known as tupelo, sour-gum and pepperidge, kick the Arkansas fall foliage season off with brilliant red leaves. This tree commonly grows in swampy areas and bottom lands, but can also be found growing on dry hillsides. It grows to a height of 70 feet with a canopy spread of 30 feet. The bark is roughly textured, resembling alligator skin. Black gum leaves are ovate, 3 in. to 6 in. long and 1 1/2 in. to 3 in. wide.
The sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum) foliage turns red, orange or yellow. It is found growing naturally in hardwood forests, dry open woods and abandoned fields. It can grow to be 60 ft. tall, but usually only reach a height of 30 ft. with a canopy spread of 25 ft. They normally grow as a multiple trunk tree in the wild, forming dense shrubby thickets. The bark on young sassafras trees is smooth and orange-brown in color, but becomes rough and deeply furrowed as the tree ages. The leaves are 4 in. to 7 in. long and are either oval-shaped, mitten-shaped or have three lobes.
The sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua), also commonly called redgum, star-leaved gum, alligator-wood and gumtree, produces red, orange, yellow and purple Arkansas fall foliage colors. It grows naturally in low hilly areas, moist valley areas and in woodland areas. It normally grows to between 80 ft. and 150 ft. tall. The bark is gray and rough with deep furrows and scaly ridges. The leaves are star-shaped with five to seven pointed lobes.
The red maple (Acer rebrum), also known as swamp maple and Carolina red maple, is another tree that is found growing naturally in Arkansas with foliage that turns red, orange or yellow in the fall. It can be found growing in swampy bottom land and dry forest areas. It commonly grows to a height of 40 ft. to 50 ft. with a trunk diameter of 1 1/2 ft. to 2 1/2 ft. It can be found growing in single or multiple trunk form. The bark on young red maples is smooth and light gray to silver in color. As the tree ages, the bark turns a gray brown color and develops a rough scaly texture. The leaves are 2 in. to 4 in. long and have three or five pointed lobes.
