Foliage Stage in Vancouver

In peak right now:
These trees are shining the brightest right now! They are providing the most intense, saturated colors of the season, marking a glorious temporary peak for their species:

Species	Primary Color at Near Peak	Best Places to Find
Ash Trees	Vibrant Yellow, Orange	Residential streets (e.g., Kitsilano, UBC), City Parks
Red Maple	Deep Scarlet, Fiery Red	Stanley Park Causeway, Queen Elizabeth Park
Katsura Tree	Brilliant Gold, Yellow-Orange	VanDusen Garden, certain city side streets
Sugar Maple	Orange-Red, Yellow-Gold	Major parks and cultivated garden areas
Honey Locust	Clear, Bright Yellow	Downtown streets, False Creek areas

Here are some pictures I took at Fort Langley:

MID PEAK (Building Color, Rapidly Approaching Peak)

Species	Primary Color at Near Peak	Best Places to Find
Japanese Maple	Deep Crimson, Ruby Red	Famous in Japanese Gardens (Nitobe, VanDusen) and residential front yards
Cherry Trees	Orange, Yellow-Red	Found more on forest edges and lower mountain trails (e.g., Pacific Spirit Park)
Vine Maple	Orange, Yellow-Red	Found more on forest edges and lower mountain trails (e.g., Pacific Spirit Park)
Dogwood	Deep Red, Plum	Parks and naturalized areas—provides a gorgeous dark contrast
Bigleaf Maple	Bright Gold, Yellow	Dominant in park trails and ravines. they will peak quickly!

What’s Next?
The next week offers the absolute highest concentration of color across the Lower Mainland. We are operating in a golden window—get out and enjoy the Ash and Red Maples at their prime, and watch the Japanese and Bigleaf Maples build toward their peak! Remember to take photos now; the colors are spectacular, but a cold storm could end the show early.

Vancouver’s Maple Trees

Maples are the heart of Vancouver’s fall foliage, painting the city in vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds. But with so many types, it can be tough to tell them apart. Knowing which is which can make your next walk even more rewarding.

Here’s a simple guide to identifying some of Vancouver’s most common maples.

Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum)

• Key Feature: The largest leaves of any maple in the world. They are typically the size of a dinner plate.
• Appearance: Leaves have 5 lobes with deep, rounded sinuses between them. The tree is native to the Pacific Northwest and grows to a massive size.
• Fall Color: A striking, uniform golden yellow.

Vine Maple (Acer circinatum)

• Key Feature: Small, delicate leaves and a multi-stemmed, shrub-like growth habit.
• Appearance: The leaves have 7 to 9 lobes and resemble a small fan. The tree often grows in dense clumps or twists around other trees, giving it a “vine-like” appearance.
• Fall Color: Fiery reds and oranges.

Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)

• Key Feature: The leaves are deeply cut with 5 to 9 finely toothed lobes, creating a star-like shape.
• Appearance: These are popular ornamental trees, often small and shrubby with a delicate, graceful form.
• Fall Color: Known for their dramatic, brilliant crimson, burgundy, or deep red.

Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)

• Key Feature: A milky, white sap drips from the stem when a leaf is pulled from a twig. The leaves are also wider than they are long.
• Appearance: A common street tree. The leaves have 5 to 7 pointed lobes.
• Fall Color: Most varieties turn a clear, bright yellow.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

• Key Feature: The leaves are typically 3-lobed (sometimes 5-lobed) with serrated edges and a reddish stem.
• Appearance: A medium-sized tree with a rounded crown.
• Fall Color: Known for their brilliant scarlet and orange-red foliage.

The next time you’re out, take a closer look and see if you can spot the difference!

Foliage in Canada

Deciding where and especially where to go and watch the foliage in peak color can be a struggle.
However, there are many sources that can help you make a better decision.

1. Ontario Parks – This is the official Ontario Parks fall color tracker. It provides real-time reports on leaf color changes and peak viewing times across all provincial parks in Ontario. The site includes dominant colors, leaf fall percentages, and recommended viewing spots for each park. It’s a go-to resource for “leaf peepers” in the region..
2. Almanac – The Almanac’s Fall Foliage Map is an interactive tool that tracks and predicts peak fall colors across the United States. It provides estimated peak dates and offers tips for viewing the best autumn displays.
3. Quebec – Bonjour Québec’s website provides a real-time, color-coded map to track the progression of fall foliage across the province. It is an excellent resource for planning a trip to see the autumn colors in Quebec.
4. New Brunswick – The Tourism New Brunswick website offers a fall foliage guide, suggesting scenic road trips and highlighting that peak colors occur in late September and early October, with a variation between the northern and southern regions.

Visit our Instagram and watch our stories to get more live updates.