Japanese zelkova kicks off spring with tiny green flowers that quietly pop out just as the fresh leaves unfurl. While the flowers and their little wingless fruit aren’t much to look at, the real show starts in fall—leaves shift from plain yellow to glowing shades of orange, red-brown, and everything in between. And as the tree matures, its smooth gray bark peels back like nature’s own reveal, exposing a warm, orange-brown layer beneath.