GARDENING
The Mystery Behind
Fall Color
By Kira Sims
Fall is many people ’ s favorite season because it ushers in football , cooler weather , and beautiful fall foliage . Have you ever wondered how the leaves turn from their many shades of green to the brilliant reds , oranges , and yellows ? The mystery behind the color change involves pigments , shorter days , lower light intensity , and cooler temperatures . This combination sets off a chemical process in the leaves .
Throughout the spring and summer , the leaves are hard at work converting sunlight into sugars to provide energy for the plant ( also known as photosynthesis ). This conversion process takes place in the leaf cells containing chlorophyll , which is the pigment that creates the green color in leaves . The yellows , oranges and browns are created by the carotenoid pigment – the same pigment that gives carrots and sweet potatoes their bold orange color . The carotenoids are produced in tandem with chlorophyll during the spring and summer . Anthocyanins , the pigment that produces the reds , blues , and purples like we see in strawberries and blueberries are more pronounced in the fall when sugar levels in the leaves are higher .
Leaves are primarily green during the growing season because there is a higher concentration
of chlorophyll , which masks the yellow and orange of carotenoids . As the day length and light intensity decrease , photosynthesis and chlorophyll production slow down . This creates a buildup of sugars in the leaf and allows the carotenoids and anthocyanins to shine . The final factor in fall color is temperature , which must be ideal . Warm , sunny days and cool , crisp nights in early fall are the perfect combination to help bring out the magnificent colors of fall foliage .
Many of our native deciduous trees can be identified in the fall by their warm , bright foliage . Sourwood is one of the first trees to change and displays a brilliant red . Other trees with red to purple foliage include flowering dogwood , black tupelo ( black gum ), red maple and oak . Sweet gum , while notorious for their prickly fruit , can have beautiful red and purple foliage wherever leaves are in full sun ; otherwise , they are yellow . Sugar maple is one of the most recognized yellow and orange-leaved trees in the fall , but other species include hickory , tulip poplar , silver maple , oak , and ash . Although not regarded to be as flashy , some trees simply turn brown like sycamore , beech , and oak . There are other residential trees that display beautiful fall foliage such as Japanese maple , crape myrtle and flowering cherry .
40 | WINTER 2021 CULLMAN COUNTY SENIOR MAGAZINE