Every autumn we revel in the beauty of the fall colors. The mixture of red, purple, orange and yellow is the result of chemical processes that take place in the tree as the seasons change from summer to winter.
Tree and plant leaves contain pigments that give them their color. Three pigments are involved in fall color:
~Chlorophyll — gives leaves their green color.
~Carotenoids — provide the yellow, orange, and brown colors
~Anthocyanins — give the red and purple colors. In contrast to the other two pigments, anthocyanins are produced in the autumn, in response to bright light and excess plant sugars in the leaf cells.
During the growing season, most tree leaves are green because they are full of chlorophyll. Plants use chlorophyll to capture sunlight for photosynthesis, the process that enables them to manufacture their own food. The amount of chlorophyll is so high during the summer that the green color masks all other pigments present in the leaf. As the days grow shorter in the fall, chlorophyll production slows down and eventually stops. The carotenoids and anthocyanins that are present in the leaf then become visible.
Certain colors of leaves are characteristic of particular species of trees.
~Oaks turn red, brown, or russet;
~Hickories turn golden bronze;
~Dogwood turns purplish red;
~Beech turns light tan;
~Red maple turns brilliant scarlet;
~Sugar maple turns orange-red;
~Black maple turns glowing yellow;
~Sourwood and black tupelo turn crimson;
~Aspen, birch, and yellow-poplar turn golden yellow.
~Oaks turn red, brown, or russet;
~Hickories turn golden bronze;
~Dogwood turns purplish red;
~Beech turns light tan;
~Red maple turns brilliant scarlet;
~Sugar maple turns orange-red;
~Black maple turns glowing yellow;
~Sourwood and black tupelo turn crimson;
~Aspen, birch, and yellow-poplar turn golden yellow.
