Fall Colors

The key to strong leaf coloration is bright, sunny, and dry days followed by cool nights. Lets unpack that sentence a bit! 

 

The bright sunny days contribute to the change in coloration by breaking down chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the green pigments in leaves. The plant isn't able to synthesize and replenish it's chlorophyll due to the dryness of the fall air. 

 

 

The bright sunny, and dry days together increase the sugar content in leaves which favors the increase in anthocyanins within the leaves. Anthocyanins are the pigments that create the red to purple colorations. Carotenoids is another group of pigments that may be revealed which creates bright yellow to orange colors. 

 

 

The cool nights contribute to the activation of a zone in the petiole of the leaf called the abscission zone which is the point where the leaf separates from the tree and flutters to the ground. There is a large science behind why leaves change colors that is quite fascinating and in-depth!