You might be wondering what causes some fall tree colors to be beyond memorable and others forgettable.
Fall is a favorite time of year for many people living in the northern half of the United States. Summer’s hot temperatures start to cool off, the air becomes crisp, and apple trees and pumpkin patches are full of delicious seasonal fruit. However, the big draw of fall is the changing colors of leaves. Vibrant greens will morph into ruby reds, dazzling tangerines, glittery golds, rich rusts, and other deep burgundies. Some years, the colors are great, while other years, the colors appear to be gone in a flash. You might be wondering what causes some falls to be beyond memorable and others forgettable. Read on to learn more!
What Will Cause Leaf Color Changes?
When you break it down, the science of fall colors is actually what enables the vibrant display of leaves to exhibit during the fall months. The peak season of leaf color change is usually late September to mid-October. Chlorophyll is the pigment in plants that makes the leaves green and helps plants use sunlight to create food, which is a process known as photosynthesis. As temperatures fall in the autumn and days become shorter, the production of chlorophyll slows, allowing other leaf pigments to fully emerge. Other pigments in leaves include carotenoids, which help turn the leaves yellow, anthocyanins, which turn leaves red, and tannins, which turn the leaves brown. The mix of these carotenoids and anthocyanins is what produces bright orange leaves.
What Causes Early Fall Color Changes?
There are peak conditions that help trap sugars in leaves and enable anthocyanins to develop and improve the fall colors. These include temperatures between 32 degrees and 45 degrees at night, mixed with sunny, bright days. In addition to light and temperature, water could also impact the intensity and duration of any fall foliage. What causes these early fall colors? A few conditions and combinations of them could actually be to blame.
Heavy Rainfall
The issue with heavy rain is that once your soil is water-logged, roots become weak due to the lack of oxygen. This stress can bring early fall foliage and also destabilize your trees. Avoid overwatering to fix this, and you can also contact your local certified arborist to evaluate the trees and recommend the next steps. Give Harford Tree a call today for assistance!
Tree Care and Maintenance from Harford Tree
Ready to have the beautiful yard you have always dreamed of? Harford Tree Experts & Landscaping, Inc has been in the business for decades, providing customers with quality work and quick responses all at the right price. We service the areas of Harford County, Baltimore County, and Baltimore City areas including Bel Air, Fallston, Perry Hall, Towson, Essex, Parkville, White Marsh and Middle River.
For service during business hours, reach out to us or give us a call at 410-592-7321. We offer 24/7 emergency service as well, just give us a call at 443-250-6649. For updates about our business and more informative tips, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.