Leaves are nature's food facilities. Plants take the water from the by way of their roots and they take carbon dioxide from the air. These plants or trees use the sunlight to turn the water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and sugars. This process is called photosynthesis. The plants now use the sugars as food for energy and growing. They will also store some of these sugars for the trees to live throughout the winter.
Chlorophyll is a chemical that helps photosynthesis happen and it also gives the plants their green color.
Carotenoids produce the orange color we see in carrots, and it also produces the yellow color in corn.
Anthocyanins are responsible for the wonderful colors we see in red apples and strawberries and also the darker colors of the blueberries and the plums. All through the spring and summer,
plants will continue to produce and break down chlorophyll keeping the leaves green. In the fall the shorter hours of daylight means the chlorophyll production has slowed and will soon stop.
Once the chlorophyll is no longer producing, the carotenoids and anthocyanins will step forward and start doing their thing. They have been in the leaves the whole time but the chlorophyll had them covered up. Of course, it will take more than these three things to create the gorgeous colors. These plants will also need a decent balance of temperature and moisture for all of it to work.
There are some
trees that have different types of leaves. Firs, pines, and hemlocks have the narrow needlelike leaf that has a thick waxy outer coating. This prevents the water from evaporating and so the leaves remain green for a number of years. When these trees lose their leaves or needles, new ones take their place so the tree never looks bare. There are broad leaved trees that remain green all year long such as the live oak and California laurel. These trees have leathery leaves that retain the moisture during the winter months. This is the reason why these trees are called evergreen.
This all begins earlier in the year. An average rainfall is important for good fall foliage. By the time fall comes around, a mixture of warm, sun filled days and shorter, cool nights will help give us a beautiful display. Conditions may change from year to year and some years will have a better display of color than others.
Fall foliage and why they turn color is Mother Nature's way of sustaining life throughout the year and giving us beautiful colors.
