Autumns in the north-eastern seaboard of America
Every
October, the leaves in New England burst into a spectacular symphony of
vibrant colors before they fall to the ground as the trees become dormant
for winter, and 'tree peeping' is a common pastime here during the
autumn. Once you see the joyous explosion of colors bursting over the
picturesque landscape, you will understand why this is the most popular
season for visiting the area.
So why do leaves change color in autumn? At this time of year the
production of chlorophyll in leaves stops and so they lose their vibrant
green colors revealing the underlying tones caused by the presence of
other pigments, such as carotenoids which provide yellow, orange and
brown colors and anthocyanins which give red and purple colors.
Autumn leaf color is specific to the species of tree because of the
different chemicals in the leaves. Oaks turn red, brown, or russet;
hickories become golden bronze; dogwoods go purplish red; beech fade to
light tan; red maple turn a brilliant scarlet; sugar maple go orange-red;
black maple become glowing yellow; sourwood and black tupelo change to
crimson and aspen, birch, and yellow poplar turn a golden yellow.
The range and intensity of autumn colors are greatly influenced by the
weather and the brightest autumn colors are produced when dry, sunny days
are followed by cool, dry nights.
Regardless of timing, if you are fortunate enough to see the stunning
autumn colors that cover vast swathes of New England you will understand
why there is even a foliage hot line offering hourly reports on the best
places to go.
