As the days get shorter and frost starts to appear in the morning, those deciduous trees start preparing for winter - giving us some brilliant colour !
What causes this change ?
Without sufficient light and water, photosynthesis shuts down, and trees must live off food stored during the growing season.
As photosynthesis ceases, the leaves lose their chlorophyll, which gives therm their green colour. Without chlorophyll, other colours emerge - yellows, oranges, and reds.
In sugar Maples, the red happens because glucose remains.
The yellows and oranges are normally in the leaves but the chlorophyll overshadows them until photosynthesis stops.
At any rate the poetry of colour is beautiful to behold!
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