September 22 marks the first day of fall for us. This means we will start seeing the leaves on the tree change color. While we don’t get quite the dazzling color show here on the west coast as the folks on the east coast do, we do have some trees here that will show off it’s fall colors. The following trees are deciduous trees that loose their leaves in Fall.. I know some of our customers have these trees in their landscape
- Maple
- Some Oaks (Pin Oaks, Red Oaks, Scarlet Oaks, Black Oaks, White Oaks)
- Dogwood
- Persimmon
- Chestnut
- Beech
- Birch
- Sycamore
The leaves of these trees change from their normal green color to the glorious yellow, orange and red colors we are used to seeing in the fall.
The green color that we see in leaves during the spring and summer comes from a chemical called chlorophyll. It aids in the process of photosynthesis which i
s how trees produce food for itself, and which also gives us oxygen. The chlorophyll is responsible for capturing the sun’s rays and using the energy to manufacture the tree’s food. During the spring and summer, chlorophyll is abundant and the leaves stay green. As daylight gets less and less and the temperature grows cooler, the production of the chlorophyll slows down, thus allowing the other pigments of the leaf to show. This is when the leaves turn to their vibrant fall colors.
There are other pigments that contribute to the color of the leaves, carotenoids and anthocyanins. These give us the brilliant yellows, oranges, reds and sometimes purple colors in the leaves. The brown color we often see in leaves is the result of waste that is left over.
It will be an interesting fall this year as we are in the middle of a severe drought, and some of the trees are already loosing their color due to the lack of water. It’s important to know what the difference between the leaves changing color for fall and if they are ill. If you are unsure, it’s important to contact an arborist who can come and give your trees a health check.
Make sure to call the office for any questions you may have about your trees. We are more than happy to come and give your trees a health check up!