Autumn officially began last Sunday, although the true harbinger of autumn — those ubiquitous pumpkin-flavored drinks and treats — began appearing at my morning coffee stop nearly a month ago!
Autumn is when gardeners and nongardeners alike are amazed each year as the landscape throughout Ohio changes from green to vibrant shades of yellow, orange, red and even purple. But this year’s show of colors could be over before it gets started thanks to the historic drought being experienced throughout much of Ohio and all of Greater Columbus.
Understanding why leaves change color
Every autumn, we revel in the beauty of fall leaf colors, but have you stopped to think about what causes leaves to change color in fall? The mixtures of red, purple, yellow and orange is the result of chemical processes that take place in the tree as the seasons change from summer to winter.
The vibrant colors seen in fall foliage are somewhat a return to normal for the foliage. In spring, trees and shrubs begin using sunlight to produce chlorophyll, a substance which contains a green pigment. During photosynthesis, chlorophyll absorbs energy from blue and red light waves and reflects green light waves, producing the green color of the leaves.