We are in the in-between stages of autumn here on Gael Glen Farm - the leaves are changing colour and are beginning to fall but the tree branches are not yet bare. This is a beautiful time of the year on the farm and the colours this year are especially spectacular with lots of orange, red and purple. I took a tour of our property to find the best tree colours but before I get to that I was wondering about the science behind why leaves change colour in the first place.
Two of the main components of deciduous leaves are chlorophyll and carotenoids. Chlorophyll gives leaves their green color throughout the growing season. This compound is essential for photosynthesis, a chemical reaction that converts sunlight into carbohydrates. Carotenoids are natural pigments which are also present in leaves. It is the carotenoids which produce yellow, orange and brown hues in plants.
Two of the main components of deciduous leaves are chlorophyll and carotenoids. Chlorophyll gives leaves their green color throughout the growing season. This compound is essential for photosynthesis, a chemical reaction that converts sunlight into carbohydrates. Carotenoids are natural pigments which are also present in leaves. It is the carotenoids which produce yellow, orange and brown hues in plants.
The colors of carotenoids are easily masked by green chlorophyll until a reduction in daylight alerts broad leaf plants that it is time to slow and eventually stop their chlorophyll production. The reduction in chlorophyll allows the golden, orange and yellow hues of the carotenoid pigments to be revealed.
I suspect it will not be long before most of these leaves will be on the ground and the trees will be bare. I am looking forward to raking the leaves into piles for Liam to jump into. This activity is one of my most vivid memories from celebrating Thanksgiving at my Grandparents' farm when I was a child. All the cousins would rake leaves into a huge pile and then we would take turns riding the BMX bike directly into the pile for a soft and crunchy crash landing. While Liam is a bit young yet for this particular bicycle variation I have a feeling he will love running and jumping into the piles of dried leaves. Fall is such a fun time of year!
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| Fourth place. Lots of purple and red. |
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| Third place. Range of colours from yellow to red. |
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| Second place. Vibrant red leaves. |
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| First place. Colours ranging from deep violet to burnt orange. This tree looks like it is on fire! |
Source: Handwerk, Brian. (2004). "Why Do Fall Leaves Change Color?" National Geographic News. Accessed: October 2, 2014 from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/10/1005_041008_fallfoliage.html
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