Fall is such a beautiful time of the year. It’s that season of change in the air. Despite popular belief, when the leaves change, they’re returning to their original color, not changing into something else.
So that means the red, yellow and brown hues are the leaves’ natural colors, rather than green.
Here’s why. It all has to do with preserving light and energy.
Why do leaves change color in the fall?
While leaves are growing, there are three types of pigments produced in the leaves that influence autumn colors:
- Chlorophyll
- Anthocyanin
- Carotenoids
While leaves are growing, chlorophyll is constantly “produced and broken down,” and that’s why leaves appear green to us, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Chlorophyll is what helps “plants create energy from light,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports.
“As night length increases in the autumn, chlorophyll production slows down and then stops and eventually all the chlorophyll is destroyed,” per the Forest Service. “The carotenoids and anthocyanin that are present in the leaf are then unmasked and show their colors.”
Here are the species of deciduous trees that produce stellar fall colors, per the Old Farmer’s Almanac:
- Maple
- Aspen
- Birch
- Oak
- Gum