Imagine your leaves are like crayons inside a tree. All summer long, the green crayon (called chlorophyll) is in use. But when fall comes, that green crayon gets put away, and other colors, yellow or orange (from carotenoids), start showing up. Some trees even get a red color from another pigment called anthocyanin, which is like an extra special red crayon they only use in the fall.
Examples
- A maple tree in your backyard turns bright red because it makes a special red pigment just for the fall.
- An oak tree loses its green leaves and turns yellow when the green pigment disappears.
- A birch tree shows off golden-yellow leaves as the green fades away.
Ask a question
See also
- Why Do Forests Breathe Like Living Beings?
- What Causes the Different Colors of Leaves in Autumn?
- What are short-day plants?
- What are deciduous forests?
- What is florigen?
Discussion
Recent activity
Categories: Environment · fall colors· tree biology· seasonal changes· leaf pigments· forest ecology