Fall leaves, autumn leaves, leaves flying in the breeze…

Do you know why it happens? Get in the know! This is how it goes…

Get this! Chlorophyll is a natural compound that gives green leaves their color, and allows the tree to absorb energy from light. As the amount of sunlight available during the day wanes in autumn, the chlorophyll in the leaves begins to break down and the green fades away, revealing yellow and orange pigments that have been there all along, caused by the presence of carotenoid compounds. Leaves don’t change to yellow and orange in the autumn- they just lose their green!

The trees whose leaves become red get their new vibe from a pigment called anthocyanin, which the tree produces as it gets ready for it’s long winter nap.

Anthocyanin is formed when sugars are combined with compounds called anthocyanidins. The exact color of the leaf will vary from year to year, reflecting the conditions of it’s environment.

The leaves that turn brown tend to have tannins in their leaves. Tannins are revealed when both chlorophyll and carotenoids break down and disappear.