Colors of Fall

With winter around the corner, it has me wishing that fall was a longer season here in Minnesota. Not that I dislike winter or summer, I just love the colors of fall. Interestingly enough, one of the main reasons for the changing of colors in leaves is not that it gets colder or normally less rain, it is because there is less and less daylight. Seeing the trees turn into beautiful yellows and reds is always one of my favorite times of the year and it got me thinking about which trees turn into which colors.

For the most part, certain types of trees turn certain colors, Oak trees will turn a brownish-red color in the fall, but Poplars will typically turn yellow in the fall and Aspen can turn into more of a golden-yellow color. However, not all tree types turn the same color, some vary species-by-specie, like Maples.

Different Maple trees will change to different colors come fall time depending on the specific species. Red Maples turn a beautiful bright red color in the fall, but Black Maples turn more of a yellow, and Sugar Maples turn into a sort of orange-red blend. I not only find it interesting that different trees turn different colors, but they also turn colors at different times.

Typically, the first trees to change color are certain species of Poplar trees, then come the Maples and last are usually the Oak trees.