Philadelphia and much of the Northeast are in the first, and entering the second stage of the leaf color transition. All along the Philadelphia region, from the Main Line to New Jersey and beyond, the fall foliage is changing right before our eyes. From mid-September through end of October, the Earth explodes in a fireworks display of color. But don’t wait too long, because it's getting cold outside and the wind will be blowing with a vengency, pulling the bright colored leaves tothe ground. if you blink, you might miss it. And just in case you do, this first of four slideshows will give you a sneak peak of the fall foliage in and around Philadelphia.
The leaves began changing their color in late September; and within the next two weeks, the show will be over and the colors will begin to fade. Adorning the decidious trees are leaves that bear brilliant colors of orange, peach, hot pink, bright red, cinnamon, maroon, bright yellow, many shades of gold, purple, as well as, multi-colored leaves. Get out and take a ride to see nature's fireworks right before your eyes. Breathtaking!
The reason leaves change colors in the fall is due mostly to lack of water getting to the leaves. The leaves change because of the cooler temperatures, wind, and lack of water. Fall foliage changes color in four stages. The succession is referred to as the color wave. In the first stage of development,green leaves are produced by Chlorophyll. In the second stage, the Carotenoids turn the leaves yellow, especially in sweet gum, maple, birch, poplar, hickory, aspen and sassafras trees. Many of us are in that second stage now. During the second stage of fall color, the foliage turns yellow to orange in trees such as silver white oaks and various maples. In the finale, the third stage, Anthocyanians turn the leaves a brilliant red, especially in trees such as maples, sumac and oaks. If we have fall nights below 45 degrees and above freezing at night, the Carotenoids and Anthocyanians will create the bright florescent orange colored leaves. Finally, the last stage of leaf color is created by Tannins, which turn the leaves to dreaded brown before they fall to the ground. There are some leaves that don’t change colors at all and merely fall off the trees.
- Click here for: Fall foliage tours in the Philadelphia Region
- Click here for: Fall foliage tours in PA
- Click here for: Fall foliage tours Coast to Coast
- Click here for: Fall foliage tours in the Northeast
- Click here for: Fall foliage rail tours across the country
Don't forget to check out my National Spirituality and Nature Column. This column combines nature and spirituality.
Also, don't forget to check out my newest column: National Nature Photography Examiner column. This column will be mainly awesome nature photographs.
Please feel free to subscribe to Philadelphia Gardening column today. It's free; just click the subscribe button above and I’ll take you through the entire year with up-to-date gardening news, plant information, and gardening “to do’s,” all in “real time” gardening for every month of the year, even winter. From the first sprouts, to what will bloom each week/month, to container and urban gardening, to vegetable gardening, to choosing Christmas trees and buying poinsettias and more; you’ll learn all you need to grow outdoors and indoors. To stay in touch, find more information about Gardening Conferences and Seminars, or to purchase A Down to Earth Bible Study (AMG Publishers) go to www.joannetaylor.org. I'd love to hear from you. Subscribe today!
Copyright 2010 by Joanne Taylor, Published by Joanne Taylor. “All Rights Reserved” No part of this publication, including the artwork, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise-except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written consent of Joanne Taylor.
Comments