Source: stock.xchngAutumn is the time of year when the days get shorter, the nights get longer, and the leaves turn from green to red and gold. All of these things are related because the lack of sunlight on shorter days cause the leaves on healthy deciduous trees to loose their green pigment. Chlorophyll, the green pigment, is responsible for the photosynthesis process that converts sunlight to sugars to feed the plants.
The other pigments are the orange-yellow carotenoids and the reddish anthocyanin which are the last to fade as the leaves dry and fall from the tree. While the carotenoids are found in the leaves most of the growing season, the anthocyanins develop late in the season.
Temperature and moisture affect the leaves. Bright days and cold, crisp nights allow the anthocyanins to develop giving the copper, burgundy and crimson colors to the leaves as the chlorophyll stops production.
Tree healthcare is necessary for your colorful shade trees to produce leaves throughout the spring and summer and into the autumn. The trees need to be fed during the growing season and trimmed by a professional tree care expert.
Contact Cartwright Tree Care for professional planting and tree maintenance in the Kansas City area.