Summer departed in a blaze of glory. By its very nature, fall foliage is ephemeral, so our appreciation of its beauty is often increased by a sense of urgency. Enjoy it now, because the color show often seems too fleeting in its transition to the barren brown sleep of winter.
The lazy days of summer were busy for trees. That’s when they were working hard to make food for themselves by way of a magical natural process called photosynthesis. A master naturalist would be able to tell you in great scientific detail exactly how that works, but essentially it is a plant taking the elements of water, air, and sunlight and creating nutrients to sustain itself. As the sunlit days shorten, this signals the tree to shut down the active chemical factory. Leaves then morph in a stunning transformation from green to crimson, orange, gold, and purple.
How does that happen? Well, the bright red and purple fall foliage colors are caused by anthocyanin (an-thuh-SI-uh-nuhn) pigments, also common in other plants such as beets, apples, and purple grapes. The brilliant orange of carotene (KEHR-uh-teen) and the yellow pigment of xanthophyll (ZAN-thuh-fil) are found in flowers, and foods such as carrots, bananas and even egg yolks.
A spectacular fall display is totally dependent on the weather. In years past, there have been awesomely colorful seasons as well as total flops. Breathtaking or blah ... it’s all up to Mother Nature. Trees make the most anthocyanin pigments when late summer is dry and autumn brings bright, sunny days and cool nights. Conversely, a fall with cloudy days and warm nights produces drab colors. Even when all else is ideal for colorful leaves, an early frost quickly ends the beautiful fall display. One good freeze followed by wind or rain denudes that lovely vista immediately, so for fall foliage viewing, it’s wise to strike while the color is hot. If you’re a dedicated leaf-peeper, a game plan is necessary. The higher elevations of the Blue Ridge begin their show in early October.
Here in Tidewater, leaf color doesn’t peak until later in autumn, but it’s hard to predict when that ideal window will be in any given location. One website, tripsavvy.com, has advice for those who want to catch fall foliage at its best and are willing to travel to do so. A good strategy, they say, is to select your dates in advance, but not your destination. Before heading out, call the fall foliage hotlines for current information about specific areas. State park websites usually have up-to-date reports on leaf color. We who are lucky enough to live in Southeast Virginia can stretch our pleasure by weekend trips to the west and end with our own home-grown visual splendor. We can sit by the river in the November sun and sip a pumpkin latte while congratulating ourselves on our wisdom for living in Tidewater Virginia, where warm days and fall colors are the last to fade.