Expert Landscape Architects and Designers in Dallas, TX

Scientifically speaking, there are several factors that play into fall foliage coloring. The brilliance of fall foliage is directly related to weather conditions; more specifically, temperature and moisture. Warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights (without freezing temperatures) will provide the most spectacular fall colors. Combine those conditions with short, fall rains to provide a little bit of moisture in the soil and we have a recipe for our trees to show off. As fall arrives, and the nights become longer, Chlorophyll production diminishes and, ultimately, stops.  Chlorophyll is the natural element that allows for photosynthesis which is the process by which sugars are produced to feed the plant. Deciduous trees, those that drop their leaves for winter, store these sugars to feed on during the cold months. Chlorophyll pigments the leaves throughout the growing season, and when production ceases, the green color slowly drains. This makes way for the Carotenoids and Anthocyanins, that are also present in tree foliage, to show their true colors which are the brilliant browns, yellows, oranges, reds, and purples. With the mask of Chlorophyll lifted, the ever-present colors beneath shine through.