Yellow colors and orange colors are produced by pigments in the leaves called Xanthophylls and Carotenes. These pigments are present in the leaves all of the time, but they only can be seen whenever the chlorophyll in the leaf disappears with the advent of shorter days and cooler weather. Trees with the brightest yellows and oranges include Hickories, Florida Maple, Red Maple, Hophornbeam, American Elm, Yellow Poplar and White Ash. Red colors are present in leaves whenever sugars called Anthocyanins in the leaves are broken down by exposure to cold. Trees with red leaves include Red Maple, Sourwood, Sweetgum, Blackgum, and Winged Sumac.
Brown leaves are the result of the leaf drying out and withering.
Some leaves remain on the tree until they are pushed off in the spring. This often happens on Oak trees and Beech trees. One striking and unique event in the fall is the formation of rich orange-brown foliage on Baldcypress trees. Baldcypress is the only native conifer that sheds all of its needles in the fall. Traditionally, the best times for fall coloration have been the first two weeks in November in our area, varying a little from year to year due to weather.