In these preparations, they shed billions of tons of leaves. In certain regions, such as our own, the shedding of leaves is preceded by a spectacular color show. Formerly green leaves turn to brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red. These color changes are the result of transformations in leaf pigments. The green pigment in leaves is chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll absorbs red and blue light from the sunlight that falls on leaves.
Therefore, the light reflected by the leaves is diminished in red and blue and appears green. They are not soluble in the aqueous solution that fills plant cells. Instead, they are attached to the membranes of disc-like structures, called chloroplasts, inside the cells. Chloroplasts are the site of photosynthesis, the process in which light energy is converted to chemical energy. This chemical energy drives the biochemical reactions that cause plants to grow, flower, and produce seed.