Leaf Color Changes Leaf Color Changes 1. My family is from New England and we severely miss fall color of trees.
Trees change colors according to complex chemical formulas.
Depending on how much iron, magnesium, phosphorus or sodium is in the tree, and the acidity of the chemicals in the leaves, trees might turn amber, gold, red, orange or just fade from green to brown. Scarlet oaks, red maples and sumacs, for instance, have a slightly acidic sap which causes the leaves to turn bright red. The leaves of some varieties of ash, growing in areas where limestone is present, will turn a regal purplish-blue. Although many people believe that a mischievous Jack Frost is responsible for the color change, the weather has nothing to do with it at all. As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, a chemical clock inside the trees starts up, releasing a hormone which restricts the flow of sap to each leaf.