Why do leaves change color in the fall?
For most of the year, tree’s leaves are green because of the presence of Cholorphyll. The leaves’ Chlorophyll absorbs energy from the sun through photosynthesis and converts the energy into sugars as food for the tree. As the fall arrives, the days get shorter and the sun gets lower in the sky. Trees get less direct sunlight and the chlorophyll begins to break down in the leaves. With less chlorophyl, the fall colors begin to emerge!
Yellow and orange leaf color: With less chlorophyl in the leaf, orange and yellow pigments existing in the leaves become visible.
Red lead color: Excess sugars in the leaves undergo a chemical change and produce new pigments called anthocyanins.
Why do leaves fall?
As the weather gest colder trees absorb the remaining nutrients in the leaves and begin to develop a barrier between the branches and the soon-the-be very cold environment. When the protective barrier is complete, the leaves no longer have access to the tree’s fluid system and the leaves begin to dry, separate, and fall to the ground.
Love seeing the fall colors? Consider getting a tree planted in front of your home:
Deeply Rooted is committed to getting as many trees as we can in your neighborhood, and we are working with community partners all over Southwest Philadelphia to achieve this goal. We are offering to plant trees with a year or maintenance included for free! This means that we can cut the concrete in front of your home, plant a tree, water the tree, and prune the tree for the first year of its life to make sure it has the best start possible. Sounds great right!
How will a street tree benefit me?
Trees have a massive impact on our health and well-being. Among many other benefits, neighborhoods with trees can be up to 20 degrees cooler than those without; improve air quality; improve mental health and lower stress; contribute to reducing violent crime; reduce symptoms of asthma and ADHD; help manage stormwater, and more. In short, when we have trees in our neighborhood, we’re happier, healthier, and we live longer.
If you want to learn about how you can get a tree in front of you home or simply more about what Deeply Rooted is doing in your community feel free to email us at deeplyrooted@pennmedicine.upenn.edu. Also, you can access an application to apply for a tree in front of you home at www.urbanhealthlab.com/deeply-rooted. If you see us out in your community, feel free to say hello!
