Beginning of Fall
Warm sunny days and cool nights are a sure sign that fall is on its way.
And it’s that changing-season-weather that turns the summer green leaves to autumn orange.
How the Colors Change
“The days are shorter, the nights are getting longer. That triggers some hormonal changes within the trees,” said Plant Ecologist Scott Kobal with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. “They’re going to be producing less chlorophyll, which gives leaves their green color. As chlorophyll starts to break down and disappear from the leaves, that green color is going to fade away. You’re going to see other colors – the yellows, the oranges, the reds, the purples. Colors that were there all the time but they were just masked by the chlorophyll.”
Best Time & Place for Fall Color
Kobal says peak fall colors will come out in the middle and end of October.
He recommends Meacham Grove or Greene Valley forest preserves to see sugar maples and oaks in their prime.
Naperville News 17’s Christine Lena reports.
