Reds and Golds of Fall

As the days get shorter, trees prepare to rest for the winter. The green chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down and is reabsorbed into the tree to be reused in spring. For a few glorious weeks in the fall, the oranges and yellows (and browns) that have been there all along, hidden by the green, let themselves be seen. The reds and purples, though, are newly created in fall, possibly to protect the tree from sunburn or pests.

golden leaves of a maple
Acer platanoides, Norway maple
Acer palmatum, Japanese maple