Video:Yellow Leaves in New England

Transcript:Yellow Leaves in New England

Hi, I'm Kaytie Sproul, here for About.com, and today we're going to talk about the yellow leaves of New England using information from About.com's goNewEngland site.

Information About Yellow Leaves in New England

New England is known for its plethora of brightly colored Fall leaves. While taking in the beautiful sights, you may wonder what causes certain trees to produce yellow leaves rather than other colors. There's a simple scientific explanation, so let's take a closer look.

Facts About Yellow Leaves in New England

Chlorophyll is a pigment in plant leaves that enables them to process sunlight and gives them their green color. As the days shorten and temperatures cool off in the Fall season, the chlorophyll in the leaves moves toward the branches, trunk, and roots of the tree, allowing the ever-present yellow and orange pigments to become visible. Certain trees that contain the chemical "xanthophyl" will continue producing yellow pigments until the leaves are saturated in that particular color.

Additional Facts About Yellow Leaves in New England

Just as we inherit the color of our hair, trees "inherit" their Fall colors. The color of individual leaves depends on how much iron, magnesium, phosphorus or sodium is in the tree, as well as the acidity of the chemicals in the leaves. The concentration of the Fall color can also be affected by rain, wind, area temperatures, and the amount of sugar in the leaves. If you're seeking out trees with the "inherited" yellow leaf color, you'll find it on a number of trees including ash, basswood, birch, butternut, elm, hickory, mountain ash, poplar, redbud, willow, and some maples.

Seeing Yellow Leaves in New England

As with any trip, you want to plan ahead as much as possible. New England's six-state region is comprised of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, each of which experiences a different Fall foliage peak. You can call each state's foliage hotline for the latest updates, or visit any of the numerous websites that track foliage information for the different areas. By doing so, you'll know exactly where to find the bright yellow leaves you're seeking and to what degree they're showing. New England is the place to go if you're hoping to enjoy a vast array of autumn foliage, or simply an abundance of yellow leaves. Whether they're dominating the view, or highlighting the leaves of other trees, yellow foliage only enhances the warmth and richness of the season.

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