Why do leaves turn colors in the fall anyway?
Leaves contain yellow, orange and green colors all the time.
But, during the Spring and Summer, the green chlorophyll is very busy making food for the tree. The green chlorophyll in the leaves catches sunlight and changes the water that comes up from the roots of the tree into food. The chlorophyll is working so hard, the leaves look green.
As temperatures get cooler and Fall begins, the trees realize that winter is approaching. The trees prepare for the bleak days of winter. A thin layer of cells grows over the water tubes in the leaves and closes off the water source to the leaves.
Without the water, the green colored chlorophyll starts to disappear and the other colors in the leaves can finally be seen.
The leaves do not actually "change" colors...they simply lose their green, revealing the vibrant colors of Autumn!
Fall Leaf Activities!
- Make an Autumn Leaf Collection Book with Printable Leaf Collection Pages
- Foliage Friends via Family Fun
- Leaf Suncatcher
- Our friends at The Crafty Crow are always a great inspiration for great Autumn nature crafts
If you have a fun Fall leaf craft posted on your blog that our readers should know about, please leave a link in the comments and we will add it to our new seasonal links page.
Happy Leaf Hunting!!!
