The red maple leaf, whether on a tree or on the Canadian flag, seems to to have grown to become synonymous with the Canadian nation.
The changing fall foliage never fails to delight me. As my friend and I were marvelling the nature's beauty in the land of Maples, I can't help but wonder how maple leaves turn red and where and when the vibrant yellow and orange will help herald a change of season from summer to fall.
So this is how - bringing you back to a bit of grade 8 horticulture biology.
When winter days are short and dry, many plants stop making nutrients and the chlorophyll in them which gives the leaves the green colour goes away. That is how orange and yellow emerge. These colours have always been in the leaves all summer just that the green has them covered up. Some leaves turn red and this colour is only made in the fall from the nutrition trapped whereas brown colours basically come from wastes left in the leaves.
After a wonderful week of nice warm temperatures, fall is slowly making its way here. One of my favourite things about this season is feeling the cool but warm breeze on my face in the afternoon or right before the sun is setting.
The chill is definitely in the air now, with it comes shorter days and the promise of Thanksgiving and Halloween right around the corner, which means Christmas won't be too far fetched too.
There really is nothing quite matches the anticipation of autumn after a hot summer. Consider yourself fortunate if you are living in one of the temperate zones on earth where you get Autumn. Let's enjoy a season filled with change.
The changing fall foliage never fails to delight me. As my friend and I were marvelling the nature's beauty in the land of Maples, I can't help but wonder how maple leaves turn red and where and when the vibrant yellow and orange will help herald a change of season from summer to fall.
So this is how - bringing you back to a bit of grade 8 horticulture biology.
When winter days are short and dry, many plants stop making nutrients and the chlorophyll in them which gives the leaves the green colour goes away. That is how orange and yellow emerge. These colours have always been in the leaves all summer just that the green has them covered up. Some leaves turn red and this colour is only made in the fall from the nutrition trapped whereas brown colours basically come from wastes left in the leaves.
After a wonderful week of nice warm temperatures, fall is slowly making its way here. One of my favourite things about this season is feeling the cool but warm breeze on my face in the afternoon or right before the sun is setting.
The chill is definitely in the air now, with it comes shorter days and the promise of Thanksgiving and Halloween right around the corner, which means Christmas won't be too far fetched too.
There really is nothing quite matches the anticipation of autumn after a hot summer. Consider yourself fortunate if you are living in one of the temperate zones on earth where you get Autumn. Let's enjoy a season filled with change.
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