Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall?

Leaves

Little leavesFall gently down,Red and yellow,Orange and brown.

Autumn leaves areBeautiful!

But have you ever stoppedAnd wondered whyLeaves change fromGreen to red, orange,Yellow, brown?

In order to understand why leaves change color in the fall we must first understand photosynthesis.

photosynthesis

A picture of Chlorophyll inside of a leafs cells.

In the fall

Days grow shorter

Nights grow longer

Days and nights are colder

Photosynthesis stops.

In the fall days grow shorter andNights grow longer.

In the fall it becomes chilly or colder.

Plants need many Hours of sunlight, andWarmth to goThrough

Photosynthesis!

So in the fall

Photosynthesis

STOPS!

If photosynthesis stops then the plant no longer produces the green color we see all summer!

The green color is called chlorophyll.

The green fades and leaves the reds, yellowsOranges and browns that were underneathThe green all along!

This is a picture of the green fading out And the yellow, orange and red colorsShowing through!

The other colors were always thereHidden inside the leaf!

We just could not see them becauseGreen is such a strong color!

Happy Fall Y’all!

What to do with Autumn Leaves!

Kick them.Catch them.Pick them.Snatch them.Romp them.Stomp them.Hurl them.Heave them.

If you want to, Even leave them!

By Douglas Florian

Have fun playing in the fall leaves!