First a little disclaimer. I was born and raised in the North East, but I got to Texas (by way of California) as fast as I could! The Freytag family is indeed Austin born and raised but alas I am not a Freytag, I just have the good fortune to blog for the family business.

Now that’s out in the open I have to admit I miss the spectacular fall colors that you trip over in regions with cooler climates. On this foggy morning in Austin I got wondering, “Is it just the cold that turns the leaves?”, and reaching back for elementary science camp expeditions, I tried to recall the process at hand.

All little memory and a lot of Googling explains it all (of course).

In autumn, a few things happen in leaves of Deciduous trees. Chlorophyll moves more slowly because nights get longer and hours of sunlight diminish. You remember Chlorophyll- the sunlight absorbing pigment in plants responsible for the green color.

During the time when plants are growing Chlorophyll is a dominant pigment, masking all other pigments. When it starts to cool off and daylight hours shorten Carotenoids and Anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for yellows, oranges and reds, are unmasked as chlorophyll dwindles in the leaves.

Moisture in the soil and Temperature have the most influence on how vibrant the fall colors will be. The US Forest Service explains it all in fascinating detail.

Also during this time, a corky layer of cells called the abscission layer seals the leaves off from the stem, blocking water flow. This is what triggers the leaf to finally fall off the trees.

While there are certainly pockets where we are starting to see leaves turn here in Texas there are great road trips out there with stunning vistas you can’t even imagine! So get out there and get chilly!!!