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Weather plays key role in fall color changeArkansas Throughout Arkansas, the leaves are still on the trees and they're still green. A late onset of autumn is probably the reason. It's all about when the weather changes, says Caroll Guffey, natural resources program assistant with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. He's stationed at the University of Arkansas at Monticello School of Forest Resources. "It's still warm weather, and the trees are actively growing. They haven't started slowing their growth," he says. "When it gets pretty dry, the trees kick into their dormant state," Guffey says. "If that continues very long we have color change, but if it rains, the trees start growing again." Guffey says it's because of the way trees absorb chlorophyll. During the growing season, the green chlorophyll overshadows the other chemicals inside tree leaves. But once the weather starts to cool down, trees take that chlorophyll back into their systems, leaving behind a bright dash of color from those other chemicals. However, if you have a sudden frost, the leaves fall off instead of changing colors, or they die and turn brown. Ashley Ledford works at Spurlock's Longhorn Café in Viola. She says the late rain this summer has had a detrimental effect on one of the area's favorite crops. "The leaves haven't started to change--though a few are starting to turn brown and red and orange--and we didn't get any walnuts this year. Our harvest was kinda poor, and we didn't get our rain until late in the summer, and now the leaves are staying green longer." Guffey says we shouldn't have to wait too long for the changeover. "I anticipate that we'll have a lot of fall color, but it may be a few weeks later than usual." Unless the forecast suddenly dips into freezing temperatures, expect the trees to start changing color around the beginning of November in northern Arkansas. They'll start turning about a week later in central Arkansas and another week later in the southern part of the state. The Department of Parks and Tourism shares information on the fall color changes on its Web site. Each Thursday, a new report goes out, telling of any changes in color in each area of the state. According to the Web site, you should plan trips for viewing changing foliage around the peak of color, or two weeks after color changes begin. Then, look for different colors from the different trees that display those colors. You'll see bright reds from black gum, buckeye, sumac, poison ivy and poison oak; yellow from hickory; brownish red from dogwood; and an array from purple to yellow to red from sweet gum and red maple. For more on where and when you can view color changes in Arkansas this autumn, check out the fall foliage report by going to www.arkansas.com, clicking on the Things To Do tab and scrolling down to the Fall Foliage report. Or you can call 1-800-NATURAL for an audio recording. For more information about trees, contact your county extension agent or visit www.uaex.edu and select Natural Resources, then Forestry. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture. 10/29/07 Date: 10/22/07
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