Experts say autumn colors are related to weather conditions. Temperature and moisture are the biggest influencers. Apparently, warm, sunny days and crisp nights spur production of the anthocyanin pigments responsible for reds, purples and crimsons. I wasn’t really tracking the daily temperatures during the fall because I was too focused on watering. With record-breaking drought that continued for almost 40 days in the Philadelphia area, I thought the trees would drop their leaves in exhaustion with no energy for changing color. But I was wrong. In fact, the fall color was downright stellar. Apparently, the temperature conditions were pretty ideal and more important than the moisture in the soil since friends across the Northeast who also suffered from drought conditions experienced beautiful fall color.
I couldn’t resist sharing some of the gorgeous fall color with you represented in a number of different trees. Let’s start with Japanese maples which never disappoint.
I hope these images encourage you to add some fall beauties to your garden. You can go wrong by adding another tree to your landscape and you will likely experience a reliable color display even if the weather conditions aren’t 100% favorable. For some of the more unique specimens pictured, check out John O’Brien’s nursery in Connecticut. Trust me, it’s worth a road trip. Then buy, plant, sit back and enjoy.