The Colors of Fall Outside my Window
Here in southwestern Connecticut (zone 6), Mother Nature is treating us to a spectacular fall show this year. In fact, I think this may be one of the most intensely colored fall foliage displays in recent years. And she is playing a few tricks right here in my garden, which have captured my attention. But more on that later.
So why do leaves turn color in the fall? There are several environmental factors which influence the intensity and timing of the fall foliage display (click here for a good scientific explanation) but the explanation I like the most (and the one my kids always enjoyed when they were young) is the following Native American legend - legend has it that spirit hunters in the sky slew the Great Bear (a constellation) in autumn. The bear’s blood spilled into the forests and turned some of the leaves red. Other leaves turned yellow when the fat from the cooking bear meat splattered out of the kettle onto their leaves.
A Tale of Two Spireas...one gold and one red
Here’s a photo of two Anthony Waterer spireas (Spirea x bumalda ‘Anthony Waterer’) growing right next to each other in my back garden. As you can see, one is sporting ‘blood’ red leaves and the other ‘fat’ yellow leaves. Their close proximity should mean they get the same amount of sunlight and water each day and are growing in the same kind of soil. So what explains their different fall foliage displays?
I’m thinking this colorful display may be Mother Nature’s way of saying she’s sorry for the torrential rains in June, the fungus and insects in July, the drought in August and of course, the snow in mid-October. Apology accepted.
But, being so close to each other, wouldn’t these spirea have undergone the same environmental influences? I’m betting the bear’s blood dripped on one and it’s fat on the other.
Joene,
I think you might be right. I just planted some Itea ‘Little Henry’ and the leaves are such a bright red that a whole lot of bear’s blood must have spilled on them. Isn’t fall wonderful??
Apology not accepted! And our trees are still mostly green (we have some ridiculous micro-climate thing going on and our trees always change later than all the streets around us). It makes fall clean up a challenge.
Heather,
Isn’t it weird & frustrating when you have a micro-climate happening in your garden? I notice mine in the spring with my forsythia. They bloom about a week later than everyone other forsythia in the neighborhood. I’m always so anxious for the bight yellow color in the spring that I get jealous when I see the neighbor’s shrubs blooming. Another one of Mother Nature’s tricks I guess.