The
changing colours of leaves from the greens of summer to the bright
colours of reds, yellows, and oranges, means that fall is coming.
Plants
convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and sugar through the
process of photosynthesis. Chlorophyll is the pigment that does this,
and that is what makes leaves green. When the days get shorter, as it
does going into fall, this pigment breaks down and the underlying
colours reveal themselves. The different shades of
red, purple, orange, and yellow from the anthocyanin and carotenoid
pigments, make up the beautiful fall foliage.
The
leaves changes colour around late September to October, which makes
this the best time to go for a road trip to check out this splendor. The Internet is bursting with articles and sites that report fall
foliage, so check them out first before heading out the door.
To get you started, here are a few sites you can check out:
To get you started, here are a few sites you can check out:
- fall colour report from Ontario Parks
- a guide to the best places to see fall colours in Canada by The Weather Network