Autumn red is built, not revealed

The yellows and oranges of autumn were in the leaf the whole year, sitting underneath the green. When the chlorophyll breaks down, they show through. Nothing new is made.

Red is a different story. Trees build those pigments fresh in the fall—spending energy on brand new color, in a leaf they are about to drop and never use again.

Nobody is entirely sure why they bother.

Even discards can be beautiful. Would you paint something you’re just going to throw away?

Sources

• Fall Colors — US Forest Service

Sources checked 2026-08-12.