Winding Down Another Year; Planning Nexts

Around our part of the country, Canada’s famed fall colours have been a disappointment this season. True, the honey locusts (Gleditsia) dropped their chlorophyll to reveal the bright orange-yellow carotenoids previously concealed in their foliage. These are the same group of chemicals that colour carrots, corn and many other comestibles. But we were eagerly awaiting the anthocyanins, those that bring out the red of our beloved maples (Acer). These require bright sunny days accompanied by cold snap to be activated. This year at least, it was not to be. Even the sumach seemed reluctant to depart in its usual blaze of glory. Scientists can explain how all this takes place but not why. How come the trees don’t simply drop their leaves and be done with it? Researchers have proposed several theories but as yet none have found total acceptance.