Natural History Wanderings

Appalachian State University has a Leaf Color Report for 9/9/14

Not much has changed from last week.  Most trees are still predominantly green.  Buckeyes are starting to lose their leaves, but then, they always lose their leaves earlier than most other trees (it’s in their DNA to do so!). Burning bushes continue to redden ahead of schedule, sort of botanical slow burn.  Should be great when they reach their peak red color in a few weeks!  The main items of interest right now in the woods are the various native wildflowers that are reaching their peak now.  These include a variety of asters, such as New York aster, as well as a large number of species of goldenrods.  Joe-Pye weeds are conspicuous on the landscape, along with ironweed, with its very deep purple flowers.  White snakeroots are dominating right now, especially along wood’s edges and in the interior of forests.  Their white flowers stand out against their large, deep green leaves.  This plant produces a toxin and if cows consume the plants, it can make their milk poisonous.  In fact, it is thought that Abraham Lincoln’s mother died from ingesting milk poisoned in this way.  See my Facebook page for an album of pictures of these wildflowers.

I’ve been asked how this summer’s weather will affect fall colors this year.  Well, July and August were unusually cold (for Boone, it was a record cool July in fact!).  Shortly thereafter many urban (and a few forest trees) began changing color very prematurely.  The two most affected species were red and sugar maples.  However, despite these trees turning early, the majority of the trees in undisturbed forests have remained green.  I suspect they will change at their usual time, which in the Boone area is mid-October.  If September is sunny and cool, and doesn’t have freezing temperatures, or high winds, we should be in for a terrific fall leaf color season.  Sunny and cool, plus the absence of severe drought lead to great fall color, and we seem to be on that trajectory as of now.

Finally, we are at that point in time where trees at the highest elevations, such as on Grandfather Mountain, which is around 5,800’, should start changing.  Look for the last week of September to have good color at the highest elevations, and then every 7-10 days, the peak will move downslope about 1,000’.  That will put it at peak in Boone around October 12-14, and in the last week of October for the Asheville area.

See older reports at Fall Color Report | Department of Biology | Appalachian State University.