Why do the leaves of the trees change color in autumn?

2025-06-17 -

In autumn, the trees exhibit a change in the color of their leaves as a result of the reduction of sunlight and the decrease in temperatures. All the details.

With the arrival of autumn, the leaves of the trees change color due to a natural process related to the reduction of sunlight and the fall of temperatures. As the days are shortened and the cold increases, in the trees other pigments that give the leaves give the leaves their yellow, orange, red and brown tones characteristic of this station. We tell you what it is. Why do the leaves of the trees change color in autumn? During spring and summer, the leaves of the trees remain green thanks to chlorophyll, the essential pigment for photosynthesis. This substance allows plants to capture sunlight and transform it into chemical energy for growth. However, as autumn approaches and shorten the days, the amount of sunlight decreases and temperatures descend. In response, trees stop the production of chlorophyll, since photosynthesis is reduced and is more expensive energy. Carotenoids are responsible for yellow and orange colors, while anthocyanins produce reddish or violet tones. The combination of these pigments, together with the cellular structure of each species, determines the color palette that characterizes autumn. The fall of the leaves allows the tree to reduce the loss of water and prepare for the winter, when the climatic conditions are more adverse. Thus, the color change of the leaves in autumn is the result of the interaction between environmental and physiological factors, and reminds us of the delicate balance of nature.