Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Although the production of anthocyanin, the pigment that gives us reds, purples, and blues in leaves, flowers and fruits is enhanced by increased sugar concentrations and cooler nights, some plants in the midlands and coastal plain can still produce those compounds. In my yard, dogwoods and black gums have those red pigments developing in their leaves in spite of the less than ideal conditions required by certain maples for that pigment to develop. But even in those trees, there’s an extra requirement beyond higher levels of sugars – the leaves must receive direct sunlight. So parts of the tree in full sun will be more colorful than parts that are shaded. The same phenomenon happens with fruit – half an apple might be red and half may remain green. Now that I’ve learned this, I understand why my pomegranates don’t color up – they are partially shaded by a nearby hackberry and just turn yellow instead of red.
Direct Sunlight is Important for a Tree's Fall Coloration
