Leaves changing colour. (trees, vines, spring, autumn)

[owenc]

Hi, It is going to be the 2nd of august tomorrow so it is fast approaching autumn. I have seen the odd tree starting to change colour round here, it doesn't really start going until september. But this year it has started really early, i think it is to do with the temperature. Has anyone else started noticing this?

[cittic10]

Can be caused by any number of factors. Not enough info to go on.

[starlite9]

Nnnoooooo, not winter again!

(Theme song from Jaws playing in background)

[Ellwood]

Here in upstate NY I've noticed a few leaves turning and it is only August 1st! Our peak for fall foliage is mid October, so this is really strange. Could be the warm winter and hot summer, plus lack of rain.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Ellwood

Here in upstate NY I've noticed a few leaves turning and it is only August 1st! Our peak for fall foliage is mid October, so this is really strange. Could be the warm winter and hot summer, plus lack of rain.

What Ellwood says. The lack of water will also impact color, duller and less vibrant.

[fisheye]

Here, in northeastern PA, I have counted four new dead trees on my property. I don't have a lot of limestone in my soil (higher elevation). I was also hit pretty hard by the gypsy moths a few years ago. We also have some imported new pest to contend with. Top that all off with rainfall that continues to miss us. Not totally missing us – I keep getting one third of an inch when others are under flood alerts. Right now the radar is showing green over our house and it is not raining – about par for the course this year.

The leaves, on the trees that I recently lost, just went from green to brown.

[kinkytoes]

Thanks guys. I noticed it as well...but on native shrubs and vines. I don't remember anything changing colors so early, and I saw the reddish/orange leaves early in summer.

[donsabi]

When it went dry in June I had leaves turning color. I believe it is due to stress from lack of water and excessive heat.

[J&Em]

Originally Posted by donsabi

When it went dry in June I had leaves turning color. I believe it is due to stress from lack of water and excessive heat.

This^^^

Many plants will loose chlorophyll when there are conditions of stress, leaving fall like colors. Last fall we had the same thing happen in many parts of the country where there had been high heat and drought or near drought conditions, followed by a short cool down before warmer weather returned. This effected hormone levels in the plants abnormally and the changes in those hormone levels triggered "blooms" in the fall (for some gardens, mine included, there were intermittent "spring" blooms and intermittent leaf loss all winter long).

With so many parts of the country seeing abnormally long periods of high heat and extensive drought this year I wouldn't be surprised to see colored leaves and leaf drop. Some trees will drop leaves without much color change as a protective mechanism and some will often sprout new leaves in late summer/early fall with the return of cooler temperatures and some rain. Others will drop leaves as a last gasp if they have become too dry.

[owenc]

Whatever it is its weird. This year has been so weird, we had our last frost on the 18th june and the weather has been cool all summer I think that has something to do with it. I don't think I have seen leaves changing in july.