Blue Ridge Parkway
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FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a non-profit, volunteer organization that is dedicated to preserving, promoting and enhancing the Blue Ridge Parkway, a national treasure. FRIENDS programs focus on preservation, protection and education. FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, organized and existing under the laws of the State of North Carolina and the Commonwealth of Virginia, whose current principal business address for identification purposes is P.O. Box 20986, Roanoke, Virginia 24018. |
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Fall Colors
Each autumn, more than a million people will drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. The most vivid, long-lasting colors are found where a dozen or more kinds of trees may change color at slightly different times over the fall season. This display can be found in many settings along your drive. If you know your trees, this may help you determine when you wish to travel the Parkway. If you don't know your trees and would like to learn about them, an excellent guide is A Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of the Southern Appalachians (1994) by Robert E. Swanson. The first wave of color comes from the dogwoods, maples, hickories, and poplars. Oaks usually change later, after the first frost. Against a backdrop of evergreens, such as cedar, hemlock, mountain laurel, pine, and rhododendron, the brilliant colors shine from September through late October. Leaves turn an assortment of shades of reds, yellows, and oranges. Red autumn leaves are seen on dogwoods, many oaks and some sumacs. Yellows are provided by many trees including beech, birch, ash and aspen. Some trees display more golden or orange leaves in the autumn. For a more comprehensive summary of trees and their fall colors, press the button below. Why do leaves turn colors in the fall? Actually, some say that trees are actually showing their true colors in the fall. During the spring and summer, leaves are green because of chlorophyll, the primary pigment in leaves that allow plants to capture light energy and convert it into food through the process of photosynthesis. Chlorophyll masks the appearance of all other accessory pigments naturally found in the leaves. At the end of the growing season, the chlorophyll starts breaking down, allowing the accessory pigments to show through. Carotenoids are the pigments that appear as shades of yellow and orange. Anthocyanins turn leaves the darker reds and purples. Leaf color and the brilliance of the fall display can be very difficult to predict. Along with the accessory pigments, the timing of cold nights and amount of rainfall during the summer and fall will also determine the fall colors. The Weather Channel (www.weather.com) provides an extensive "Fall Foliage Forecast", which is very helpful in planning trips on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Some other useful resources are listed below. Resource Books:
Foliage Hotlines and Web Sites:
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The Blue Ridge is a jewel in itself, but when the millions of trees in the eastern deciduous forests respond to the shorter days and cooler nights, the lights on stage glow. It is just business as usual for the trees, but for us, it is a spectacular display of the beauty and diversity of nature. The autumn landscape paints a canvas of yellows, reds, and oranges against a background of evergreens.