Fall Leaf Color Dominated by Yellows and Oranges

Fall Leaf Color Report for October 28: Sugar maples  are dominating much of the landscape now, with their bright yellow which can meld into an intense orange-red in high light. You can still see red from the long persisting sourwoods and red maples, along with winged and common sumacs  in the lower strata along the roadways.


At lower elevations, you might also find the occasional sweetgum tree, which can turn a myriad of colors, from orange to red to purple, sometimes all on one tree! Other trees that are showing nicely now include the mockernut and bitternut hickories, striped maples, yellow and black birches  and some Fraser magnolias , all of which are predominantly yellow. Burning bushes are prominently planted all around the area and are reaching their peak bright red color this week.

A fall delight now making its appearance in the Boone NC area, and soon to spread southward along the mountain chain, is witch hazel . The leaves of this common shrub turn yellow, but the most amazing feature is the yellow and fragrant spidery flowers, which are in full bloom right now. The hickories, beeches, birches are bright yellow now.

The Asheville metro area is predicted to peak this week and persist into the coming weekend. James Costa, Director of the Highlands Biological Station, reports that the maples, sourwoods, sumacs and oaks are all peaking this week in that area, although there are spots on higher slopes that have lost many leaves already.

In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park colors are at or slightly past peak at mid-elevation, however, this year there are still a number of green leaves mixed in with fully-colored and falling leaves at mid-elevation. At low elevation, many areas are at peak and there are still a number trees with green leaves.