Early Fall color in Kalamazoo

Cooler days and longer nights remind us that summer ends with the Autumn equinox this Saturday.  These changes also trigger chemical changes in deciduous tree leaves causing greens to be replaced by reds and yellows.  So far, most of the trees in Kalamazoo are still green but some early color is visible.

Virginia Creeper and Poison Ivy show the brightest colors now and Red Osier Dogwood leaves are turning purple.  Silver Maples are starting to change; they're one of our earliest trees to turn red.  I did see some scattered orange leaves on other maples and oaks, but they are predominantly green.

West Michigan's Weekly Color Report indicates similar conditions across most of Michigan, although some northern areas expect peak color to be early this year.