Leaf color questions

[Pete S]

I posted this AM in under the pruning maples thread, but had another question.

When I was out in the woods yesterday in East Central WI, our maples (all sugar I think) were all one color..................Yellow.

Is this an indicator of any sorts as to the trees health, stress, or sugar content for next season?

The trees got very stressed this summer. It wasn't just the heat but we were very dry, and actually had lost some other mature trees due to conditions.

Overall, our maples appear to be healthy enough, and we have cooled off and did start getting some rain a month or so ago, and 3" within the last couple of days and more to come.

Our soil is high and stoney, AKA: Glacial Deposit!

Thanks!
Pete

[mountainvan]

I believe the color is other pigments that have been in the leaf all along, the green of the clorophyl just came out more.I have noticed a correlation between the brightness of the colors and the sugar % the next spring in 15 years of sugaring. The better the fall colors the more sugar in the sap, but that's just my unscientific observation.

[Maplepro]

Our Sugar maples are always Yellow some have a slight orange tinge to them but all out rock maples AKA sugar maples have Yellow leaves and have always had yellow leaves.

[Pete S]

Ya know, we might have had the yellow all the long. We've only owned the place for 8 years, and it's been a busy 8 years.

After just 2 years of boiling, I finally really looked at the fall colors in a different perspective................"what are these colors saying".

We have a few neighborhood trees [Maple] the have a variety of color ranges from a vibrant, almost iridescent reds and oranges to yellow..........ours........all yellow.

More rain todays I hope!

Thanks!
Pete

[gmcooper]

Over the years I have noticed that summers with below average rain led to lower sap flow in the spring. I never kept records on it but remember several of those years. Our worst maple season ever followed a very ugly fall foliage season, lots of brownish leaves instead of the really bright colors. Just my thoughts. This fall the sugar maples are very yellow and the reds are really a variety from yellows, oranges and deep bright reds.

Mark

[TapME]

Maple-busters, I will be getting a vac pump soon, need the maple-busters to give it a vac test. Think they are up to it?

[TapME]

sorry guy's I got the wrong thread.

[royalmaple]

Lou-

Bring it over I'll give it a test for you.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program, sorry for the temporary hi-jacking.

[Revi]

I have noticed that the colors up in our woodlot are usually yellower than the trees around town and on the roads. Woods trees are harder to see. They are way up there, so it's hard to tell what colors they turn. I am loving the colors, but I just noticed that pretty much all the maples have lost their leaves as of yesterday. The oaks still are a nice rusty red, so that will have to be the next part of the fall foliage show. By the end of next week the show is over.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Kind of funny here, we have yet to have a frost and none in sight for at least several more days. I don't remember it going this late without frosting. I have still lots of tomatoes in my garden that have not ripened yet.

A lot of leaves still on here and most of them would still be on it if had not been one of the driest autumn on records.

[rschoo]

The Sugars back in the woods have all been orange this fall. The ones up by the house are yellow.The reds lost their leaves a week ago and the sugars are still holding a few. It has been very dry. I'll try to post a pic of my best tree.

http://byfiles.storage.live.com/y1plkSjTCU71P-_OZgRZgOVqTqv-acZsRv3cQ2vOe9XkY3LeWn-xhDHm_ts5OFAvEsfd1C0FbJXsJg

[royalmaple]

need a couple thousand of those.