Why Do Trees Change Color in the Fall?

Trees change color in the fall because they start to slow down their food-making process. In summer, leaves are green because of a special chemical called chlorophyll. But when days get shorter and cooler, trees stop making chlorophyll. Other colors like yellow and orange come out because they were always there, just hidden under the green.

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Examples

  1. A maple tree turns red in the fall because it makes a new kind of color inside its leaves.
  2. When you walk through the woods in October, the trees look like they're wearing colorful clothes.
  3. Some leaves turn yellow first before turning orange or red.

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