Any Ozark day brings nature’s serendipitous events. But, where are the green’s of nature? The skylines that have been summer lushes of green foliage tones have been replaced by hues of golds, ambers, tangerine oranges and rusts. Soon the vibrant colors will become shades of winter’s brown tones.
Travel anywhere to find your favorite fall niche. Locally, leaf peeping can be done in your own backyard and to anyplace in Miller, Camden, or Morgan Counties. Enjoy views of high bluffs that are exposed to sunlight by land, water, or air. Captivating colors can be found in cemeteries, along roadways, and local parks. Ha Ha Tonka State Park offers inspiring landscapes at every view. The lookout at Bagnell Dam gives a majestic view of land and water as does the historic Wilmore Lodge. Attend fall festivities and enjoy short road trips. Create lasting memories by pressing special foliage into a “peepers” scrapbook.
The mixture of fall’s brilliant colors is the result of the chemical processes that take place in the tree as the season changes from summer to winter. During the spring and summer, the green leaves contain chlorophyll cells to sustain the tree’s nutrition for growth. Leaves contain yellow and orange pigments as well, but green is the most prominent.
According to information provided by the Weather Channel, due to “changes in the length of daylight and changes in temperature, the leaves stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellow to orange colors become visible and give the leaves part of their fall splendor. As the fall colors appear, other changes are taking place. At the point where the stem of the leaf is attached to the tree, a special layer of cells develops and gradually severs the tissues that support the leaf. At the same time, the tree seals the cut, so that when the leaf is finally blown off by the wind or falls from its own weight, it leaves behind a leaf scar.
“Temperature, light, and water supply have an influence on the degree and the duration of fall color. Low temperatures above freezing will favor anthocyanin formation, producing bright reds in maples. However, early frost will weaken the brilliant red color. Rainy and/or overcast days tend to increase the intensity of fall colors. The best time to enjoy the autumn color would be on a clear, dry and cool (not freezing) day.”
We’ve grown accustomed to the sights and sounds of summer. The “hootie” owls, the frogs, the locust and the cricket songs disappear as the summer fades into fall. Now begins the winds of winter as it sweeps away the foliage into history. Those slow-moving folks gazing at the colorful landscapes, known as “Leaf Peepers” are savoring the knowledge of knowing that no two leafs are ever the same.
Leaf Peepers’ lookouts
High Bluffs
Cemeteries
Parks
Roadways
Bagnell Dam
Wilmore Lodge
Fall Festivals
The best type of day to Leaf Peep
Clear
Dry
Cool
