Fall Color

Posted 9-28-23

The weather is getting cooler and the days shorter, which signals the trees to cease making green chlorophyll. As the green fades, the leaves show hints of their red anthocyanins and yellow carotenoids, sometimes in spectacular combinations. Currently, vibrant red can be seen on Virginia creeper and smooth sumac, and dark red is streaked on flowering dogwood leaves. Elms, walnuts, sycamores, hackberries, and red mulberries are progressing to yellow. Combine the red and yellow pigments and you get orange leaves, and many sassafras and black cherry trees are bright orange this week. Sugar maples — known to have some of the most vibrant fall color, ranging from red to orange to yellow all on the same tree — are beginning to shift away from green. It will be exciting to watch them continue to change. Wildlife-friendly fields remain attractive: the native grasses are in full head, and the last of the native flowers are blooming, but sadly they are on the decline for the year. The red fruits on invasive bush honeysuckles and autumn olive make them easy to identify right now, so it’s a good time to go cut them to keep your woods healthy.

Fall Color Hot Spots

Prairie Garden Trust in New Bloomfield is a great place to walk and enjoy the fall beauty. The native grasses and flowers are still quite picturesque, and you’re sure to see a few remaining butterflies. The woods display a diversity of trees framing lichen-covered rock outcrops. Reserve a free visit to this nonprofit nature garden at the link below before they close for the season!

One last canoe trip is always enjoyable while the temperature remains warm. A good trip of 4–6 hours is Rollins Ferry Access to Pointers Creek Access on the Gasconade River.

Posted 9-28-23

While most of the Kansas City Region is still green, leaves have just started to change. Trees stressed by lack of water earlier this summer and by other conditions have started to change earlier than normal. Sumacs, Virginia creeper, and poison ivy are just starting to turn red in a few parts of the region, and some black walnuts and honey locusts are just beginning to turn yellow. Enjoy the native prairie grasses, such as little bluestem and broom sedge, as they begin to show beautiful shades of orange, red, and purple. The bright native goldenrods are in full bloom, adding pops of yellow to the landscape. The intensity and duration of fall color will partially depend on the weather between now and leaf drop.

Fall Color Hot Spots

For scenic fall color drives in our region, try MO 45 and 224 along the Missouri River. For hiking and photography, try Big Buffalo Creek, Burr Oak Woods, and White Alloe Creek conservation areas; Maple Woods Natural Area; Knob Noster State Park; Forest Hills and Mount Washington cemeteries; and the Swope Memorial in Swope Park. The VisitKC website has a guide for more places to view fall color in the city.

Posted 9-28-23

There’s still not much color yet, but the temperatures are going to start dropping. Along roadsides, the sumacs, poison ivy, and Virginia creeper are showing scarlet red with some orange tints, while the goldenrods and wild sunflowers are a vibrant yellow along roadsides. Black walnut, cottonwood, and locust are starting to turn yellow and shed leaves. Black walnut and smaller cottonwood leaves are falling faster than others. Green ash trees are starting to turn yellow and white ashes a rich purple. In urban areas, look for rusty brown Ohio buckeye leaves falling, northern catalpa leaves turning lime yellow, and tulip trees turning yellow. When you’re out on your fall hikes, look for pockets of pawpaw trees, as they are beginning to drop their fruit; so are persimmon trees along field edges.

Posted 9-28-23

We still don’t have much color up here in the Northwest Region. The only notable colors, so far, are the reds of sumacs, gray and rough-leaved dogwood, and Virginia creeper. The best way to see these is to look along roadsides and fencerows just about anywhere. Other than that, some black walnuts, cottonwoods, and hackberries are showing light yellow.

It looks like this year’s color will be hard to predict.

Posted 9-28-23

Fall colors in the Ozark Region are still dominated by shades of green and light green. However, an overall slight yellow hue is becoming noticeable across the wooded landscapes. Some walnut trees now have their crowns almost devoid of leaves, with only the nuts hanging on bare branches. Black gum and dogwoods are standing out with the vibrant reds and purplish hues. Virginia creeper, a vine that commonly climbs up the trunks of trees, is turning bright red. Red maples, especially ones in the open, are beginning to show their namesake color. There’s still a lot to look forward to!

Fall Color Hot Spots

The Ozark Region is blessed to have an abundance of public land perfect for viewing fall color. The Mark Twain National Forest includes many recreation areas, such as McCormick Lake, Falling Springs, and Turner Mill. Shannon County is home to the Rocky Creek, Sunklands, and Angeline conservation areas that are open for public use including auto touring.

Posted 9-28-23

One week makes all the difference in fall color! At this point, we’re thinking that color may peak in mid-October instead of mid- to late October, so keep your eyes peeled for the best sites; the peak will be here before you know it. Sunlight and temperature changes have the biggest influence on fall color vibrancy and timing. Moisture also plays a role; July had more rainfall than usual, followed by the more typical dry periods of late summer and early fall. We also had a cooler span of temperatures in early to mid-September. This temporary cool period, combined with the currently drier seasonal pattern, may explain why fall colors have jumped the gun by a week or so. Sumacs, sassafras, and black gum capture your attention in patches of scarlet blaze. Northern catalpas are transforming from lime green to lemon colors, joining the bright elms, black walnut, and a few ash trees. Virginia creeper and poison ivy crawl up tree trunks, clothing them in scarlet. Passion flower vines sport their exotic looking purple frilly blooms and seedpods that are edible for both humans and wildlife.

Fall Color Hot Spots

As summer quiets down and fall takes hold, sit near your favorite pollinator planting, or visit a grassland or sunflower field. There, you can hear the soft sounds of insects while enjoying the views of early color peeking into the tree lines.

Posted 9-28-23

Our early-turning trees and vines are starting to show some color. Black walnut is turning slightly yellow and dropping leaves. Hackberry, green ash, and elms are turning yellow, with some leaves falling. Virginia creeper, smooth sumac, and white ash are starting to show red and purple.

The pawpaws are ripe! Hurry and get them before the animals. Pawpaw fruit is good to eat out of hand and is even better in cookies and quick breads. Locate these trees along streams.

Fall Color Hot Spots

This is a great time to get out and enjoy early fall temperatures at MDC conservation areas.

Posted 9-28-23

The fall season has begun in the St. Louis Region despite the prolonged drought that has affected much of the area. Some plants are showing some early fall color — more because of drought stress than from shortening day length — but we do have some sporadic color showing up in our early-changing species. Sumacs, Virginia creeper, dogwoods, sassafras, and a few maples are showing some orange, red, and/or purple colors. Spicebush, walnut (although many are bare already), sycamore, pawpaw, eastern redbud, and catalpa are showing off some yellow on individual plants. Let’s hope we get a cooldown and some additional rainfall to trigger a display that is more widespread.

It’s a bit early yet for widespread color, and some trees are looking tired from the hot, dry weather this summer, so this may not be one of the best years for fall viewing. That being said, native Missouri wildflowers such as goldenrods and asters, and grasses such as little bluestem, are drought tolerant and add to the early-season display. You’ll see the most color in open woodland, glade, and prairie areas away from the heat island of St. Louis, so consider visiting Victoria Glades or Little Lost Creek Conservation Areas, Washington State Park, or Emmenegger Nature Park, where you should be able to spot the late-season wildflowers, grasses, and a few trees with nice early color.