Fall Color

Posted 10-3-24

The nights are getting cooler and the days are 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. Wildlife-friendly fields remain attractive. Native grasses are in full head: look for the yellow, feathery tops of Indian grass and the “turkey foot” seed heads of big bluestem. Also, the last of the native flowers are blooming, especially the beautiful purples of native asters and bright yellow goldenrods. 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 it closes 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 10-3-24

Sunny days and cool nights in the Kanas City Region have set the stage for fall colors to continue to develop and could deliver some vibrant colors soon. Some muted colors could represent some trees stressed by lack of water and insect and disease issues. These trees will probably change color and drop leaves earlier than others. But among the healthy trees, we will soon see dramatic oranges and reds in the various sugar and red maples, white ash, and sumacs. Black walnut, hackberry, silver maple, and honey locust are beginning to add shades of yellow to the fall color display.

Also contributing yellow hues are the various native goldenrods. Missouri has 23 native species of goldenrods, and their vibrant yellow can dominate the landscape in certain areas. Be careful not to blame these beautiful plants for your seasonal allergies. Because goldenrods bloom at about the same time as ragweeds (such as giant ragweed and common ragweed), they are often blamed for allergies this time of year. But goldenrod pollen is too heavy to be airborne, and the flowers are pollinated by insects. Ragweed pollen, however, is easily airborne and is the actual culprit. Fall colors in Kansas City are likely to peak sometime in the middle of October this year.

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 Hill and Mount Washington cemeteries; and the Swope Memorial in Swope Park. VisitKC has a guide for more places to view fall color in the city.

Posted 10-3-24

Not much has changed from last week. Everything is still mostly green, although the roadside sumacs and Virginia creeper are showing reds while the goldenrods are a vibrant yellow. Poison ivy is turning red, orange, and rusty brown.

Understory dogwood trees are starting to turn shades of burnt purple and red. Hickories, black walnut, cottonwood, and black locust are starting to turn yellow and shed leaves early. Ohio buckeye leaves are falling faster than others, with some trees already bare. In urban areas, look for maples starting to turn red, northern catalpa turning lime yellow, and tulip trees turning yellow. When you’re hiking, look for pockets of pawpaw trees as they are beginning to lose their fruit; so are the persimmon trees along field edges.

Posted 10-3-24

Fall color in the Northwest Region is slowly creeping along. There are still a lot of yellow hues all over the place, mostly on hackberry and walnut. The deep reds showing on Virginia creeper are still pretty good. Look along any creek where walnut trees might be growing, and you’ll find Virginia creeper growing on the main trunk. Poison ivy is also showing good color. The red colors on dogwoods and sumacs are fading, unfortunately. The leaves are falling from several trees in general (though mostly cottonwood) — even though color has set in.

The weather has been elusive this fall. Most of the region has been in some degree of dryness, punctuated by a few rain events that have kept the yard grass green and most ponds full. Since trees have fairly deep roots, this dryness may have affected them more than can be seen. And we have maintained fairly warm nighttime temperatures, which will limit the development of good cooler. Our daytime temperatures have been warm and sunny, which is half the ingredients for good color. Now we just need some chilly nights and perhaps some rain. Despite these “iffy” factors, some select trees in towns and yards are showing good reds and oranges — especially red maples and a few sugar maples.

Fall Color Hot Spots

You can drive just about any highway to see good yellows. Dogwoods and sumacs are showy along rural roads. Otherwise, drive through towns and you’ll likely see some reds on red maples and oranges on sugar maples.

Posted 10-3-24

October is here, and no other month so fully represents the peak of fall. Soon we will enjoy falling leaves, colorful road corridors, apple cider, pumpkins, and Halloween! Watch for bird species you have not seen in a while, such as the eastern phoebe: they’re traveling back south for the winter and stopping at familiar places along the way. We are also seeing the beginnings of color change in some maples, especially in yards. Maple trees have a wide range of human-created cultivars, which change color at different times. But at this point, in nature, our native red maples are just starting to show the early signs of their brilliant red to come. Other common native Ozark maples — sugar maple and silver maple — like red maples are only starting to show soft changes on their margins.

Fall Color Hot Spots

Last week brought rain; this week we have sunshine. These mid-70s temperatures might be as close to perfect weather as you can get. Take advantage of the great temperatures and get outside! Visiting your favorite shooting range, such as Gist Ranch Conservation Area north of Summersville, is a pleasant early fall activity without the hot summer sun blaring down. Deer season is just around the corner, and this is a great time to get sighted in. Gist Ranch also offers great opportunities for fall hiking and mushroom hunting! Visit a conservation area, and take the time to indulge in multiple outdoor activities — that way, you can really extend the day’s fun.

Posted 10-3-24

Last week’s tropical moisture brought our trees a much-needed drink. While beneficial to their overall health, it will not change the current status of their green foliage if the leaves have already started shutting down for the season. This is a wonderful week to get outside! With sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s, it’s a perfect time to get some fresh air, soak in the sunshine, and enjoy the early stages of fall color. It’s still warm, but if sunny conditions continue and the temperatures drop in the evenings in the next couple of weeks, fall color might have a promising outlook. Not much change has happened since last week. In urban areas, however, there is a noticeable difference in flowering dogwoods. Their umbrella-shaped canopies are starting to turn magenta and plum, and their bright cherry-red fruits provide an extra pop of color. In your local neighborhood or park, you will also spot an occasional red maple with blazing fiery leaf tips. In streams or other low areas, look for sycamores and hackberries with pale yellow foliage; however, some of these may have dried out completely at this point due to drought.

Fall Color Hot Spots

With the sunny and warm temperatures, take your paddle and your canoe or kayak to your favorite water body, grab a fishing pole, or tie your shoelaces to hit a trail around a community lake or a pond in one of your local parks, conservation areas, or river accesses. The links below are suggestions.

Posted 10-3-24

Fall color in the Southwest Region is highly variable. The northern and more western portions or our region are showing less color. Green and browns are common. Where there are reds, yellows, and orange, they are dull. In the southern portion of the region, a few more colors are showing. Brighter shades of red are showing on some maples, sumacs, and sassafras. Yellows are showing on black cherry. Black walnut is also showing yellow — on trees whose leaves have not already fallen off.

Fall Color Hot Spots

Among the suggested fall color drives in the Southwest Region, try MO 76 near Branson; MO 59 between Neosho and Anderson; and I-49 between Neosho and Jane.

Posted 10-3-24

There hasn’t been much color progression over the past week. Some exceptions are the more severely drought-stressed trees, which are dropping leaves after the fairly heavy rain and wind that we’ve had. Early color isn’t yet widespread, although you can find some individuals or small groups of sumacs, Virginia creeper, sassafras, dogwoods, black walnut, elms, catalpa, and black gum that have nice color. The white ash trees that have been treated for emerald ash borer (or that have managed to survive so far) are showing a nice combination of yellow and purple. Hopefully, with the soaking rain followed by these cooler nights, especially outside the city, we’ll see more consistent color across the landscape.

Fall Color Hot Spots

Prairies and glades with their late summer wildflowers are still the best bet for seasonal landscape beauty. St. Louis County’s West Tyson Park, Shaw Nature Reserve, and Victoria Glades Conservation Area offer a variety of flowers, including native goldenrods, sunflowers, asters, and white snakeroot. The weather looks great for a hike or float this weekend, so get out and enjoy!