Autumn colours in New England, New South Wales

© ILYA GENKIN/Alamy Stock Phot

“All the leaves are brown…”. Autumn gets colourful

Ever looked at a tree during autumn and wondered why the leaves change colour? Well, it turns out that the bright green colour you traditionally see on tree leaves during spring and summer are the result of chlorophyll - a critical chemical plants require for photosynthesis and to produce the required energy for growth. Once autumn rolls around, tress start to harvest and break down this chlorophyll to have it ready for a spring refresh. Without the chemical around, the green pigment that it produces is no longer dominant, allowing other colours – like the yellows and oranges in today’s image – to rear their head.