Sugar Maple Leaf Colour ?

[wannabeonetoo]

Just a quick question to some of the people in the know  ;D ;D
Do Sugar Maples turn the same colour year after year  :-\. If so, why ?? or why not  ???
Just thinking about transplanting and want the showiest (sp.) trees.
Thanks in advance
  Steve

[Dodgy Loner]

Sugar maple color is dependent upon a combination of environmental and genetic factors.  Colors range from bright yellow to nearly red.  The yellow colors are caused by carotenoids, which are satellite pigments for chlorophyll that are present all year long.  The chlorophyll breaks down in the fall more rapidly than the carotenoids, allowing the yellow color to be seen.  However, the reds and maroons are caused by a different class of chemicals called anthocyanins.  Anthocyanins develop as the chlorophyll breaks down, and its developement is strongly dependent upon the weather.  Dry days and cool (but not freezing) nights enhance the developement of anthocyanins.  When you have a blend of carotenoids and anthocyanins in the leaf, the color will be bright orange.

Sugar maples tend to have a good color display each year (as I'm sure you're well aware), because they produce high levels of both carotenoids and anthocyanins, but the balance between the two is controlled by genetic factors as much as by the environment.  Generally speaking, if you see a tree that produces a significantly more reddish color than the trees around it, in the future it will continue to be more reddish than its comrades, even though the color may be more orange than red in some years if the weather does not cooperate.

Hope that helps, and good luck with the transplanting!

[Cedarman]

One thing I just found out in a magazine " Forest Products Equipment" (I think that's the name)  was that leaves start the slow process of changing color on the first day of summer when the days start to get shorter.  It is dependent on amount of darkness.  Thank goodness it takes all summer and part of fall to change color. 

[thecfarm]

MY Father thought they did.He flagged a bunch of trees for one of my brothers to dig up for his house.He never did come and get them.

[Jeff]

This year in the part of the U.P. where our property is, the trees were markedly more yellow then years past. Very little reds and orange. Here is a photo from the fall thread on the outdoor board.

[WDH]

Looks like those Dang carotenoids are winning this year ;D.