Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 13, 1993                   TAG: 9404210007
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Cathryn McCue
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

WHERE DOES THE COLOR COME FROM?

And we know you know.

But, just to be certain, let's run through it once again.

(Because you and I both know that we've all forgotten since last autumn.)

Many autumn colors are actually present in leaves year-round, but are dominated by green during the summer. The green is produced by chlorophylls that turn water and light into sugars and starches for plant growth.

During fall, the shortened days and cooler nights signal the trees to do their thing. Chlorophyll activity slows, allowing the yellow-colored carotenoid sugars to show through.

The weather changes also trigger sugars called anthocyanins to form, which lend the leaves red, purple and pink hues.

``So that's why you don't see things like blue leaves,'' says John Seiler, associate professor of tree physiology at Virginia Tech. ``Beause there's no blue pigment.''

(So why are they called the Blue Ridge Mountains? That's another science lesson, for another time ... )

The combinations and gradations of all these pigments transform the autumn woods into an awesome palette of fiery splendor that cause even the most intelligent grown-ups to gaze in child-like amazement at the wonder of nature.