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We're probably about a week away from the peak aspen viewing for this year. There are patches here and there around town that have turned a brilliant yellow as of yesterday, while the majority of the trees are still sporting green leaves.
We had light rain the past couple of days, but now we are headed into a stretch of dry, sunny, warm weather. The wind has picked up a bit today and if it blows as predicted it may knock some of the leaves off. We'll just have to wait and see.
Here are some interesting facts about our aspen trees from the Summit Daily news:
Did you know that quaking aspens are the most abundant deciduous tree in Colorado, as well as the most widely distributed tree in North America? Their native range extends from Alaska’s Brooks Range south to the mountains of central Mexico, and from 11,500 feet in Colorado to the Beaufort Sea. Colorado’s aspen forests provide critical wildlife habitat, second only to riparian areas for biodiversity richness.
We all want to know more about those spectacular leaves, but let’s focus a moment on aspen bark. Off-white, light gray, or even greenish in color, aspen bark has a superpower — it conducts photosynthesis. Unlike other deciduous trees that lose their leaves in fall and become dormant, quaking aspen bark produces energy year round.
Now, what leaf peepers have been waiting for — what gives aspen leaves their spectacular fall colors, and when will colors peak? During our sunny spring and summer months, aspen leaves appear green due to chlorophyll, the amazing chemical that allows plants to create energy through photosynthesis. As days shorten, aspens detect the decrease in light. Chlorophyll production slows, allowing other chemicals within the leaves called flavonoids and carotenoids (yellow and orange pigments) and anthocyanins (red and purple pigments) to take center stage.
