Red Leaf Tree
In the fall, when a tree begins to go dormant, the supply of chlorophyll that passes through the tree and its leaves begins to shut down. The lack of chlorophyll causes the loss of coloration of the leaves. This compound overlaps the other colors of this part of the plant and is usually the predominant color seen. When green is not present, other shades appear. Red autumn leaves are caused by a pigment called anthocyanin, which is produced by sugars trapped in the leaves this season. However, there are other plants such as red maples that have predominant natural anthocyanins and red leaves at any time of the year.
Variety
There are many places with very difficult soils and low nitrogen, where trees tend to have more reddish tones than normal. Hence, one of the functions of anthocyanin is to protect plants from ultraviolet light, preventing the production of free radicals. Below is a list of trees that exhibit this condition, whose red foliage creates a very dramatic effect, a product of their adaptation.
Arces
Maples are a huge family of trees, including members of all shapes and sizes from an equally wide range of climates. One variety with red leaves is the red snakebark maple (Acer capillipes), which is native to Japan, like many of the red maples. Its leaves are reddish when they first appear in spring, then turn green in summer only to turn red again before falling in fall.
Other red-leaved maples include the paperbark maple (Acer griseum), a low-growing deciduous tree with attractive papery, chestnut-brown bark, leaves with 3 leaflets, smooth and whitish below, They turn bright red in fall. For its part, the Japanese maple «Burgundy Lace» (Acer palmatum), begins to lose its leaves during the winter and then generates quite strong purple-red foliage during the spring and summer, while in the autumn it acquires a red. crimson.
red oak
A tree that thrives in almost any environment, this American classic provides great summer color and reddish fall color. It is moderately fast growing and reaches mature heights of 18,5 to 23 meters, with a spread of 13,5 to 15 meters. The tree is valued for its deep root system, which makes it useful for planting near urban streets and sidewalks, filling these places with great color when autumn arrives and its leaves turn reddish to the admiration of many.
Fagus Sylvatica
Within this variety is the Tricolor Beech, which stands out for having purple foliage in the spring and summer seasons, each leaf has pink edges and during the fall these leaves turn reddish. During its maturity it can be 3 to 6 meters high, while the width of its crown is about 3 meters with a maximum of 7 meters. Also, there is a type of plant called purpurea (Beech), which has a rounded crown and large oval leaves, with wavy edges presenting a bright reddish color during the fall.
flowering dogwood
This is a deciduous plant native to North America that can add beauty to the landscape year-round, particularly in the fall, as its flowers range in color from white to red and its leaves turn reddish. It stands out as a very striking tree during this season. These plants can grow in a variety of climates and soil conditions, generally growing best when planted in partial shade in well-drained, humus-rich, and slightly acidic soil.
Other types of Red Leaf Trees
In this section, we mention other types of trees with red leaves, so you know the variety that exists. One of them is the sour tree, which owes its name to the bitter taste of its leaves, which have thin, shiny edges. They can grow up to 20 centimeters long and somewhat resemble peach leaves, their main attraction being the red color of their foliage during the fall. This plant grows quite rapidly, reaching a height of 7,6 meters.
Additionally, the silver red crabapple is one of the few crabapple varieties that displays reddish-purple foliage. It sheds its leaves in autumn and produces small, slightly bitter fruit. These trees grow to about 6 meters tall. There is also a plum variety that has pointed, oval leaves with colors ranging from red and purple to green with flecks of red or bronze.
Additionally, there are a variety of smoke trees that offer red foliage, such as the Flame, Purpureous, and Royal Purple varieties. One of their characteristics is that they have large, oval-shaped leaves and are deciduous, meaning they shed their leaves in the fall. Most grow to around 7,6 meters in height. Another notable variety is the Cercis canadensis Forest Pansy, which typically has a trunk branching from the base and a wide, rounded crown, while its large, heart-shaped leaves maintain a deep reddish-purple color.
Sweetgum trees look their most radiant in autumn when their leaves turn glossy shades of red. They require a location in full sun or partial shade. They grow in almost any soil, from sandy to clay and acidic to slightly alkaline. The leaves of the sweetgum tree have five to seven pointed lobes and are shaped like a star. Mature leaves are 10 to 18 cm wide. Their fall color lasts much longer than that of most trees.
Another variety is the Malus Lizeth tree, very suitable for small areas of the garden, as its foliage turns red in the fall. Aside from its lovely foliage, it has flowers that begin as crimson buds and open to reveal red petals, making it a very striking tree. Finally, there are the Hornbeams, which are small trees that have an attractive, open shape in the shade of other trees, but in sunlight, they exhibit a dense, tight growth pattern. When autumn arrives, the tree comes alive with colorful foliage in shades of red, orange, and yellow.
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