Flashy fall
colors
‘fall’ in on time
‘Wonderful
phenomenon’ nears peak
"Fall
is so beautiful. Days like this—Oh, my goodness."
—JoANN
ROBBINS, Jerome
horticulturist
By GREG
STAHL
Express Staff Writer
One of
the greatest shows in the natural world is preparing for an encore this
week as Idaho’s valleys join her already flashy mountains in showing
off golden autumn plumes.
Photo
by Willy Cook
Despite
speculation of drought-inflicted aspens changing colors early or without
intensity this year, experts generally agree that this fall’s colors
in central Idaho have emerged in typical, if not late, fashion. One even
added that this year’s colors are more dazzling than usual.
"It’s
been a warm summer and a long fall," said JoAnn Robbins, a Jerome
horticulturist. "This year, we’re late. We’ve had some
20-degree days, but only a couple of times. That’s good for the color.
Warm sunny days and the cold nights promote development of fall
color."
According
to The Weather Channel, which tracks fall color trends on-line, most of
Idaho is "near peak" this week.
Leaves
are peaking across the West, and are past their peak only in isolated
portions of Colorado, Utah and California’s Sierras.
Robbins
said drought conditions tend not to affect fall foliage, and pointed out
that the length of days is the most important trigger affecting autumn
leaves. Temperature variations can then enhance or detract from color
intensity.
"Obviously,
if everything goes dry and the leaves crisp up, you won’t have good
color, but your fall conditions are much more important than summer for
color," she said.
The
famous autumn phenomenon, which occurs most notably in the Northeast
U.S., is often characterized as the changing of the leaves. However, it
is not a transformation, but a process whereby leaves drain of
chlorophyll, revealing the colorful pigments that were hidden beneath.
As autumn
approaches, the amount of available sunlight decreases and signals trees
that winter is approaching and that it is time to begin the process of
shedding leaves. The production of chlorophyll ceases and breaks down,
and leaves’ green colors disappear, allowing the hidden pigments to
show.
The
phenomenon has become a cornerstone in the Northeast’s tourism
industry, but fall colors attract Sunday drivers in Idaho, too.
Last
weekend, "quite a few" people were milling about the Sawtooth
Valley in search of fall colors, said Smiley Creek Lodge Assistant
Manger Tim Holder.
"The
colors are really pretty right now," Holder said. "But it won’t
last much longer. Right now is one of the prettiest times."
Holder
said he expects the combination of hunting season and beautiful fall
colors to spur business in the upper Sawtooth Valley again this weekend.
And
Robbins said fall is her favorite time of year, competing closely with
winter.
"Fall
is so beautiful," she said. "Days like this—Oh, my
goodness."