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Fall, Foliage, and Frost
As summer winds down and fall quietly settles in, we're not the only ones who notice the days getting shorter. In fact, the primary environmental factor for deciduous trees beginning to lose their leaves is the steadily increasing length of night (and reduced intensity of sunlight) that occurs when autumn arrives.
A deciduous tree's species helps determine what color its leaves will turn and when it will drop its leaves in preparation for winter. This process, known as "abscission", helps protect broad-leaved trees from damage during freezing temperatures. While stems twigs, and buds can overwinter safely, tender leaf tissues cannot—they must be sealed off and shed to ensure the plant's continued survival.
On the contrary, Evergreen trees (firs, pines, cedars, and spruces) have scale or needle-like foliage that include a heavy wax coating and fluids resistant to freezing. This enables these trees to survive even the harshest of winter conditions without shedding foliage in the fall.
For trees living through our cold Cape Cod winter climate, the coming of fall is all about survival. Shifting from peak photosynthesis during summer to the pending frost of October, trees across the Cape are using, saving, and protecting their resources to ensure they survive for yet another season.
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