By Kate Frasure

The cool breeze and various colors of red, yellow and purple make fall Colorado’s time to shine. “It is nature at its best,” says Ken Wucklund, Longmont forestry supervisor.

Wicklund says while scientists don’t know all the reasons, light and temperature are the two main reasons leaves change color in the fall. Trees sense the change in hours of daylight since in the winter season there are shorter days and longer nights. “The warm days and cool, cool nights cause the green pigment called chlorophyll to break down and disappear,” he says.

As the chlorophyll begins to disappear the colors of red, orange and yellow start to show through. Wicklund says Colorado generally has more yellows than any other color, however, they are trying to bring in more reds, oranges and purples.

Aspen, elm and ash trees are responsible for the dominant yellow color most commonly seen, while trees in the red oak family show more of the red and purple coloring. “Chinkapine is a new tree we have been planting,” Wicklund says. “It has a combo of red, orange and yellow.”

This fall season see Colorado at its best weather in the Rocky Mountains or in town. Wicklund says two spots not to miss in Longmont are:

• Northside of Sixth Avenue and Sherman Street features four to five red oak trees

• North Thompson Park at Fifth Avenue and Pratt Street also features various red oak trees.