![]() When chlorophyll-lacking leaves are exposed to UV radiation and light, anthocyanins function as a kind of proactive chemical sunscreen. As scientists learn more about its unique abilities, the versatile pigment continues to earn its “ Swiss army knife ” moniker. They are also the primary source of color in popular bouquet flowers: roses and chrysanthemums.Īs they relate to autumn, most research into anthocyanin protection has focused on their ability to keep a delicate balance between low temperatures and energy management. Anthocyanin compounds have antioxidant effects, and are abundant in some well-known, antioxidant-rich foods: raspberries, blackberries, plums, cabbage. Depending on their acidity level, their foliage might appear red, purple, blue, or black. They are water-soluble pigments found in plant tissues throughout the plant kingdom - from California maples to the tropical forests of Panama. Walk through a forest in early November, and anthocyanins are likely to be packed in leaves all around you. In response to all sorts of external stress - extreme temperatures, drought, even scavenger and pathogen threats - plants produce chemicals called anthocyanins, a class of pigment that absorbs green and yellow light and gives rise to fall’s mauve, scarlet, violet, and midnight-colored leaves. Just as humans might turn to naps, baking, or Netflix-bingeing during darker winter months, plants lean on coping mechanisms too. Dipping temperatures and a disappearing sun make life difficult. In fact, the season is quite the opposite, often a stressful time of year for humans and trees alike. Gorgeous though it may be, autumn is certainly not all sunshine and roses. The story of red begins with anthocyanins. ![]() It’s a tale of regulation, stress, and climate change, one that didn’t begin to receive much attention from scientists until the late 1990s. Carotene and xanthophyll - and the carrot, salamander, and goldenrod shades of fall - are revealed.īut the story of why leaves turn red, then, is slightly more complex than a pulling-back of pigments. ![]() But these hues are hidden, overwhelmed by the green of chlorophyll until autumn, when trees change their food production process in anticipation of colder weather and less sunlight. Also present, in much lower concentrations, are carotene (orange) and xanthophyll (yellow) pigments. ![]()
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