The swamp maples turn first, brightening the edges of low-lying wetlands and ponds with the fall's first hints of brilliant red.
Officially known as the red maple, the tree goes from summer green to bright red because its roots are under water and the tree can't get enough oxygen. This year, those trees turned even earlier than usual, giving residents and leaf-peepers alike a taste of the brilliant foliage season ahead.
"The water table tends to rise in the swamps before it does in the uplands," said Fred Borman, a forest educator with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. "This year was even earlier because they never did really dry up."
So, the unexpected bonus of suffering through an exceptionally wet spring and summer is a fall display the state hasn't seen the likes of for several years.
"The crummy summer is making for an excellent fall," said Tai Freligh of the state Division of Travel and Tourism Development. "It's one positive thing that came out of all the rain. It makes the trees extra healthy and makes the color look more vibrant. A lot of folks are saying this year's foliage is the most spectacular they've seen in years."
The variation in foliage — the shades of red, purple, bronze, yellow and orange — is all about pigment and what type each tree carries, Borman said.
Leaves change colors in the fall for two main reasons, he said: shorter days and cooler temperatures. Those combine to trigger a response in hardwood trees.
Basically, the chlorophyll, or green pigment, starts to die and the other pigments start to show up. Those other pigments are always there, but they're masked by the chlorophyll in the growing season, Borman said.
The reds and the purples seen on red maples and white ash are from pigments called anthocyanins. Oaks and sugar maples have more carotenoids, which lead to the maple's orange and yellow fall brilliance and the dull bronze of the oak, according to Borman.
Most of the yellow display spreading over the state's hills and mountains comes from birch, aspen, hickory and beech trees. The state's Great North Woods tend to feature more vibrant yellows, oranges and reds, Borman said, while the southern part of the state has more oak and hickory trees, which are a bit duller.
"It is actually a great year," Borman said. "It's a good year primarily because early in the season we did have a lot of rain and the trees were not stressed at all. They're healthier this year. We did have a few instances of leaf spot disease, but primarily on ornamental trees. The forest trees didn't really have that problem."
Trees in the Granite State have been able to create a lot of food through photosynthesis, he said, and that adds up to a good foliage season.
"The best colors show up when we have cool nights, bright sunny days and low humidity," Borman said. "When the air is clearer, the colors show up much better."
The forecast calls for mostly sunny weather today and tomorrow, with temperatures in the upper 50s and low 60s, a recipe for a perfect fall weekend.
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