Beeches on the turn

Trees have hormones just like people.

Beech leaves - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

As the length of days shorten, so leaves produce less of a hormone called auxin.

Beech leaves - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

That hormone imbalance causes the layer between leaf and tree to fracture.

Beech leaves - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Green chlorophyll breaks down and leaves empty of nutrients as much as possible.

Beech leaves - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Beautiful carotenes, the yellow and orange pigments of carrots, and bright anthocyanins, the reds, purples and blues of berries are left behind.

Then the leaves fall.

Beech leaves - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

And the Beech is dormant for winter.

If only I could join it.

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