Why do the leaves on the top of the trees turn color first?

Question

In the fall, most of the trees that I see changing color always start from the top of the tree. Why is that?

Answer 1

No, it has to do with the sun light. Autumn leaves turn color because as the sunlight diminishes, so does the green chlorophyl - that loss of green reveals the other colors in the leaves. The parts that are most exposed to sunlight show this change first, because that's the part that really notices first.

You can see that some trees it's all one side that colors first - and in places where the trees are exposed all over to full sun they show colors all around.

Peace!

Answer 2

Carole has it -- if you were used to 12 hours of strong sunlight and the angle of the sunlight changed and the amount changed, wouldn't you too have a chlorophyll change?

The leaf changes color because the cholorphyll dies and the sugar stored in the leaves shines through. Once the green from the chlorophyll is gone, the sugar colors (which were always there but hidden by the very green cholorphyll) tell you how sugary the leaves were. You'll notice, for instance, that sugar maples are red and orange -- not only do they have a lot of sugar inthe trunks, but it is also stored in the leaves. Pretty cool, huh?

Answer 3

Yeah, its because the top is getting less nutrients, like they say, the tree needs to save all it can for what it can, so it starts cutting off at the top and works its way down.

Answer 4

they are farthest from the trunk. Leaves turn color and fall off trees so the trees can maintain water and nutrients that will rare in the winter. SO just like the human body. It will start shunting water (blood) and nutrients from the farthest extremities first

Answer 5

Because they are subject to the weather change first, they usually get the first frosts of winter.

Answer 6

The higher the altitude, the colder it is.