A Question Of Colour

We love the colours of autumn, but why do many native trees fail to deliver intense hues? Toby has the answer

- Toby Buckland

I HAVE a burning question.

While sweeping the leaves I got to wondering, why do the oaks and maples of North America and the acers of Japan blaze with fiery autumn colour, while our native trees barely bother?

When it comes to making a last stand for autumn, our birch, oaks, elder, hazel and ash are yellow-bellied, and if it weren’t for the coppery glow from rowans and beech, the countryside here would be a vision of mustard.