Fall Foliage in Virginia

Weekly Report

September 25, 2024

The autumnal equinox has passed, and fall is officially here! In a typical autumn, most of Virginia is still very green in late September. This is NOT a typical year.

This year’s especially dry and hot summer has taken a toll on Virginia’s forests and urban trees alike. This stress will bring fall color early to much of the state. Trees growing in harsh conditions, such as urban areas, high elevation ridgetops, and poor soils, as well as species less adapted to dry conditions, are often the first to hint at fall. Many will go straight to brown or lose their leaves before showing much color.

Signs of stress are already evident statewide in the overall fading of green in our woodlands. Several of the usual “early changers” including tulip-poplar, sycamore, and black walnut – are yellowing and dropping leaves.

Perhaps most surprising this early in the season is the amount of red visible across the landscape. As far east as the Piedmont, many dogwoods have turned dusty rose, their first blush toward a deeper shade. Black gum, sumac, poison ivy and Virginia creeper are showing significant bright red along roadsides. The upper branches of red maple are already showing their namesake hues, which usually aren’t present until mid-season.

No matter the cause for change, the net result, for us, is an earlier peek at a colorful fall landscape.  Enjoy the show, and don’t forget to give any young trees in your yard plenty of water and mulch as they prepare for winter.

Virginia’s many species of deciduous trees create an interesting mix of autumn colors. Here are some colors you can expect from some of our most common species:

Fall Foliage Resources

• Fall Foliage Report – (800)424-LOVE (begins mid-late September each year)
• Blue Ridge Parkway – (828)298-0398 (press “3”)
• George Washington and Jefferson National Forest
• Explore Fall
• Smoky Mountains Fall Foliage Prediction Map
• All things Fall In Virginia from the Virginia Tourism Corporation
• Find a state forest to view fall color
• Prince William Forest Park is an oasis of natural beauty and human history located just south of Washington, DC.

Fall Foliage Driving Tours

Try our DOF-recommended Fall Foliage Driving Tours.

Why Leaves Change Color

• Chlorophyll gives leaves their familiar green color.
• Carotenoids produce yellow, orange, and brown colors.
• Anthocyanins produce red and purple colors and are the same pigments that give color to fruits like blueberries and cherries.

Both chlorophyll and carotenoids are present in the leaf cells throughout the growing season. During this time, chlorophyll is produced and leaves appear green. As days get shorter, chlorophyll production slows and eventually stops. With the green color no longer visible, the yellow carotenoids are revealed. During autumn, bright light and excess plant sugars produce red anthocyanins within leaf cells.