It won’t be much longer until Ohio’s fall colors return in full force.
Explore Fall‘s foliage map for 2025 predicts Ohio’s trees will begin to see some fall colors by the latter-half of September, beginning in the east and making their way throughout the rest of the state.
“Foliage starts to change in the northern tier states out West and in the Midwest by late September,” according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. “By Oct. 4, the leaves in some areas will be past their prime.”
Most of the Stark County area is predicted to see low color foliage conditions by around Sept. 27, with peak conditions setting in about a month later.
When will the leaves start to change in Northeast Ohio?
The state is forecast to begin to see low amounts of fall color the week of Sept. 21, according to the Explore Fall map. By Sept. 28, much of the eastern half of the state should be observing low amounts of fall color.
A majority of the state should experience low fall colors by Oct. 7, with moderate color becoming present in the following days. High and peak conditions should begin in the following weeks.
When will fall colors begin in Ohio?
Fall foliage is predicted to begin to peak in the state beginning around the third week of October. Some parts of the Northeast Ohio area are expected to be past their peak by around Oct. 29.
When does fall begin?
This year, the fall season will start Sept. 22. The fall equinox will signify the transition from summer to autumn and will take place at 2:19 p.m. on that day, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
How leaves change color in the fall
As the amount of daylight gets shorter in the fall, chlorophyll production in leaves slows down and eventually stops. Chlorophyll gives leaves a green color, so when these pigments are not visible, carotenoids, which produce yellow orange and brown colors, show through, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry.
Bright light and excess plant sugars are abundant during the season, and they help produce anthocyanins, which add red to plants.
Which of Ohio’s trees show vibrant fall colors?
Ohio’s foliage ranges from eye-popping orange, red and yellow hues to golden bronzes and browns.
“The timing of color change and colors exhibited by individual tree species is somewhat genetically controlled,” according to the Ohio State University Extension. “Some species, such as sourwood in southern Ohio, will turn bright red late in the summer, while the leaves of many oak species won’t turn color until after many other species have already lost their leaves.”
Here’s a look at fall leaf colors for common tree types in Ohio:
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Sugar maple: Orange or yellow
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Northern red oak: Red to brown
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White oak: Red and purple
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Aspens and cottonwood: Purplish red
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Yellow poplar/tulip tree: Yellow
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Sweetgum: Yellow, orange or red
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White ash: Red and purple
Includes reporting by USA TODAY.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: When will leaves change colors in Ohio? Here’s what to know
