[TriLUG] Really OT: maples turning yellow

[John Wheeler]

My parents have a house in the northwest most county of NC. google Lansing, NC, some miles west of there.

They have a large maple in their front yard. Spoke with them moments ago and it is lush and green. They have not seen any other maples turning in the area either. The temperature there is incredibly mild  in the summer, never feels above high 80s on the hottest summer days I can remember. There is generally a mild breeze that makes it feel a little cooler. Most summer days Hover at 73-78 F. Humidity doesn't linger in the air as long due to elevation but dew is thick on the ground every morning.

Hope that helps.


On Aug 3, 2011, at 11:49 AM, Joseph Mack NA3T <jmack at wm7d.net> wrote:

> This perhaps be answered by people living in or visiting the Blue Ridge area...
> 
> In the last 2 weeks, with the temps in the high 90's or above, the leaves on the maples on the American Tobacco Trail, where I ride my bicycle, have started to turn yellow and fall. None of the other trees are doing this.
> 
> Since it doesn't get cold here till Oct, the trees still have 2 months for growth. It's hard to imagine that right now any living thing would be preparing for winter. Two reasons why maples might be shedding leaves.
> 
> o the leaves are triggered by photoperiod. We're getting a 14hr day now. If maples are genetically optimised for living at 50-60degN, then a 14hr day would occur in early Sep.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hours_of_daylight_vs_latitude_vs_day_of_year.png
> 
> when it would be getting quite cold.
> 
> o the maples, not being designed for heat, are shedding leaves to conserve water, and are not responding to photoperiod. In this case maples at the same latitude, but in cooler or wetter environs, eg higher elevation (the mountains to the west or in VA) would not be shedding leaves.
> 
> Anyone know if in the mountains, maples started turning yellow 2 weeks ago?
> 
> Joe
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