Subject: color of amur maples
From: Archimedes Plutonium
Message-ID:

This year I am getting brilliant red and crimson from my amur maples. A
few years ago I was gruntled in seeing them very much yellow.

I am suspecting the hypothesis of water during the time they turn color
is the factor as to whether they are yellow or red.

Anyone have evidence that it is the amount of water present that causes
red instead of yellow? This year was a wet year.

We have a Liquidambar (Sweetgum) planted in our front yard (the tree closely
resembles an Amur Maple, of course--and, yes, I know I know: Liquidamber is a
member of the Hamamelidaceae, not Aceraceae). The tree gets all kinds of water,
not only from the winter rainy season, but from our regular irrigation of the
lawn during summer, all the way up until the leaves fall completely off. The
tree seldom develops a stunning brilliant red Autumnal display that virtually
every other Liquidambar reveals around town during Fall. Our Liquidambar's
leaves remain, most years, a dull yellow, bordering on dingy brown. Depressing,
in the main. As I recollect, our Liquidambar does indeed seem to demonstrate at
least a modicum of reddish Autumnal glory when we've not watered nearly as much
during the summer, or early Fall. Could be merely coincidence, though; or,
perhaps the change is influenced by microclimates, or even differences in
ground chemistry caused by irrigation leaching ions from the
soil during our years of heavy watering.

On the other hand, the Chinese Pistache in our back yard receives prodigious
amounts of water during the summer and early Autumn--and that tree has no
problem turning brilliant red each and every year.

Finally, one last observation: most of the Liquidambars around our town are
pretty much neglected--the trees along the main streets and such. The only
water they apparently receive is from the customary winter and early Spring
rain cycles; and those Liquidambars, each and every year, virtually explode in
a brilliant display of vivid reds--gorgeous. They put our tree to shame.

So, if the hypothesis that links reddish Autumnal leaf colors with the amount
of water delivered to a tree during the time the leaves begin to turn color
"holds water," bears credence, then our situation is directly opposite of
yours, at least with regard to the Liquidambar.

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