I know I put this in last year’s e-newsletter, but we have many people calling in, asking questions every day about why my plants are turning colors and losing their leaves. Is there something wrong with them? The answer is probably not.
Expect deciduous trees and shrubs to start changing colors and dropping leaves as the temperatures drop and the days get shorter. It is entirely normal and does not mean your plant is dead. It just has gone dormant for the season. The leaves will get splotches before they drop, and the plants will not look their best. Larches & Dawn Redwoods are deciduous and will lose all of their needles.
Expect evergreens & broad-leaf evergreens to shed some needles or leaves. These plants don’t hold onto their needles or leaves forever despite the name evergreen. Each specie is different. Example: The most common pine in our area, the Eastern white pine, holds its needles for three years and sheds the 3-year-old needles in the fall. The rest will remain on the tree.
Remain calm, don’t panic, get outdoors, and enjoy the fall color while it lasts.