Walking along the paths of the Cammino Naturale dei Parchi (Nature Trail of the Parks) during autumn gives us the opportunity to admire the spectacle of the “foliage.” This is the phenomenon that causes the leaves to change color and is triggered by the cold and the reduction in daylight hours that leave the plants bare with the arrival of winter. During this period, the landscapes are ablaze with intense colors ranging from yellow to orange to red.
The green color of the leaves is due to chlorophyll, which, affected by the lack of heat and sufficient daylight hours, degrades, drastically reducing its concentration. At this point, the yellow-orange carotenoids become increasingly visible and give plants their characteristic autumn colors. They protect the leaves from excessive exposure to light, and even though the production of these pigments stops with the cold, those already present in the leaves are more resistant than chlorophyll and remain longer. The red color, on the other hand, is determined by pigments called anthocyanins: the sugar that usually passes from the leaves to the branches, but in autumn, due to the beginning of the process of detachment from the tree, remains trapped in the leaf cells and reacts with certain molecules present in the sap, transforming into anthocyanin.
Fruits also contribute to the colorful spectacle of autumn thanks to the wonders of the undergrowth: chestnuts, wild herbs, berries, and mushrooms, typical products used in the preparation of traditional local dishes.
[Photo by Marco Branchi]
