Have you ever noticed that the progression of fall foliage follows a natural schedule? Certain plants become colorful early in the season, and others take their time. Here’s a quick viewer’s guide to autumn color changes.

Early Color

Early foliage changes can happen as early as mid-to-late September. The red maple is one of the first trees to become vibrant, especially if it’s stressed by illness or harsh conditions. Some commercially available red maple cultivars turn red especially early—look for bursts of crimson in urban spaces such as parking lots.

The white ash is also quick to show its purple color. Down on the forest floor or twining up tree trunks, Virginia creeper often becomes vibrantly red while its surroundings are still green. Poison ivy also quickly picks up rainbow of colors.

Later Color

Oaks and aspens tend to change a little later in the season (mid-to-late October). The American larch, which you may see in boggy areas, also takes its time to turn bright yellow. Later, it’ll drop all of its needles; it’s the only conifer in our region to do so.

Once most of the leaves have fallen and the woods look more open, you’ll spot radiant hickories, their brilliant yellow-gold foliage practically glowing in the woods. The American beech also turns gold later. Rather than falling, many beech leaves dry up and cling to the branches all winter, and you’ll hear them rustling in the wind.

But Everything Depends on the Weather

The timing of leaf color change depends on several factors, including the health of a plant and its growing location. One of the most important variables of all is the weather. Low temperatures, rain, wind, and snow can cause leaves to drop quickly before they have a chance to reach their full color.

When conditions are right, though, there’s nothing like watching the progression of fall foliage in New England forests. See for yourself and join one of our fall foliage programs.

Mushrooms, the fruiting bodies of fungi, are especially abundant as the summer winds down and the cold air sets in.

Although some of our local fungi, such as oyster mushrooms, may be more familiar, they’re only a small part of a remarkably diverse world that includes glow-in-the-dark, multicolored, and gargantuan species.

Here are five amazing mushrooms to look for.

Chrome-footed bolete

Harrya chromapes

This two-toned mushroom looks like it’s lit from below. Although many of us think of “chrome” as a silvery coating on metals, painters used to use a pigment called chrome yellow that was made from lead and chromium (it’s no longer in use because it’s toxic). You’ll find this mushroom growing on the forest floor.

Luminescent panellus

Panellus stipticus

Though it isn’t remarkable-looking during the daytime, it glows green in the dark (see second photo, which was exposed for a long period to gather more light). The purpose of this luminescence is unknown. Not all specimens glow, and the amount of glow seems to vary by location. Look for it on logs and sometimes in the wounds of hardwood trees such as birch, oak, and maple.

Painted suillus

Suillus spraguei

The painted suillus looks like a pointillist artist carefully covered it in fine red dots. As with most fungi, the mushroom part is just the tip of the iceberg—a network of fungal threads spread through the soil below, intertwining with the roots of nearby pine trees. Both the painted suillus and the pine benefit from this connection. The fungus receives moisture and nutrients, and the tree uses the fungus to extend its root system.

Berkeley’s polypore

Bondarzewia berkeleyi

This is a true giant (note my boot in the bottom right corner of the photo). It can form clumps that are three feet wide or more, and feeds on living and dead hardwood trees. Its namesake, Miles Joseph Berkeley, was a 19th century British clergyman who was very important to the early study of fungi.

Fairy stool

Coltricia cinnamomea

This velvety, vase-shaped mushroom looks like it would make a comfortable seat for a tiny woodland creature. It’s usually less than two inches wide. Look for the fairy stool in mossy areas beside paths, where it feeds on underground tree roots and wood.

Looking to learn more? Take a fungi walk with us!