Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) leaves just beginning their growth. But why are they red?
The red coloring often seen in new leaves is because of anthocyanin, a pigment which give those leaves that coloring. As the leaves mature and begin the process of photosynthesis, they gain the green pigment, chlorophyll, which gives them the coloring which we expect.
Seems like magic to me!
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First comes the bubblegum pink of the Redbud (Cercis canadensis) flowers. Now as the blooms drop to the ground the leaves are making their way into the world. The leaves are first blushed with red then to the green we know through spring and into summer. The green indicates the presence of chlorophyll which is a pigment used to absorb energy from the sun.
The red color in the new leaves is the pigment anthocyanin. This pigment and the role it plays in leaves has been studied and it is thought that the red plays a part in protecting the leaves from being eaten. Many mammals, primates excluded, do not perceive yellow, orange and red colors but see them as gray. These mammals, not seeing a green leaf, would not recognize it as a choice for a snack or meal. This same pigment is the one that allows some autumn leaves to turn red, as the amount of chlorophyll diminishes in the leaves of those leaves.
Spring unfurling.
