Trees That Have Leaves That Turn Pink in the Fall

• One tree, the Japanese maple, features leaves that turn brilliant shades of pink as well as red and orange in the fall. During spring and summer, Japanese maple trees offer attractive foliage and a rounded shape that adds beauty and texture to landscapes and gardens. Consider planting the trees near a rock garden for more effect. Japanese maples also work well in small groupings in shrub borders or in containers set around patios and decks. Make sure to plant the trees in a place where you can enjoy their beautiful autumn foliage.

Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)

• Several cultivars of Japanese maples produce pink leaves in the fall, including species such as 'Butterfly' and 'Shishigashira'. Japanese maple trees grow in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8. The small trees range in size from 7 to 25 feet in height and width. The deciduous trees feature delicate-looking spring foliage that starts out reddish brown. As the leaves age, they turn green and stay that way the rest of the summer. The tree also produces small, insignificant flowers that appear red to purple in color. In the fall, the leaves turn shades of pink, red and orange, adding visual interest and beauty to gardens and landscapes.

  Plant Japanese maples in light shade where some sunlight filters through. The trees thrive in moist, well-drained soil in areas that offer protection from drying winds. The trees require regular watering until they get established, then give them extra water them during times of drought. Otherwise, the trees require little maintenance.

About Leaf Pigments

• Three pigments give leaves their color, including chlorophyll that makes leaves green, carotenoids that produce yellow, orange and brown colors and anthocyanins. Anthocyanins primarily give color to cranberries, red apples, blueberries, cherries and plums. In the fall, as nights get longer and days shorter, anthocyanins already present in the leaves start to show their colors, changing some tree's leaves to shades of pink and red.

Reasons Leaves Change Colors

• The weather plays a big role in the amount and brilliance of fall colors. Several big influences include shorter days and cooling temperatures that trigger leaf colors to undergo changes in the fall, according to the University of Illinois Forestry Extension. The amount of bright light and excess sugar found in the leaf cells also plays a role. The plant's receptors sense the change in the weather and respond by producing plant hormones that initiate the color-changing process. Once the leaves turn colors, they fall off the tree. Because the trees shed their leaves, they require less energy to maintain the respiration required by green leaves, helping them to survive the winter.