Ohio Fall Foliage 2018: Leaves Are At Peak Color

Fall is here and Ohio leaves are morphing into a kaleidoscope of blazing reds, vibrant oranges and sunny yellows. Despite the change in colors, fall foliage hasn't peaked in Ohio. Here's a tool to help you plan excursions around these rapidly approaching fall foliage dates and a list of ideal places to see Ohio foliage.

In Ohio, fall colors are expected to peak this week, the week of October 22 (in the northeast portion of the state). Central and Southern Ohio will hit peak fall foliage during the week of October 29, according to the Fall Foliage Prediction Map, found on the Smoky Mountain National Park website. The Prediction Map includes predictions not just for the Smokies, which rise above the Tennessee-North Carolina border, but for all 50 states.

Buckeye State foliage enthusiasts should know that the MetroParks released a list of the 10 best place to see the leaves this season. That list is below.

The state offers some other stunning vistas, including several in state parks:

• Geneva State Park
• Triangle Lake Bog State Nature Preserve
• Findley State Park
• Beaver Creek

If you’re planning a trip somewhere else, the Fall Foliage Prediction Map can help you pinpoint the best dates for a visit.

You probably remember from science class that the color change all starts with photosynthesis. Leaves constantly churn out chlorophyll — a key component in a plant’s ability to turn sunlight into the glucose it needs to stay healthy — from spring through early fall. Those cells saturate the leaves, making them appear green to the human eye.

But leaves aren’t green at all. Autumn is the time for leaves’ big reveal: their true color, unveiled as chlorophyll production grinds to a haltl. The colors in fall’s breathtaking tapestry are influenced by other compounds, according to the national park’s website.

For example, beta-carotenes reflect the yellow and red light from the sun and give leaves an orange hue. The production of anthocyanin, which gives leaves their vivid red color, ramps up in the fall, protecting and prolonging the leaf’s life on a tree throughout autumn.

And those yellows that make you feel as if you’re walking in a ray of sunshine?

They’re produced by flavonol, which is part of the flavonoid protein family. It’s always present in leaves, but doesn’t show itself until chlorophyll production begins to slow.

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Photo by David Chapman / imageBROKER/Shutterstock