2017 Fall Foliage In Reston: It's Still Very Green, But Change Is Coming

It finally looks like autumn in western Virginia, but in the D.C. area, it's still very green. However, even though it's been unseasonably warm and it doesn't much look like fall yet, there are signs that changes are making their way toward our area.

The latest Fall Foliage Report from the Virginia Department of Forestry states that areas above 3,000 feet in elevation range from 50 percent to near peak coloration as of Oct. 14.

For the Blue Ridge Mountains, "the percentages are a little lower, but the mixture of green with other colors makes for fantastic viewing."

That means for us at lower elevations, there's hardly any fall colors to see at all. But be patient, we're almost there.

"In Eastern Virginia, green still rules, but some early fall shades can be seen in swampy areas, and on isolated branches of individual trees," the report states.

Maple, gum, ash, beech, and birch trees are likely to go first. The following chart will help you pick out which is which:

• ash - yellow, maroon
• beech - yellow to orange
• dogwood - scarlet to purple
• hickory - golden bronze
• oak - red, brown or russet
• poplar - golden yellow
• red maple - brilliant scarlet

Image via Pixabay