These are the Leaves You’ll Find in Almost Heaven

Each year people from all over come to the Mountain State to see its beautiful fall foliage. From gorgeous shades of orange, purple, red, yellow and brown each leaf unique yet equally as stunning. The state gets its dazzling colored leaves thanks to a process called photoperiodism. Photoperiodism happens as the sun moves further south, the hours of daylight shorten, and the temperatures fall, which causes leaves to cease production of chlorophyll, the chemical that colors leaves green. As the chlorophyll disappears, the underlying colors of the leaves are unmasked, and the next strongest pigment becomes dominant giving the leaves a “new” color.

Leaves around the state change at different times. Look out for leaves to change in the different travel regions at these times:

  • Northern Panhandle – Early & Mid October
  • Mountaineer Country – Late September & Mid October
  • Eastern Panhandle – Late October
  • Potomac Highlands – September & Early October
  • Mountain Lakes – Early, Mid & Late October
  • New River/Greenbrier Valley – Mid & Late October
  • Hatfield-McCoy Mountains – Late October
  • Metro Valley – Late October
  • Mid-Ohio Valley – Mid & Late October

Want to know what leaves turn what colors? Here is a fall foliage coloration guide that’ll help you spot different leave during fall:

Yellows

  • Ash, White – Yellow
  • Basswood – Yellow
  • Beech – Yellow
  • Birch, River – Dull Yellow
  • Birch, Sweet – Yellow
  • Buckeye, Ohio – Yellow
  • Coffeetree, Kentucky – Yellow
  • Cottonwood, Eastern – Yellow
  • Elder, Box – Yellow
  • Elm, American – Yellow
  • Hazel Nut – Brownish Yellow
  • Hickory, Mockernut – Dull Yellow
  • Hickory, Pignut – Dull Yellow
  • Hickory, Shagbark – Dull Yellow
  • Hickory, Shellbark – Dull Yellow
  • Hophornbeam, Eastern – Yellow
  • Locust, Black – Yellow
  • Locust, Honey – Yellow
  • Maple, Silver – Pale Yellow
  • Oak, Chestnut – Yellow
  • Pecan – Dull Yellow
  • Redbud, Eastern – Yellow
  • Shad Bush – Bright Clear Yellow
  • Tuliptree – Yellow
  • Walnut, Black – Yellow
  • Walnut, White – Bright Yellow
  • Willow, Black – Pale Yellow

Reds

  • Dogwood – Crimson
  • Gum, Black – Deep Red
  • Oak, Northern Red – Rusty Red
  • Oak, Pin – Crimson
  • Oak, Scarlet – Scarlet
  • Oak, Southern Red – Rusty Red
  • Oak, Swamp Chestnut – Dark Crimson
  • Sourwood – Deep Red
  • Sumac – Brilliant Red

Browns

  • Oak, Bur – Pale Brown
  • Oak, Post – Pale Brown
  • Oak, Shingle – Brown
  • Oak, Swamp White – Pale Brown

Multi-Colors

  • Hawthorn – Brilliant Varying Colors
  • Hazel Nut – Brownish Yellow
  • Hornbeam – Orange, Scarlet
  • Maple, Red – Red, Orange
  • Maple, Sugar – Yellow, Orange, Red
  • Oak, Black – Dull Red to Orange Brown
  • Oak, Blackjack – Dull Yellow or Brown
  • Oak, White – Pink or Red
  • Persimmon – Glossy Green with Yellow
  • Sassafras – Red, Orange, Yellow
  • Sweetgum – Yellow, Orange, Brown
  • Sycamore, American – Yellow, Brown
  • Witch Hazel – Bright Yellow-Orange

No Change

  • Magnolia, Umbrella – No Change
  • Holly, American – No Change
Find more fall inspiration

This post was last updated on March 17, 2022