Why Leaves Turn Yellow

Chlorophyll is that wonder molecule that magically takes the energy of the sun and uses it to combine other elements into sugars and carbohydrates. Without it, we would be a totally different world. Of course, chlorophyll also reflects the green spectrum of light which accounts for the color of most plants.

So, what is happening when an otherwise green plant suddenly develops another color? Generally, the new color is yellow since that is the underlying color of leaves which is usually overwhelmed by the green of the chlorophyll. Continue reading