Fall Color Report; 10/25/19

FALL COLOR REPORT; 10/25/19

Northwest Illinois

In the Carroll County area, the fall color scene is peaking, though oak leaves have yet to change color.

In the Quad Cities area: Cool temperatures, rain, and wind summarize the past week resulting in major changes. Urban landscapes have seen significant changes, with silver maples staring to yellow; red maples have been turning their burgundy colors, white ash trees are still holding on to pinkish purple leaves; sugar maples are turning yellow and pinkish orange; burning bushes are showing their multitude of colors highlighted with scarlet and burgundy. In the woods, vines are providing significant color from yellow to scarlet. Oaks are starting to turn with variable colors where some are brownish yellow and others (white oak) are turning a pinkish red; most red oaks are still holding on to green but those that have changed have turned yellow and are dropping leaves.

Northeast/North-Central Illinois

Tamaracks are beginning to turn in Volo Bog. These deciduous pines turn golden every fall, peaking out around Halloween into early November and this year is proving to be a good one. The outer edges of Volo Bog are wreathed in the brilliant crimson of winterberry holly which can be seen up close before the trail closure. Meanwhile, on the uplands of Volo Bog State Natural Area and Moraine Hills State Park, sugar and red maples are at or near peak, and the oaks are beginning to dress out in their russets and many rich shades of browns. Fall Color Walks are scheduled at Moraine Hills from 1 – 2:30 on Sunday, October 27 and Monday, October 28. Email [email protected] or phone 815-344-1294 to register.

Fall color is really starting to happen in the McHenry and Lake County areas. Currently, the oaks are displaying all kinds of colors. Colors like orange red and yellow. Maples are really showing good red purple and orange color.

Will County area: Black oaks are yellowing nicely; sassafras in many locations are a beautiful red, orange; hackberries are a washed-out yellowish grey; many white oaks are blushing red; bur oaks are barely turning on isolated branches; poplar species are done; catalpas are yellow; hickories are gold in color. 1

FALL COLOR REPORT; 10/25/19

Maples: Sugar are reddish orange, red maples are reliably red, silver maples are a yellowish hue and nothing spectacular, mulberry are bright green, black cherry are a nice orange, and in several counties the black gum (tupelo) and persimmon are starting to blush. White pines are finishing their 2- 3-year needle cast, with golden hues in needles are no longer viable. Any remaining ash that did not succumb to emerald ash borer, primarily blue ash and white ash, are coloring up nicely, with blue a decent yellow, and few white ashes in reddish purple and yellow tints. Shrubs: Witchhazel is ending their yellow run, although many are in flower right now. Hazelnut is mostly done, with isolated spots still a nice yellow- orange. Fringetree is starting to yellow up. Serviceberry is done. Understory of non-native shrubs: Buckthorn, honeysuckle and olive are still bright green, and a focal point of aggressive invasive management. This past week, colors have really come on nicely, with only a few locations not showing much color. A nice drive is along the Kankakee River, either on IL 102 or IL 113, with several pull offs available on the routes.

Both Matthiessen and Starved Rock State Parks are at peak fall colors with a majority of the trees, shrubs, and vines turning over into colors of yellow, gold, orange, burnt orange/rust, red, browns, and purples.

Starved Rock SP Ottawa Canyon

FALL COLOR REPORT; 10/25/19

Matthiessen SP

FALL COLOR REPORT; 10/25/19

Starved Rock SP

West Central Illinois

Color around the McDonough County area has improved in the last week. Some of the oaks are showing maroon, brown and yellow. Sassafras is close to peak with a lot or reds and oranges. Some ash trees are in full glory, while others have lost all of their leaves. Maples are starting to put on a good show, with many red, yellow and orange. Hickories are bronzing.

Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Pike, Scott, Jersey, Macoupin, and Greene Counties: With the exception of Pecan and some stubborn oak and hickory species (which remain predominantly green) the foliage of most other area tree species continues to actively turn. Green dominance hovers in the 50% - 60% range in most areas. Area Cottonwood, Silver Maple, Catalpa, Osage Orange, Paw Paw, Hickory, and Walnut continue to yellow; Sumac, Sassafras, Creeper Vines, and Dogwood continue to redden; Sycamore trees continue to shade orange/brown; Sugar Maple are actively turning to red/yellow/gold; and Ash continue to shade to yellow/purple/red/orange. Urban trees are displaying good colors at this time. Nearly the entirety of Calhoun County should display exceptional colors over the next 10 days. Great fall color drives this weekend and next week would be from Alton to Grafton along the Great River Road. From Grafton, IL, you could:

1. Take the Brussels Ferry across the Illinois River to Calhoun County - Then take County Highway 1 north through Brussels and Meppen to Hardin - From Hardin you could continue north up the Illinois River Valley on State Highway 100 through Kampsville and Pearl until you reach Milton in Pike County. Alternatively, after taking State Highway 100 from Hardin to Kampsville, you could take State Highway 96 west at Kampsville - Continue north on State Highway 96 at Mozier and continue north up the Mississippi River Valley on State Highway 96 through Pleasant Hill, Rockport, New Canton, etc. until you reach Interstate 36/72 near Hull. Or:

2. From Grafton, take State Highway 100 north past Pere Marquette State Park to State Highway 16 - Turn west on State Highway 16 and follow west across the Hardin Bridge to Hardin and follow one of the before-mentioned routes; or after turning west on State Highway 16 from State Highway 100, turn north

FALL COLOR REPORT; 10/25/19

on the Eldred/Hillview Blacktop and follow the Eldred/Hillview Blacktop north through Eldred and Hillview until you reach State Highway 106.

McDonough Co.

Central Illinois

Colors are beginning to peak in central Illinois, with reds and burgundy on sumacs and dogwoods, Virginia creep and poison ivy; on hard maples, red maples; on sweetgum, some oaks. Yellows: Ash, walnut, cottonwood, elm, silver maple, hickory, oak and many other species such as white pine older needles. Oranges: Hard maples, plus various city trees and tamarack. Browns and greens: Oak, hickory, elm.

In the Coles County area some black walnut continues to hang on showing yellow, along with some green ash. Sycamores are also displaying yellow, much of the hickory and sugar maples have turned yellow and orange. Some white ashes continue to show purple and red maples are mostly showing scarlet color. More red and black oak are showing red to burnt orange and some white oak are turning brownish red to purplish red or violet purple.

Sangchris Lake SRA

FALL COLOR REPORT; 10/25/19

Clark Co.

Southern Illinois

The walnut and the green ash leaves are still turning yellow and falling. Leaves on the sweet gum trees continue to turn yellow and red. The sassafras and sumac leaves are turning red or are red. Several of the Virginia creeper and poison ivy vines are turning red or are red in the Clinton County area.

There has been quite a bit of improvement in fall colors over the last week. Sugar maples have really turned on with yellow and orange color. Red maples are continuing to turn different shades of red. Virginia creeper vines are starting to turn red along with poison ivy. A few walnuts are still hanging on to some yellow leaves but for the most part they have dropped most of their leaves. Sassafras continues to have orange red and yellow colors. Sweet gums have yellows, reds and deep purple. Hickories are starting to show some yellowing and browning. Oaks should turn on next week. Sumac is showing beautiful deep red on the edge of some prairie and old fields in the Marion County area.

In the Jackson County area, the Tulip Poplar, Sycamore, and Hickory are showing bright yellow. Sassafras and Dogwood are showing purple. Sumac are turning red, and the Oaks are starting to turn red or yellow.

Johnson County: Some progression of reds, orange, yellow coloring of sour gum, sassafras, sumac, elm, yellow poplar, sycamore, and sugar maple. River birch, walnut, and box elder trees have pretty well dropped all of their leaves. Dogwoods, if not brown from lack of water, are a deep dark red. Bald cypress rusty color is advancing. Oaks are still showing very little fall coloring. Unless color advances quickly, it will be November before a flush of color is seen.

The trees at Fort Massac State Park are just beginning to change color from a deep green to a burnt orange/yellow. Most are still green.