Fall Foliage: Trees in Illinois

(WAND) — Central Illinois has iconic locations that are perfect for your next Instagram post or annual family photos. You might know central Illinois is a great place for fall colors, but what makes it the perfect location? The trees, of course!

Due to Illinois’ overall moderate climate, it makes it the perfect home for an abundance of tree species. Step outside and you can notice the difference, but what’s important to know is that the trees you’ll be looking for this fall are deciduous trees. Now that’s a term you probably haven’t heard in a while!

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Deciduous trees are simply trees that lose their leaves for part of the year before they grow back. Typically, these trees lose their leaves in the fall, and they grow back in the spring. They also happen to be the ones that we look for every fall if you are looking for that perfect photo.

Believe it or not, the species of a tree can make a big impact on the color of the leaves it has during the fall.

For example, if you want to see red leaves your best bet is to try to find a flowering dogwood, sumac, or a gum tree. If you want the oranges or yellows, keep an eye out for ash trees, cottonwood, and even hickory trees. Do you want a little of both? Sugar Maple trees are the go-to tree for a wide variety here in Central Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, even the leaves of Virginia Creeper and poison ivy can provide a deep red and purple color.

Now, it goes without saying that any tree can produce any color and we even talked about the weather having its impact, but certain trees may be more likely to produce a certain pigmentation in the Fall.

So go for a walk in the park and see if you can spot the difference and identify the trees! If you do, be sure to submit your photo to share with the rest of central Illinois!