I only have a small garden so have to indulge my love of trees by having eight Japanese Maples growing in pots. Not quite an arboretum but still...
I did learn this week why the leaves of so many Acers turn a beautiful vibrant red or orange in the autumn - it's through the production of a chemical called anthocyanin which is an antioxidant. As the tree prepares for winter it draws all the nutrients it can from its leaves. The main protein chlorophyll is broken down and its nitrogen drawn back into the tree for next year's growth. This breaking down leaves the leaves open to attack by oxygen radicals hence the production of anthocyanin to counteract this.
I now want it to be autumn :O)
