Backyard Nature: A showstopping autumn

A maple in its fancy fall dress at Hillwood Museum and Gardens (photo by Diane Krauthamer via X)

by Marlene Berlin

Fall has wowed us this year, with colors that stand out both in their brilliance and their longevity.

The yellows, oranges and reds emerged with a vengeance within a day or two of our late October article on why the leaves change color.

Splashes of color continue to impress, from the bright yellows of some trees and bushes, to the pinks, reds and purples of viburnum, and the appearance of purple and red berries.

Rust-colored leaves on a Rock Creek trail

Purple berries of the beauty bush

A splash of yellow

Japanese maples at the Italian ambassador’s residence on Broad Branch Road

A colorful potpourri

The rose and green colors of an abelia bush

The bright yellow of ginkgo trees

The ginkgos on Cumberland Street (above) have even been the backdrop of many social media photo ops.

Some of the fall colors are really popping right now in Van Ness. pic.twitter.com/gYlD22bKvB

— John Henry (@JohnHenryDC) November 17, 2023

It is all, of course, ephemeral.

This Japanese maple behind 4600 Connecticut Avenue was the site of many photo ops before last week’s rainy day stripped the tree of its brilliant red leaves.

The past two nights, temperatures have descended into the upper 20s, conditions that cause ginkgo trees to drop their leaves all at once
. The trees lining Appleton and Cumberland Streets did so in the past 24 hours.

And for every tree still giving us a fall show, there are more sporting their winter looks.

You can be sure I’ll be out in the neighborhood and in Rock Creek Park to find out if this week’s cold and wind drain more of our fall colors away.