What Gives Plants Their Green Color?

Chlorophyll is why leaves are green.

A pigment called chlorophyll is responsible for the green color of a plant's leaves. Chlorophyll is a primary component in photosynthesis, which is how plants turn sunlight into energy.

Identification

While chlorophyll itself isn't green, its molecules absorb blue, red and other colors of light. When those colors are reflected, our eyes interpret them as green. In springtime, chlorophyll is constantly being produced due to the abundant amounts of sunlight and leaves are green.

Effects

As the days grow shorter in the fall, the production of chlorophyll slows and eventually stops. When all of the chlorophyll is destroyed, the leaves take on their autumn colors, which include brown, bronze, crimson, tan and yellow.

Fun Fact

The leaves of conifers such as firs and spruces keep their green color year-round and do not lose their leaves in winter. This is why they are known as "evergreens."

References

• U.S. Forest Service: Why Leaves Change Color
• SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry: Why Leaves Change Color - The Splendor of Autumn