iN PHOTOS: Why autumn leaves change colour in Kamloops, Okanagan

The landscapes across Kamloops and the Okanagan turn brilliant shades of crimson and gold in October, providing stunning views and photographs.

A hallmark of the fall season, the leaves on deciduous trees start changing colour due to the dwindling daylight hours following the late September equinox.

The shortage of light slows down the process of photosynthesis and breaks down chlorophyll, a chemical in the leaves that absorbs energy from sunlight to make food for the tree and makes the leaves green, according to Smithsonian Science Education Centre. 

The yellow and orange pigments are always present in the leaves but don’t emerge until the green chlorophyll breaks down.

Some kinds of trees, like oaks and dogwoods, will turn red or purple when sugars trapped in their leaves make new pigments called anthocyanins that were not part of the leaf during the growing season.

As the amount of sunlight declines, trees build a seal between each leaf and its connecting branch. The leaves are cut off from fluid and fall to the ground, and the trees live off stored nutrients for the winter months.

October gets its name from the Latin word octo as it was the eight month of the early Roman calendar. It’s a time to store crops and celebrate harvest, and the crisp air lends to comfortable walks through colourful, leafy trees.