What a Difference a Day Makes

Redbud before the storm (11/30/11) © 2011 John Poimiroo

Same redbud, after the storm (11/30/11) © 2011 John Poimiroo

It didn’t even take “24 little hours” for the color to disappear in El Dorado Hills.  These two photographs of a Redbud, covered with yellow leaves were taken four and a half hours apart, as gale force winds lashed northern California today.  Some of the color survived, but much was blown from the trees.

75 – 100% – Sierra Foothills – A major windstorm lashed the Sierra Foothills, denuding some species of their colorful leaves, though leaving many other trees with lots of leaves on their branches.

75 – 100% – UC Botanical Garden – Color Spotter Sandy Steinman of Natural History Wanderings has posted lovely photos taken within the botanical garden at UC Berkeley, showing that there’s still plenty of beautiful autumn color to be seen in the San Francisco Bay Area, if you know where to wander!  CLICK HERE to see his excellent report.

Tallac Knoll with shaving brush tree at right (11/29/11) © 2011 Frank McDonough

Ginkgo biloba Saratoga, LA County Arboretum (11/29/11) © 2011 Frank McDonough

50 – 75% – LA Arboretum and Garden –Frank McDonough reports that fall color is still coming along at the Arboretum with 60%-75% of all trees here that change color having turned, but the predicted 60-70 mph winds lashing the state could be a death knell for fall color there.  Still, anyone who says there isn’t fall color in Southern California hasn’t looked out from the arboretum’s Tallac Knoll across the landscape, as seen at left.

Liquidambar, LA County Arboretum (11/29/11) © 2011 Frank McDonough