American Beech tree with golden fall foliage on Plummer s Trail in Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park. Uxbridge, Massachusetts, October 30, 2004
Red foliage of maple trees in Lost Maples State Natural Area, on East Trail. Vanderpool, Texas, November 7, 2008
Hemenway Hill Path with fall foliage of American Beech trees in Blue Hills Reservation. Boston, Massachusetts, November 6, 2004
Golden-bronze fall foliage of American Beech tree near Goat Hill Trail in Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park. Uxbridge, Massachusetts, October 30, 2004
Dry tree foliage on Loop Trail in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, October 16, 2011
Needle-like foliage of Australian pine tree (she-oak, Casuarina equisetifolia) planted along a fence in Al Shamal City Park. Ruwais, Northern Qatar, January 16, 2016
Fall foliage of birch trees on Laskovy Beach in Solnechnoe, west from Saint Petersburg. Russia, September 5, 2013
Tree foliage in Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site. Washington, Texas, October 16, 2011
Foliage of Robinia pseudoacacia tree in Botanic Gardens of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 30, 2013
Fall foliage of trees of Empty Island in Great Pond in Catherine Park. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo), south from Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 24, 2015
Burgundy foliage of Bengal almond tree (Terminalia catappa) in a park at Al Intisar Street near a corner with Onaiza. Doha, Qatar, March 8, 2016
Foliage of Bengal almond tree (Terminalia catappa) in a park at Al Intisar Street near a corner with Onaiza. Doha, Qatar, March 14, 2016
Brown foliage of swamp sypress trees in Research Park on campus of Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, December 6, 2023
Fall foliage of aswamp sypress tree near a creek in Research Park on campus of Texas A and M University. College Station, Texas, December 6, 2023
Fall foliage of trees near a pond in Bee Creek Park. College Station, Texas, December 8, 2023
View of Istok Lake at sunrise ("Golden Hour"), when the sun barely clears the horizon. Its rays strike the trees almost horizontally. This low angle filters out blue light, intensifying the warm yellows, oranges, and reddish-browns of the remaining foliage and tree trunks. Kannelyarvi, north from Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 1, 2025
Alpine Hill (or Alpinarium). The large tree with vibrant golden-yellow foliage dominating the center of the hill is a Manchurian Walnut (Juglans mandshurica). Peter the Great Botanical Garden of Komarov Botanical Institute. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 8, 2025
Vibrant "Golden Autumn" (Zolotaya Osen) palette of Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) from a house on Svetlanovsky Peospekt. The dominant colors are: Golden-Orange (~32%): A rich, warm amber color (RGB: 138, 98, 28) covers the largest portion of the canopy, particularly on the sunlit tops of the trees. Deep Greenish-Bronze (~19%): Shadowed or transitioning areas (RGB: 94, 74, 13) add depth. Muted Yellow-Ochre (~15%): The mid-tone of the foliage (RGB: 186, 124, 46), creating the classic "golden" look. Green (~15-18%): Visible on the left side (likely a different tree species or a shaded branch), showing that the transition is not yet 100% complete for all vegetation. Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 8, 2025
Layered complexity of the mixed deciduous forest in Alexander Park. The image is a study in yellow, dominated by the luminous canopy of Norway maples and silver birches. The rough, dark bark of the oaks and maples provides a strong vertical rhythm that cuts through the delicate, hazy texture of the foliage. The white, paper-like bark of the birch trees adds a secondary visual accent typical of the Russian landscape. The composition includes a rich understory of turning shrubs--likely hazel or young rowan--which adds density and depth, grounding the soaring trunks in a thicket of earthy reds and browns. Aleksandrovsky (Alexander) Park in Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025
Maple tree near the pond by Feodorovsky Gorodok, with juxtaposition of the maple s broad, saturated yellow leaves against the fine, silvery-grey foliage of the willow (Salix species) behind it. Pushkin (former Tsarskoe Selo) near Saint Petersburg, Russia, October 10, 2025
Saint Petersburg courtyard near Svetlanovsky Prospekt during "Golden Autumn" (Zolotaya Osen). The foliage is in a transitional phase where the trees are displaying their most vibrant colors (bright yellows and oranges) before shedding completely. The area around Svetlanovsky Prospekt (Vyborgsky/Kalininsky districts) is characterized by residential blocks from the 1960s and 1970s. Unlike the dense city center, these blocks were designed with large, open courtyards (dvory) intended to act as "green lungs" for residents. Russia, October 10, 2025
A carpet of yellow leaves on a lawn. The fallen foliage belongs primarily to Norway maples (Acer platanoides), which, along with linden and oak trees, dominate the Upper Park s romantic landscape. These maples are responsible for the intense yellow and golden hues visible in October. Oranienbaum palace-and-park ensemble in Lomonosov (a suburb of St. Petersburg), Russia, October 13, 2025
Majestic, mature trees in the Upper Park that define the landscape s romantic character. The massive, gnarled branches of an old oak tree dominate the foreground, framing the view with their dark bark and patches of green moss. Its remaining leaves are a mix of rusty orange and brown, contrasting with the brighter yellow foliage of the surrounding maples. Beneath the trees, a dense thicket of shrubs (dogwood) creates a vibrant layer of red and pink tones. This rich undergrowth adds warmth and complexity to the autumn palette, which is primarily golden-yellow. Oranienbaum palace-and-park ensemble in Lomonosov (a suburb of St. Petersburg), Russia, October 13, 2025
Petrovsky Bridge in Oranienbaum Park. The bridge is a three-arched stone structure built in 1910 (designed by O. Paulson) to replace an older wooden one. It features rough-hewn stone masonry on the lower arches contrasting with lighter brick detailing and white balustrades along the top. It spans the Karasta River, which flows through a valley currently filled with vibrant orange and golden foliage from the surrounding maple and oak trees. Oranienbaum palace-and-park ensemble in Lomonosov (a suburb of St. Petersburg), Russia, October 13, 2025
Rustic, three-arched stone bridge (often referred to as the Ruin Bridge or simply the stone arch bridge) in the "Russian Switzerland" area in Oranienbaum s Upper Park. Built from rough-hewn boulders to mimic a natural or ancient ruin, it harmonizes perfectly with the wild, rugged aesthetic of the Karasta River valley. The bridge spans a small ravine or tributary, surrounded by a golden forest of birch and maple trees that soften the stone s heavy appearance with delicate autumn foliage. Oranienbaum palace-and-park ensemble in Lomonosov (a suburb of St. Petersburg), Russia, October 13, 2025
Fall foliage of of sassafras and pine trees in mist on Richards Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, December 12, 2025
Several rust-colored, spiky-bodied ants can be seen navigating the deeply furrowed bark of an oak tree, acting as a miniature logging crew. Some of the ants are carrying entire green, beaded oak catkins--the tree s string-like flower clusters--while one prominently hoists a freshly cut, bright green section of an oak leaf in its jaws. The ants carry these heavy loads hoisted high over their heads, a posture that resembles someone carrying a sunshade. These are Texas leafcutter ants (Atta texana), a highly destructive but fascinating native species also known as the "town ant" or "parasol ant" due to their unique carrying technique. They climb high into the canopies of oaks and other trees to use their powerful, scissor-like mandibles to slice away fresh foliage, preferring new, tender, high-water-content growth like young leaves and spring catkins. Working in massive, organized trails, a large colony can entirely strip the leaves from a small- to medium-sized tree in a single night, and they frequently travel hundreds of feet from their underground nests to find a suitable harvest. Lake Somerville Trailway near Nails Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, March 14, 2026
A miniature procession of rust-colored ants traverses the deeply grooved, dry bark of an oak tree. In the center foreground, one ant acts as the focal point, hoisting a freshly cut, bright green slice of an oak leaf high above its head. Because the leaf fragment curves directly over the ant s body like a small green canopy, it perfectly illustrates why this species is often nicknamed the "parasol ant". Surrounding this central figure, three other ants march in the same direction, each carrying large, beaded green oak catkins gripped tightly in their mandibles. These are Texas leafcutter ants (Atta texana), a native species famous for its highly organized and destructive foraging behavior. Working in massive, coordinated trails that can span hundreds of feet, worker ants climb into the canopies of oaks and other trees to systematically slice away fresh, tender vegetation. The workers possess powerful jaws capable of cutting through leaves and flowers with remarkable speed, allowing a large colony to completely strip the foliage from a small tree in a single night. Lake Somerville Trailway near Nails Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, March 14, 2026
A pair of fresh, newly emerged leaves from a rusty blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum rufidulum). The image was captured with strong backlighting against a completely black background, which effectively isolates the foliage and acts like an x-ray, illuminating the intricate internal structure of the plant. This bright, glowing green display highlights the vigorous seasonal flush typical of native Texas understory trees breaking dormancy in the spring. Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 25, 2026
Fresh foliage of an oak tree in Bee Creek Park. College Station, Texas, March 26, 2026
Delicate, fuzzy emergence of new oak foliage in early spring, backlit to highlight its soft pink and green hues. Below the newly unfolding, distinctly lobed leaves dangle the tree s string-like catkins--the male flower clusters that release pollen just as the canopy breaks dormancy. Lake Somerville Trailway near Nails Creek Unit of Somerville Lake State Park. Texas, March 29, 2026
