There are several types of plants that, instead of green leaves, have red leaves such as barberry and are therefore normal. Also, there are times when the appearance of red leaves is normal during the fall on deciduous plants that shed their leaves. However, there are some cases where the redness of the leaves has another cause. Let's see all this in detail.
- Initially, all the colors we see on the leaves of our plants, fruits, etc., are responsible for the pigments they contain. The most common leaf pigments are:
- chlorophylls that give us the green color
- anthocyanins that give us the colors and shades of pink, blue, purple, purple and red
- and carotenoids that give them yellow, orange, brown and shades
The final color of the leaf depends on what pigment is present at that time in a larger percentage. So imagine which pigment is higher in carrots and which in cherries and strawberries !!!
Photosynthesis
During the process of photosynthesis, chlorophylls help by capturing solar energy, converting it into sugars and releasing oxygen. Because green chlorophylls are more involved in this process, the leaves of the plants are mostly green. However, carotenoids also play an important role, and if for some reason this process stops, for example, a leaf is cut, then the action of chlorophyll stops and then the carotenoids appear or the leaf turns yellow. If a leaf dies then its color turns brown as there are no pigments (anthocyanins and carotenoids) but tannins appear. When photosynthesis stops during the fall and solar energy is reduced the chlorophyll decomposes and then carotenoids and anthocyanins appear.
However, there are times when the redness of the leaves is due to other factors.
1. Intense sunshine
Exposure of leaves to bright sunlight can cause them to appear red. The leaves produce larger amounts of anthocyanins to protect against strong sunlight and sunburn.
2. Intense frost
During the winter some plants such as viburnum lucidum produce larger amounts of anthocyanins to protect the leaves from frost and not to form ice inside them.
3. Defense mechanism
There is a theory that has not been clarified which claims that plants produce more anthocyanins, making their leaves red as a defense against insects that want to feed on them or lay their eggs. Probably red has been associated in nature with an unpleasant taste or toxicity so it acts as a signal to parasites not to visit them.
