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Many St. Louis-Area Trees Aren’t Changing Colors — Here’s Why

St. Louis Public Radio | By Alex Heuer
Published October 23, 2019 at 3:30 PM CDT

Drives around the St. Louis area have so far been a little less colorful this fall. That’s mainly due to unusual daytime and nighttime temperatures that are preventing chlorophyll from breaking down. The breakdown in chlorophyll causes leaves to lose their green color.

On Wednesday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Sarah Fenske talked with Tom Beshoar, the St. Louis district manager for Davey Tree, a tree and lawn care company. In addition to the color trends, they discussed the unusual amount of stress that trees are experiencing due to a wet spring and dry fall.

“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by Sarah Fenske and produced by Alex Heuer, Emily Woodbury, Evie Hemphill, Lara Hamdan and Tonina Saputo. The engineer is Aaron Doerr, and production assistance is provided by Charlie McDonald.

Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org.

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

Some trees such as this one in St. Louis' Lindenwood Park neighborhood remain green.
Brent Jones | St. Louis Public Radio /
Some trees such as this one in St. Louis' Lindenwood Park neighborhood remain green.
At this point in the fall season, most St. Louis-area trees should have changed colors.
Cindy Collins | St. Louis Public Radio /
At this point in the fall season, most St. Louis-area trees should have changed colors.
Many trees in Rolla are also holding onto their green color.
Jonathan Ahl | St. Louis Public Radio /
Many trees in Rolla are also holding onto their green color.
Missouri News
Alex Heuer
Alex Heuer joined St. Louis Public Radio in 2012 and is the executive producer of St. Louis on the Air. Alex grew up in the St. Louis area. He began his public radio career as a student reporter at Tri States Public Radio in Macomb, Illinois and worked for a few years at Iowa Public Radio. Alex graduated summa cum laude from Western Illinois University with a degree in history and earned a teaching certificate in 6 - 12th grade social studies. In 2016, he earned a Master of Public Policy Administration with a focus in nonprofit organization management and leadership from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He has won local and national awards for reporting and producing and his stories have been featured nationally on Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
See stories by Alex Heuer