The Final Hurrah
Fall Color in Nebraska
Amy Seiler, Community Forestry Specialist - Nebraska Forest Service
When temperatures begin to cool, it is fall that offers the last
hurrah, the finale of the growing season. As with all great concerts
or performances, the finale is a culmination of all the good things
that have been enjoyed throughout the performance. It's like a
fireworks show, a grand display of color. The landscape is complete
and seedheads on perennials and grasses are radiant, backlit by early
morning or late evening light. During these evenings, blossoms stay on
the plants longer and don't wither in the heat of the day, and the cool
nighttime temperatures trigger the chlorophyll to exit the leaves of
trees, shrubs and perennials … and the display of color begins.
Above: The sun rises over the confluence of the Niobrara and Missouri rivers at Niobrara State Park in Knox County.
Opposite: Sand bluestem seedheads glow in the afternoon sun in a Sandhills draw in Cherry County.
Photos by Eric Fowler
18 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2018
