I've always admired these gorgeous trees. The leaves can sometimes be found looking like a mitten with either a right or left-handed thumb lobe. They are abundant in eastern North America from Canada into Florida. Like most deciduous trees fall colors are quite an attraction at their peak. Sassafras leaf colors range from yellow and orange to scarlet and deep reds.

Sassafras!!!! I love it! What a beautiful tree.

Hard to find that kind of fall color where I live. Beautiful!

Stunning banner, Leon!

Beautiful color!

Thanks everyone for your nice comments! We had rains last Friday (Nov. 1) with wind, and that brought a lot of leaves down. I tried to get some other pictures of the gorgeous foliage but nothing to compare with sassafras. Maybe next year?

Lovely Leon. Great colors.

STUNNING!

Pretty banner....lovely avatar.

Never knew that Sassafras could be so lovely!

They must be stunning with that bright color in person!

Sue, they are brilliant in bright sunny conditions. I look forward to them each year.
When they are gone the woods seem so stark and barren. Here are a couple of older
pictures from 2010.

Leon, seems that I remember them turning from shades of red to a golden yellow before falling to the ground. Is that what they do or is my memory just playing tricks? Looks like from your pictures that's what's happening. Beautiful.

Sharon said:Leon, seems that I remember them turning from shades of red to a golden yellow before falling to the ground. Is that what they do or is my memory just playing tricks? Looks like from your pictures that's what's happening. Beautiful.

Yes, they seem to transform from one shade and hue to another. I've taken pictures of them in varying stages of colors; and I "think" the frosts and cooler temperatures have something to do with it. (That's not a scientific fact- only a hunch! ) Maybe someone out there reading this can shed some light on it. In the picture below the leaves are mostly a golden yellow. But, note the ones at lower right which are in the crimson/red phase. I'm sure it has something to do with plant pigmentation and loss of chlorophyll: But exactly what I don't know. (Note the Sumac sapling poking through at bottom center.) In summary, your memory is not playing tricks.

Thanks, nice to know the memory is still fairly intact. I'll bet your hunch is right on the money!

Thanks to everyone for your nice remarks and thumbs!

Very pretty!!!