Current Nature: Fabulous Fall Foliage

Labor Day has come and went and our community on Nantucket is being treated to seasonal change as we transition from summer into fall. Although fall exists worldwide, in my opinion, autumn in New England is the quintessential version. Brilliant colored leaves, pumpkins galore, a cool crisp in the air, and delicious treats are the bounties of the season. When imagining brilliant foliage, most people envision a getaway to New Hampshire, Vermont, or Maine, but today I am going to convince you that you can experience magnificent fall colors without ever leaving the island.

On Nantucket we have beautiful open landscapes; sandplain grasslands and coastal heathlands, and far fewer forests than the rest of New England. Although our trees do show autumn splendor, when searching for foliage on Nantucket, you have to change up your tactics and look down at the grasses, vines, and shrubs. In fall, Black Huckleberry shrubs turn a vibrant crimson color. As a dominant plant on our landscape, at some properties such as the Linda Loring Nature Foundation, huckleberry covers dozens of acres. When you look out across the sea of crimson it is truly stunning.

Even the most maligned plants have appreciable features in autumn. Poison Ivy turns a brilliant red or purple hue and the vines tend to persist even as other leaves fall, which extends the foliage viewing season. Just be careful to look from afar and still not touch it as the urushiol that causes rashes is still very much present. Other vines also add to the action, such as Virginia Creeper, which turns a bright red.

Although we have fewer trees than the mainland, they certainly are not absent. Sassafras and Black Tupelo are one of the marvels of the season turning glowing red and yellow colors. Even the grasses add to the excitement, especially Little Bluestem and Purple Lovegrass.

One thing to note about foliage on Nantucket is that each year can be drastically different and it is impacted by the drought and water resources available to plants. Last year, with the drought and long extended periods without rain, there was hardly any seasonal color at all. Leaves went straight from green to brown and did so much earlier in the season than normal. However, in normal rain years, leaf color has been very vibrant and long-lasting. It will be interesting to see what happens this year, as the drought has continued but we have had much more rainfall this summer than last year. Anecdotally, it seemed like the native plants around the island were much less stressed this summer, but we’ll have to see if that continues and we have a vibrant flush of color in our landscapes or if the ongoing drought will prevail and everything will be muted again.

Although foliage is the focus of this article, it is certainly not the only draw to spending time out in nature this autumn. The landscape is also full of late season flowers, such as asters and goldenrods, that present in white, yellow, and purple. And we’re entering the season of ripe Fox Grapes whose sweet and musky scent call you into the fields looking for a harvest.

September is the time to slow down and appreciate island life. This year I invite you to be present and seek fall foliage here on Nantucket without ever having to head off-island.

Stay tuned for more editions of Current Nature, a bi-weekly column featuring seasonal topics, natural history information, and advice on the outdoors from the staff at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation.