What will fall foliage be like in New England? An expert says look at the hydrangeas
BOSTON - It's already starting to feel like fall in Massachusetts. So, what will the foliage season be like? An expert says it looks like a good year.
Jim Salge, a writer for Yankee Magazine, is a renowned fall foliage expert. His annual foliage forecast, published Tuesday on newengland.com, offers an optimistic outlook for leaf peepers across New England.
"We love fall foliage in New England, and there's a reason why people come from all over the world to see it. It's consistently a great display," Salge told WBZ-TV.
Several factors play a role in Salge's forecast, including the El Niño - La Niña pattern, which is heading toward neutral.
"Last year was El Nino, it was very warm. The last three years before that were La Nina, so we haven't had a real neutral, normal year in a while. We hope that that brings early cold fronts in, kind of has a normal progression of fall," he said.
Early cold fronts in the fall are a critical component for vibrant foliage.
Heathy trees and hydrangeas
Salge also points to other plants having big years as a positive sign for the upcoming foliage season.
"The hydrangeas this year were really bright because they had a few bad years," he said. "We had a really good growing summer. The trees didn't put a lot of energy into seeds and fruit this year. They had a really bad year last year, so a lot of energy is going towards growth and repair this year, so we really feel good that the trees are healthy going into fall."
However, there is one potential concern - mold spores lingering from the incredibly wet 2023 season.
"It was a really mild winter, and a lot of those spores are still at the base of the trees. If it stays wet, some of them can activate. We really don't think it's going to be as bad as last year," Salge said.
According to his forecast, the foliage season will peak in northern New England toward the end of September, with the vibrant wave of color sweeping across central and southern New England over the following four to five weeks.
Fall foliage in Boston
For local leaf peepers, Salge recommends some lesser-known spots for enjoying the fall scenery.
"I think one of the best, underrated places to go leaf peeping is downtown Boston. You have so much greenway, green space. You have trees from all over the world and it turns peak after everywhere else in New England," he told WBZ.
"That's the thing that locals know and love about leaf peeping is it's about the leaves, but the leaves are a backdrop to every other fall tradition that we have here. The apple picking, the pumpkin picking, the farmer's markets, the hikes - everything that we do in fall has that beautiful backdrop."
