Every October, something beautiful begins to happen across Kashmir.

The broad green leaves of the chinar trees slowly turn yellow. Soon, shades of orange and red begin to appear. By November, entire trees seem to glow in the autumn sunlight, their branches covered in leaves ranging from golden yellow to deep crimson.

For Kashmiris, this is a familiar sign that winter is approaching.

Known locally as boen or buen, the chinar (Platanus orientalis) is Jammu and Kashmir's state tree. Its enormous canopy provides shade through summer, while its changing colours have become one of the Valley's most recognisable autumn sights.

But have you ever wondered why chinars turn such beautiful shades of red while so many trees in warmer parts of India stay green?

The answer begins inside a single leaf.

What happens to a leaf when winter approaches?

Throughout spring and summer, chinar leaves are busy making food for the tree.

Their green colour comes from chlorophyll, a natural substance that helps leaves absorb sunlight. Using this energy, the leaves turn water and carbon dioxide into sugars that help the tree grow.

But as autumn arrives, Kashmir's days become shorter and temperatures begin to fall.

The tree senses that winter is approaching and starts preparing for the colder months.

Girls walk in a garden covered with fallen Chinar leaves during the autumn season in Kashmir https://t.co/byT5eUWu2C — Basit Zargar (باسط) (@basiitzargar) November 27, 2021

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