Sweet Gum Tree

This photo was taken about a week ago of a sweet gum tree in the corner of one of our meadows.  In the past few days the brilliance of its leaves has diminished and it will eventually shed the leaves.  Several of you have commented about being surprised that we still have autumn color here and trees with leaves on them.  Nacogdoches County, Texas, is in a rather temperate zone, with our average high December temperature being 59 degrees and the average low temperature being 33 degrees.  We rarely have snow and so far this winter only two days where the temperature was below freezing.  With this type of climate our deciduous trees often still have leaves on them when the spring buds appear.  Our big oak is just beginning to turn and it's doubtful that it will completely lose all its leaves before spring (but believe me, it will lose enough!  Raking time is getting close!).