Leaves are beginning to turn in southeast Iowa and the Department of Natural Resources advises the peak time to see leaves this fall will be the third week of October.

Currently in southeast Iowa some ash, cottonwood, and walnut trees are starting to show some yellow leaves. Some purple can be seen in white ash and dogwood. Most of the other trees are still green and just starting to change. Traditionally the northern third of Iowa’s best time to see the bright colors of the leaves is the last week of September through the second week of October, the middle third is the first through third weeks of October, and the southern third’s optimum time is the second through fourth weeks of October.