With ideal weather for generating vibrant colors, peak viewing is in full swing for northern Iowa. Forested valleys in the northeast part of the state are full of colors. Maples are vibrant red, yellow, and orange with many shades of yellow all around. Sumacs are scarlet red, with poison ivy showing red and yellow through green surroundings. Cherries are a reddish orange color, and serviceberries are a variety of orange, pink and yellow.

Central Iowa is experiencing excellent fall colors, highlighted by maples that turned bright red last week. Oaks are also beginning to show red, mixing in with green leaves. Hickory, cottonwood, and walnut are still producing yellows. Major river valleys are close to 50% peak color, with this number expected to rise through next week.

The uplands of southeast Iowa are still mostly green. Elm, walnut, ash, hickory, cottonwood, and hackberry are rapidly turning yellow in the bottomlands. Ash and dogwoods continue to show some purple, and urban maples are starting to show varieties of red, orange and yellow. Poison ivy and Virginia creeper are showing red as well. Oaks haven’t started yet, but peak viewing for the area is still expected by the end of next week.