139. Fall Foliage Guide: Hudson Valley Edition

It's peak leaf-peeping season, and Cidiot® and Kaatscast have teamed up to release foliage episodes the same week. Kaatscast covers the west side of the Hudson; Cidiot's got the east. In this episode, Mat Zucker sits down with Amy Zanne, senior scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, to answer the question every leaf peeper has: why do leaves do this? Amy — a botanist by training and a recent Hudson Valley transplant by way of New Hampshire — breaks down plant science behind fall color: the pigments that make leaves orange, yellow, red, and purple, why trees drop their leaves at all, how they scramble to reclaim nutrients before winter, and what causes a leaf to let go and fall to the ground. Mat and Amy also get into what separates a spectacular foliage year from a dud and tips for getting the most out of your own leaf-peeping trips — including how to press and preserve your favorite leaves so the color lasts well past the season. Related links to the episode: Fall Foliage Guide: Catskills Edition (Kaatscast podcast) I Love NY Fall Foliage Report Blog: Places to Take Fall Foliage In the HV (Cidiot.com) Fall Foliage Prediction Map Paper: Plants in the Afterlife (Cary Institute) Timecodes 00:00 – Carotenoids vs. anthocyanins, two main leaf pigments 01:41 – Intro: The origins of "leaf peeper" 03:07 – Where to check foliage timing 04:14 – Meet Amy Zanne: her path and what she researches 07:43 – Why leaves change at all 09:50 – How timing varies by species (vessel size, geography, elevation) 12:30 – The tree "economy": pulling back nutrients before shedding leaves 13:33 – Is climate change shifting foliage timing? 15:04 – The three color classes explained: carotenoids, anthocyanins, tannins 19:00 – Why anthocyanins act like sunscreen for a shutting-down leaf 21:41 – The abscission zone: how a leaf physically detaches and falls 24:11 – What happens to leaves after they fall 26:30 – What makes a great foliage year vs. a mediocre one 28:20 – Amy's advice for getting the most out of leaf season 31:12 – Foliage-tracking tools and how to plan a peeping trip 34:22 – How to preserve leaves: pressing them in a book, then sealing with wax paper and an iron Thanks to Brett Barry of Silver Hollow Audio and the Kaatscast podcast for editing the show and partnering on this seasonal effort. ©2026 MCZ Media LLC. Cidiot® is a registered trademark.