Leaves & Trees
The process by which leaves change color in the fall is caused by the breakdown of this primary green pigment.
What is chlorophyll?
This wildly popular autumn spice blend typically contains cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, but none of the actual squash it's named after.
What is pumpkin spice?
Before Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America and started using pumpkins, Jack-o'-lanterns were originally carved out of this root vegetable.
What is a turnip?
This famous 1820 short story by Washington Irving features the superstitious schoolmaster Ichabod Crane and the terrifying Headless Horseman.
What is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?
This alternative rock band released the hit acoustic ballad "Wake Me Up When September Ends" on their 2004 album American Idiot.
Who is Green Day?
This type of tree, famous for its sweet sap, is responsible for some of the most vibrant red and orange fall foliage in North America.
What is the maple tree?
To harvest these tart red autumn berries, farmers flood the marshy areas where the vines grow so the fruit floats to the surface.
What are cranberries?
Deriving its name from the ancient Celtic festival that inspired Halloween, Samhainophobia is the specific fear of this.
What is Halloween?
In the Harry Potter series, a mountain troll breaks into Hogwarts and attacks the girls' bathroom on this autumn holiday.
What is Halloween?
In this classic animated TV special, Linus misses out on trick-or-treating because he spends the entire night waiting in a pumpkin patch.
What is It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown?
This meteorological term refers to a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather that often occurs in late autumn, usually after the first frost.
What is an Indian Summer?
This fermented alcoholic beverage made from pressed apples was one of the most popular and safest drinks in early colonial America.
What is hard cider?
In the 19th century, trick-or-treating evolved from a practice called "souling," where the poor would beg for these specific baked goods.
What are soul cakes?
This American poet penned the famous line "Nature's first green is gold" to describe the fleeting beauty of nature and autumn, a poem heavily featured in the novel The Outsiders.
Who is Robert Frost?
In this classic 1989 romantic comedy, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan take a beautiful, leafy stroll through Central Park in the autumn.
What is When Harry Met Sally...?
When the green fades, these underlying yellow and orange pigments—which get their name from the fact that they are also found in carrots—are finally revealed.
What are carotenoids?
Often used in cornucopias and fall centerpieces, this hard-shelled relative of the pumpkin is known for its bumpy, warty skin and unusual shapes.
What is a gourd?
This classic monster was brought to life in an 1818 novel written by an 18-year-old Mary Shelley.
What is Frankenstein's monster? (Acceptable: What is Frankenstein?)
In 1969, this famous mystery author released Hallowe'en Party, a novel where her Belgian detective Hercule Poirot investigates a murder at an apple-bobbing party.
Who is Agatha Christie?
Famous for its ultra-cozy autumnal aesthetic, this television show follows the lives of Lorelai and Rory in the fictional town of Stars Hollow.
What is Gilmore Girls?
While most conifers are evergreen, this tree—also known as the tamarack—turns brilliant yellow and drops all of its needles in the autumn.
What is the larch?
In Greek mythology, autumn begins when Persephone returns to the underworld, a consequence of eating the seeds of this red fruit.
What is the pomegranate?
According to superstition, seeing this type of arachnid on Halloween means the spirit of a deceased loved one is watching over you.
What is a spider?
This English romantic poet wrote the famous ode "To Autumn," famously calling it the "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness."
Who is John Keats?
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman play witch sisters who brew up trouble in a small Massachusetts town in this 1998 fall classic.
What is Practical Magic?