why are some leaves red all year round?
I would like to know why a minority of species possess red leaves throughout the year. I understand this is due to the production of anthocyanins which is costly to the plant and so there must be some evolutionary benefit. Many species have leaves which go red in the fall and I am aware of various explanations why this may be to their advantage. However, this does not explain why some species have red leaves all of the time while most are green in spring and summer. Can anyone answer this question?