Why do plants have green leaves and not red?

Question

I know plants are green due to chlorophyll. Surely it would be more beneficial for plants to be red than green as by being green they reflect green light and do not absorb it even though green light has more energy than red light. Is there no alternative to chlorophyll? Or is it something else?

Answer 1

There are red pigments in plants. (You see these in the fall when the chlorophyll is destroyed.) They are primarily used to absorb excess energy to prevent free radical damage.