Method and apparatus for automatically enhancing the foliage display of a color signal includes providing the color signal in multiplexed form having alternating first and second components, the first component being substantially aligned with a flesh tone color space axis, the second component being substantialy aligned with a green tone color space axis. A de-multiplexing unit separates the first and second components to provide a first de-multiplexed component substantially aligned with the flesh tone axis and a second de-multiplexed component substantially aligned with the green tone axis. A processing unit generates from the de-multiplexed components a green tone enhancement control signal for increasing green tone contrast of the color signal; and a modifying unit modifies the magnitude of the multiplexed color signal by applying the multiplexed color signal and the green tone enhancement control signal to a multiplier to provide a modified multiplexed output signal at an output having enhanced foliage contrast. In an examplary embodiment, the green enhancement control signal and a flesh tone enhancement control signal are applied to a common multiplier thereby advantageously providing both flesh tone and foliage enhancement with an absolute minimum of circuitry for the combined functions.