Can the word "greening" be used in the sense of "being green" or "turning green"?
Solution 1:
It’s somewhat uncommon to see green used this way, but it is done:
Along my back porch in the herb bed the chive plants were greening and would soon be thick enough to cut.
Incubus, 1999
This is the continuous, not a gerund.
Solution 2:
It's unusual to use 'green' as a verb. However, some dictionaries have used it as a verb.
Green (verb - used with or without object): to become or make green.
Green (verb - intransitive, transitive): to become or make green
Origin: Old English grēne (adjective), grēnian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch groen, German grün, also to grass and grow.
From Merriam Webster:
Green
(verb) greened; greening; greens Definition of green (Entry 3 of 6) transitive verb
1: to make green 2: REJUVENATE, REVITALIZE intransitive verb
Intransitive verb :to become green Origin by MW: before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
You can use it as a verb but it's very rare.