Marcescent leaves

Wild Wind!

This White Oak leaf (Quercus alba) modeled for me yesterday as I was roaming, enjoying the last of the autumn colors. Last evening a front came through. Wind roared and howled with incredible speed as it blew through the mountain trails.

One little branch. Not much to hold onto. But maybe it’s still there hanging from that branch despite the high winds.

White Oak trees, at least young trees, keep their leaves through the winter, dropping them in spring. More mature White Oak trees often will drop their upper leaves but hold onto the lower leaves until winter turns to spring. This is called marcescence.

Nature is amazing in its complicated world.

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White Oak Leaf At The Yoga Studio

I spend a good bit of time during my week at the yoga studio and I use its surroundings often as a source for photographs for this blog. Today’s post is no exception.

Melting frost on a White Oak leaf (Quercus alba) surrounded by autumn this morning. White Oak trees have marcescent leaves. Leaves that hang on after autumn turns them brown. Young trees hold onto nearly all their leaves until spring while older more mature trees usually just hold onto the brown leaves on their lower branches, letting the leaves on higher branches fall to the ground with all the other leaves of autumn.

The world of nature, so complicated and intriguing.

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Winter And Some Trees Still Have Leaves

This afternoon’s sun, lighting up the marcescent leaves of an American Beech (Fagus grandifolia).

Trees that have marcescent leaves are trees that keep their leaves until spring when new leaves begin to grow and push the old leaves off and to the ground. It is still uncertain why this happens. There are thoughts though, including that the falling leaves create a new layer of mulch with nutrients for growth just in time for a new season. Or that those falling leaves help keep moisture in the soil, again for the new growing season.

Other thoughts concern animals that are around the marcescent leaves. Birds benefit from protection that the leaves provide from cold winter winds. Or could it be that marcescent leaves are protecting the tempting, tender, and nutritious buds and twigs that could be consumed by deer.

Whatever the reason that this occurs, I certainly enjoy finding these leaves still on trees here in the woods on my mountain.

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Accent Color For Winter

A Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), with marcescent leaves of White Oak (Quercus alba). The winter landscape (Feb 21, 2015) with its perfect accent color, scarlet.

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