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Leaves Left

I had recess supervision duty yesterday. While I was out there, I was looking at all the oak trees. They still have their leaves. I’ve noticed this in oak trees before, but yesterday I was wondering when they will finally drop their leaves. Will it happen when it gets consistently warmer? Will it be when new leaves start growing?

I think I’ve never noticed when the leaves drop because I didn’t have oak trees available to me for daily observation. There are many specimens on my school’s property, so this year I may finally get my answer.

Art shot.

Art shot.

6 Comments

  1. Carol

    Those must be marescent oaks – we have a marescent Japanese maple in our front yard as well. That would mean the left stems did not develop abscission layers in the fall (to weaken the connection to the leaf and allow separation as leaves dried and died). While hard winter snow or harsh winds can remove leaves throughout the fall and winter, it’s more often swelling buds on branch twigs that complete the separation – which, of course, happens in the spring.

    Tune in tomorrow for our next lesson, “Why tree leaves only fall on our lawn right after we rake”. Thank you.

    • Brad

      Thanks for the lesson! It seems like science would say that a tree keeping its leaves all winter would be a bad idea, since snow would stick to them and potentially break branches.

      I’m excitedly anticipating spring, when I can watch the leaves fall because of swelling buds.

  2. Lauren

    Remind me – when I get off this stool – to go check and see if the leaves are still on our pin oak.

    Beautiful art shot, by the way.

    • Beth

      They are.

  3. Dad Royuk

    We lived in the South long enough to get familiar with “live oaks”. Live oaks are green all winter and never drop ALL their leaves. They stay green. When a few turn brown and drop, new green ones grow back and take their place. Live oak leaves are much smaller than ‘normal’ oaks. Time to study up on oaks.
    Have a great rest-of-weekend in the Lord!

    • Brad

      I wonder if there were any live oaks in Maui. I don’t know tropical plants as well as temperate ones, so I can’t spot live oaks on sight.

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