American Beech - Fagus grandifolia
Saw this article and it inspired me to find some American Beech to photograph and post:
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/metro/urban-jungle/...
Excerpt:
Some trees stubbornly cling to their dead leaves throughout the winter. Pin oaks, scarlet oaks and American beeches are among a handful of local species that have marcescent leaves.
Marcescence, the persistence of withered tissue on a plant, occurs mostly on younger trees and on the juvenile parts (lower branches) of older trees, as shown at left.
Why would a tree evolve with this trait? Scientists think it may deter deer from feeding on a tree's nutritious twigs and buds. Dessicated leaves tend to be low in nutrients and difficult to digest, so their presence might cause a hungry deer to look elsewhere for food. By spring, when herbaceous greens have stolen the deer's attention, strong winds and expanding buds finally force a belated fall for the leaves with an added purpose.
American Beech - Fagus grandifolia
Saw this article and it inspired me to find some American Beech to photograph and post:
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/metro/urban-jungle/...
Excerpt:
Some trees stubbornly cling to their dead leaves throughout the winter. Pin oaks, scarlet oaks and American beeches are among a handful of local species that have marcescent leaves.
Marcescence, the persistence of withered tissue on a plant, occurs mostly on younger trees and on the juvenile parts (lower branches) of older trees, as shown at left.
Why would a tree evolve with this trait? Scientists think it may deter deer from feeding on a tree's nutritious twigs and buds. Dessicated leaves tend to be low in nutrients and difficult to digest, so their presence might cause a hungry deer to look elsewhere for food. By spring, when herbaceous greens have stolen the deer's attention, strong winds and expanding buds finally force a belated fall for the leaves with an added purpose.