By this time of year, most deciduous trees are bare of leaves, waiting for the beginning of the next phase when youthful, lacy green unfolds on dormant branches. But there are some trees whose brown and withered leaves persist, tightly attached to stems that ordinarily are blown free by the winter winds. How or why these tenacious leaves don't drop is a mystery and I wonder whether it will take the push of young buds to knock these elders to the ground once and for all.
There is a tree I've seen on Viewmont that exemplifies this curiosity. The top part of the tree is bare of leaves, the bottom portion laden with what appear to be dead leaves that hang on with persistence. I wonder if somehow these leaves are still providing some service to the tree; perhaps they are nourishing in ways that are not evident. Otherwise, why would their grip on to the mother ship be so enduring?
There is a tree I've seen on Viewmont that exemplifies this curiosity. The top part of the tree is bare of leaves, the bottom portion laden with what appear to be dead leaves that hang on with persistence. I wonder if somehow these leaves are still providing some service to the tree; perhaps they are nourishing in ways that are not evident. Otherwise, why would their grip on to the mother ship be so enduring?
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