As winter approaches, leaves fall off of trees. This is how trees protect themselves from the cold.
How and Why leaves fall
Deciduous trees use leaves to make their food. In the winter, temperatures drop and water in leaves freezes, rendering the leaves useless. Trees get rid of their leaves before this has a chance to happen. Cells build between the stem and the tree, essentially cutting the leaves off. These cells are actually called abscission cells. Abscission comes from the Latin word “abscissio” which means “to cut”.
Why did the leaves fall later than normal in 2014?
Temperature and moisture levels play a role in when the leaves fall. It seems that there are a variety of factors. While we’re not 100% certain why they are coming down so late this year, we do know that they are starting to fall now and we are extremely busy installing Gutterglove. If you would like any more information on this please visit our gutter guards page.
Recent Comments