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January COPPER BEECH (Fagus sylvatica 'cuprea') Soft snow layered along the tree canopy pushes
our eyes upward to marvel at an evanescent winter wonderland. Breaking
the duotone image of white and black, beech leaves from the fall season
still cling to dark branches that crisscross the winter sky. Soon, heat
from the sun or wind from pressure changes within Earth's atmosphere
will disturb the snow patterns. A puff of snow blown off a tree will
recycle moisture into air above or ground below while the weight of
accumulated heavy snow can put a tree at risk of snapping branches,
especially if the tree is old and/or diseased. Drought conditions stress vegetation, rendering trees more susceptible to insects and plant viruses. Winter snows will add to the spring melt, necessary for great trees which pump large quantities of water from underground to maintain their strength and vigor. And they do it all without an external energy source. Photographs and Texts Copyright © Roberta
Bondar, 2008 Back To:
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