Why Do Some Trees Keep Their Leaves Through Winter?

Above: Oak trees at Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve hold onto their leaves through winter. Photo by Erin Korsmo. At the end of fall, most deciduous trees lose their leaves for the winter season. In fact, the word deciduous comes from the Latin word decidere, which means to fall down or off. There are, however, a handful of deciduous trees around these parts that have a tendency to keep their leaves past fall. It is an interesting phenomenon that is not fully understood. But before we get to that, let’s go through a few of the basics.

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EarthSky Why do trees shed their leaves?

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Why do some trees keep their leaves in autumn and winter? – Jardim Gulbenkian

Natural Hoarding? Trees reluctant to let go of their “baggage.”, by Rock Creek Conservancy, Rock Creek Conservancy

Why Do Some Trees Hold Onto Dead Leaves In Winter?

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