Why Do Trees Lose Their Leaves at All?Īs with most everything else in the natural world, tree behavior revolves around the sun. But before we get to that, let’s go through a few of the basics.
It is an interesting phenomenon that is not fully understood. There are, however, a handful of deciduous trees around these parts that have a tendency to keep their leaves past fall. In fact, the word deciduous comes from the Latin word decidere, which means to fall down or off.
Photo by Erin Korsmo.Īt the end of fall, most deciduous trees lose their leaves for the winter season. Above: Oak trees at Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve hold onto their leaves through winter.
