The end of leaf fall in different trees. Leaf fall on trees
This happens because in addition to chlorophyll, the leaves also contain other coloring substances. It is especially abundant at the end of September and the first ten days of October. In what period does leaf fall begin and end in linden and birch?
As September approaches, the trees gradually begin to change their summer emerald green leaf color to autumn yellow. By mid-September, the birch leaves become ocher-golden and gradually begin to fall off.
For many trees, leaf fall occurs unevenly, that is, it happens at different times. For example, after the first hard frost, leaves begin to fall on linden and maple trees. By this time the birch had already dropped most leaves.
It is difficult to unequivocally answer the question of when leaf fall ends. It has been noticed that poplars lose their leaves first, then oaks and rowan trees. Dropping leaves from trees serves another purpose - the crown under the snow cover has significant weight. Tree branches, especially young ones, are unable to withstand such a load. Thanks to the process of photosynthesis, the leaves accumulate a large number of harmful substances that, with the beginning of leaf fall, are removed along with fallen leaves.
Poplar During leaf fall, mature poplar trees lose a third of their leaves in the period from September 15 to 20; in the first ten days of October, up to 10% of the foliage remains in the poplar crown. Young poplars remain green longer than older trees; they later turn yellow and shed their leaves. Oak The fall of oak leaves begins in the first half of September; after about 30 days, the trees completely lose their leaves.
Oak leaves immediately turn brown, and ripe acorns fall off the tree along with the leaves. Rowan Autumn rowan is as if painted with watercolors, its leaves do not turn yellow, but acquire a pink color, the process of leaf fall begins around the beginning of October, and ends by November 1.
Leaf fall of apple trees begins in the third ten days of September and ends in the second half of October. Birch is a whole genus of deciduous shrubs and trees of the Birch family, which is distributed throughout almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. Birch is better known to us as a tree up to 45 meters high and with a girth of up to one and a half meters.
Yes, many of us don’t like this time of year because of the constant rain and slush, but without a doubt, early autumn is very beautiful due to the trees changing their color. For example, the same birch tree begins to change color around the 20th of August, although this, of course, also depends on the weather.
However, we repeat, everything depends on the weather in the region. If for some reason the weather has changed so much that the temperature drops from the usual +20°C to -5°C, then leaf fall begins almost immediately with the first frost. Remnants of leaves, which can remain on the trees even in the case of active leaf fall, usually fall off after the third or fourth severe frost and this applies to most trees.
Trees during leaf fall
Reprinting materials and using them in any form, including in electronic media, is possible only with a back active link to our website, not blocked from indexing by search engines. The autumn forest is beautiful when the leaves begin to fall. Forest glades dressed in yellow colors, and the river valleys are in wine red and pink shades. In the second half of September, poplars also become multi-colored: some of them become lemon-yellow, others almost orange, some golden-yellow.
By the end of September, this strong, mighty tree also submits general laws nature - becomes straw yellow. True, poplar and birch shed their leaves long before the general cold snap. In aspen, leaf fall ends 5-6 days earlier than in birch. By September 15-20, old poplars become bare by a third, and by October 10, no more than 10-12% of the leaves remain on the trees.
Features of leaf fall
The leaf fall of different trees occurs unevenly and sometimes lasts for several weeks. Here are several aspen, elm, elm, ash and apple trees standing almost naked, and not so far from them are trees of the same age, but with rustling foliage still almost completely preserved.
September - the first signs of the coming autumn are already visible on the trees. The birch tree is the first to begin to play in the autumn rays of the still warm sun with the yellowness of its leaves, the crowns of the trees are covered with the first noticeable gilding. On August 23, 2016, along the roads in the suburbs of St. Petersburg (specifically Oselki, Leskolovo, Ekaterinovka) I observed crimson maples in whole and in separate branches.
Apparently it's a combination of moisture, heat and daylight. The summer was very rainy and moderately warm. And by the middle of the month the forests are bare. In the Leningrad, Pskov and Novgorod regions, the end of birch and rowan leaf fall is observed on October 14 on average. In October, whirligigs, warblers, shrikes, and corncrakes fly away from us. In the first days of the month, there is (on average) a massive migration of geese in the Tver and Yaroslavl regions.
Their mass flight is observed in the Tver region on October 18, in the Moscow region on October 6, in the Vladimir and Oryol regions on October 8-9. The flight of starlings usually ends in last decade month. The mallard takes flight after the starlings. Some birds stay with us for the winter. And it’s not only rooks that spend the winter in our cities.
The beginning of autumn is 29 days: from August 26 to September 24. Birch leaf fall begins around the first half of September and lasts for another 20 days, that is, this tree completely falls off by the end of September to mid-October.
Sasha K. (Belogorsk)
In what period does leaf fall begin and end in linden and birch?
As September approaches, the trees gradually begin to change their summer emerald green leaf color to autumn yellow. A little more time will pass and all the golden foliage will flow to the ground. Observing nature, people often wonder: when does leaf fall end for birch, linden, maple and other favorite yellowing trees? Let's try to answer this question.
When the leaves turn yellow
The foliage begins to change color long before the first frost. As a rule, this happens at the end of August, when the days have already noticeably shortened and it has become a little colder, and lasts for 14-20 days. At first, only isolated gray-yellow areas are visible on the branches, but day after day they become more and more numerous.
By mid-September, the birch leaves become ocher-golden and gradually begin to fall off. The branches of the maple are no less beautiful at this time. The crowns of the tree are covered with foliage in yellow, brick-red, red and even purple shades. The linden foliage, which is only half yellowed, stands out noticeably.
The beginning of leaf fall
For many trees, leaf fall occurs unevenly, that is, it happens at different times. For example, after the first hard frost, leaves begin to fall on linden and maple trees. By this time, the birch had already dropped most of its leaves. Its leaf fall begins in the first ten days of September and lasts 15-20 days.
Important! The beginning of leaf fall depends on the weather. Dry sunny weather and windless days delay the golden decoration of the trees.
Leaf fall is especially abundant after the third frost. The leaves fall to the ground very thickly, forming a thick mat on the ground. Birch trees drop about 30 kg of leaves in the fall. In adult linden and maple this amount reaches 40-50 kg.
The end of leaf fall
The end of leaf fall is usually accompanied by significant cooling, deterioration weather conditions, frequent rains and strong gusts of wind. By October 7-10, linden and birch trees lose their last yellow leaves. Maples become bare much later, only by October 20th. Single leaves can remain on the branches until mid-November, reminding passersby of the past golden time of the year.
Observations of nature during leaf fall
The period of active leaf fall is accompanied by significant cooling and the arrival of night frosts. Summer white clouds are replaced by a solid gray veil. There is often fog in the morning. The first flocks of migratory birds take to the sky.
The end of leaf fall in the linden and maple trees is accompanied by gloomy rainy weather, frost on the still green grass and thin ice on the puddles. Rooks gather in flocks and fly south. Gradually the earth cools down and nature falls asleep.
Autumn leaf fall: video
According to the calendar, autumn begins on September 1, but astronomers believe that from September 21 on the day of the autumnal equinox. Phenologists believe that autumn begins with the appearance of the first yellow leaves on warty or silver birch trees. This is usually noticeable on August 23rd. But I first noticed the appearance of yellow leaves on August 18 on birches, and on lindens on August 24. After the first frost, there were even more yellowing leaves, and leaf fall began on birch, linden, and aspen. And already on October 4, during the excursion, we noted that there were no leaves on the poplars at all; very small quantities of leaves were preserved on the birches. There were still some leaves on the oak tree near the school and on the maple trees. But the Canadian Norway maple has completely lost its bright red outfit. We noticed that the willow and lilac still have a lot of leaves. They are even still quite green. Full leaf color occurs when the bulk of the leaves have changed from green to colored. For example, rowan has September 18, maple has September 20. The beginning of leaf fall is the day when leaves fall even in calm weather or from touching a branch. For example, maple has September 14th. Mass leaf fall occurs when approximately half of the trees of each species shed their leaves. Complete defoliation is recorded when trees lose all their leaves. Single leaves are not taken into account. For example, for bird cherry - September 22, for linden - September 24, for aspen - October 5, for maple and birch around October 14. Ash, Canadian maple, poplar, alder, and aspen can shed their leaves in one day. Sequence of leaf fall different trees different: the oak tree does not part with its leaves the longest, but its leaves appear later. There are oak trees that do not shed their leaves at all. So far, scientists cannot explain this phenomenon.
Leaf fall varies not only among different breeds trees, but even among representatives of the same species, depending on growth conditions and individual characteristics. The timing of leaf fall is affected by the age and condition of the tree. Young plants shed their leaves much later than ripe and overripe ones. Sick trees affected by heart rot, as well as those affected by humans or animals, lose leaves more quickly than healthy ones. Trees growing on the edge, in wetlands and flooded areas, leaf fall faster than plants in a dense forest. The needle-shaped leaves of pine and spruce have a small surface, their needles are hard, covered with a waxy coating and therefore weakly evaporate water. They successfully tolerate winter drought and are very cold-resistant. For larch it’s the other way around, so it sheds its needles every year, just like deciduous trees. Evergreen plants - lingonberries and cranberries - change leaves in the spring. Lingonberry leaves are hard, their stomata are located only on the underside and near the curved edges of the leaf, so evaporation is insignificant. The leaves of wild rosemary are pubescent from below, and in winter the bushes are hidden under the snow.
But for trees located close to electric lamps, leaf fall begins later, since they have longer daylight hours.
Causes of leaf falling
Trees prepare for leaf fall in advance. Even in the summer, a bud is born in the axil of the leaf petiole, and organic substances are deposited in the wood cells. Spring will come and, due to these reserves, the bud will develop into a young shoot with leaves. By autumn, a layer of cells forms at the leaf petiole, which separates the leaf petiole from the branch; in the fall, the leaf easily separates from the branch and falls off.
The meaning of leaf fall
Leaf fall is the adaptation of plants to winter conditions. By shedding leaves for the winter, trees protect themselves from mechanical damage. Often in winter, during snowfalls, even large tree branches break under the pressure of snow. There would be even more such breakdowns if the leaves did not fall and retain the snow on their surface. Leaf fall helps remove various mineral salts, a large amount of which accumulates in the leaves in autumn and becomes harmful to the plant. Leaf fall returns mineral salts to the soil. The leaves rot and the mineral salts are reused to feed the plants. Hence, leaf fall depends not only on external, but also on internal reasons, that is, it becomes necessary as a result of the life activity of the plant itself. Where does the phenomenon of leaf fall begin? From additional literature we learned that such a peculiar adaptation of nature began to take shape. About 60 million years ago, when the warm and humid climate of our places began to gradually give way to seasonal, with cold and snowy winters. In the new conditions, only those trees and shrubs survived that went into winter with fewer leaves. This is how this important property of the leaf developed from generation to generation.
Should you burn leaves in the fall?
The soil is covered with a layer of fallen leaves, branches, bark, and dead grass. This layer is called the forest floor. In a deciduous forest, litterfall annually amounts to about 4 tons, and in pine forest– up to 3.5 tons per 1 hectare. The forest floor has great importance in the life of the forest. The accumulation of humus and minerals in the soil and the development of biological processes depend on it. Loose litter easily decomposes and lets water into the soil; dense litter takes a long time to rot and has a sour odor. The litter protects the soil and plant roots from freezing. Humus colors the soil in dark colors, so these soils are better heated by the sun's rays, cool slowly and thereby create favorable conditions for the life of beneficial microorganisms and plant roots in the soil. Removing leaf litter reduces plant growth by 11%.
Birch trees are deciduous plants; every year they shed their leaves in order to again acquire fresh green “clothes” in the spring. When does leaf fall end for birch trees? Schoolchildren often ask this. Our material will help you understand this and learn many interesting facts about this seasonal phenomenon.
What is leaf fall?
The term, so familiar to everyone, refers to the biological process during which tree leaves that have lost chlorophyll are separated from the stems and fall to the ground. This process is characterized by the following features:
- In autumn, trees take on a variety of colorful colors, from yellow and orange to crimson and crimson red. This happens because before the leaves fall, chlorophyll, the pigment that gives them green color.
- The leaves acquire the ability to easily separate from the branch even with a slight gust of wind due to the formation of a special separating layer that disrupts the connection between the leaf and its stem.
- Due to this seasonal phenomenon, trees are freed from those harmful substances that have accumulated in the leaves during the season of active growth.
- With the help of leaf fall, plants are protected from excessive loss of moisture, which becomes very difficult to extract from the soil in harsh winter times.
We examined the main signs of the most important seasonal change in the life of trees. Now let’s get acquainted with when birch leaf fall ends, as well as when it begins.
Birch
Early autumn is characterized by still warm weather conditions; the thermometer often has a positive value, but precipitation may occur in the form of drizzle and frost. The trees begin to turn yellow, playing in the rays of the already dim sun with stunningly beautiful colors. In the first week of September, the thin-trunked tree begins to lose its foliage.
The average duration of leaf fall depends on weather conditions and can range from 15 to 20 days. The answer to the question of what month the leaf fall of birches ended can be given as follows: September ( last days this month) or October (its first half).
Process Features
Birch is one of the first trees to begin losing leaves, along with aspens, maples, and lindens. Considering when leaf fall ends for birches, it should be noted that by the end of October these beautiful trees standing completely naked. The fall of the plant's leaves begins on September 15, completion - approximately by October 5, but more exact date It’s impossible to name - it all depends on the natural conditions of each particular year. The main activity of the process begins after the first frost, which, as a rule, occurs in the last days of September (from about the 28th).
Folk signs
We looked at when leaf fall ends on a birch tree. Why do people need this knowledge? First of all, observing nature is interesting in itself. However, there are also several folk signs, which our distant ancestors used to predict the weather. Some of them are interesting in their own way:
- If leaves fall from birch and oak simultaneously and evenly, you should expect a mild winter.
- A severe winter is expected if oak and birch trees become bare at different times.
- The leaves turned yellow, but did not fall off by the deadline - there will be frosts.
- The leaves on the white-trunked tree did not fall in the first week of October - snow will fall late this year.
- Leaf fall is happening “according to the script”, the tree sheds its leaves on time - we can expect a long thaw at the end of January.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to accurately answer the question of what date leaf fall ends for birches, but everyone can determine an approximate time frame: the process of leaf fall for a traditional Russian tree ends by the end of September or the beginning (less often, the second half) of October.
