The Firefly: Get Out: Turn Over A New Leaf

This is a great time of year to get out and take a look at all the new leaves in your neighborhood.

Leaves come in a plethora of shapes and sizes. Like people, leaves are unique and each leaf has evolved to adapt to its particular situation. Ever seen a palm tree? Not outside here in Minnesota, and there's a good reason for that. Palms are adapted to life in really warm climates-- just look at the leaves:

On average, palm leaves are 72 inches long-- that's a lot of surface area for converting all that sunlight into food for the tree (photosynthesis). And they have a waxy coating so they retain water in the heat of the day. Those big leaves would rip and tear in high winds and rainstorms if they weren't already pre-torn.

The leaf stalk is strong too, so it keeps the leaf on the tree, despite the wind and weather.

How do Minnesota leaves adapt to suit the needs of the tree? Take a walk and a closer look.

Here are some questions a tree detective might ask:

What is the shape of the leaf? (Shape might tell you about how the tree needs to cope with its situation. Is the tree in a windy place, a rainy place, a dry place? Does water need to stick to the leaf or run off? )
The size of the leaf? (size can match how much sun or water a tree needs to collect; trees in the shade sometimes have bigger leaves-- why?)
Does it have teeth, or smooth edges? (toothed leaves have an easier time in the wind-- they don't rip so much)
Is the leaf shiny and waxy, or soft, smooth leaves? (shiny leaves have wax that keeps water in the leaf, soft leaves are more porous, letting more water and air in and out)
How about the petiole, or stalk that connects the leaf to the branch? Is it long or short? (long stems help a leaf move about if it needs to--why would a leaf need to move?)
What about leaves that are needles? Take a look at evergreen leaves. How do pines and spruces manage to keep their leaves all winter? (hint: size, shape and surface all play a role)

Now look a the whole tree:

Where does it like to grow?
How tall does it seem to grow?
How wide does it grow? (the size of the crown in some trees mirrors the root system underground-- this might tell you how much water, nutrients and stability the tree needs)
Why do some trees, like spruces, have pointy tops and wide bottoms? (hint: pines and spruces have shallow root systems just under the surface of the soil, unlike maple trees, which have really big crowns and broad, deep root systems)
Does it grow near other trees, or far away? (trees that grow close together naturally can help each other--how?)
Do the branches reach up, or droop down? And what could that do for a tree? (consider how wind or water move through a tree--why would a tree want to drip water down towards the ground?)