Marvelous Marcescence or Love Those Lingering Leaves

Ostrya virginiana (American Hophornbeam)

Most deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn, but Oak (Quercus), Beech (Fagus), Hornbeam (Carpinus), Ostrya (Dancing Tree) and  Witch Hazel (Hamamelis)  are an exception.  They hold their leaves until spring when the new emerging leaves push them off.

come spring newly emerging leaves will push the old leaves off the tree

This holding onto leaves is referred to as marcescence and no one is absolutely sure why some trees hold onto their leaves while others don't.  It may be that it deters foraging of young buds and branches by deer (dead leaves are not tasty)  or it may aid in protecting the tree from water or temperature stress during the winter.

You might have seen them in a nearby woodland,  like these beeches along the trail at Percy Warner Park in Middle Tennessee.  I love seeing a 'grove' of them  marching down the hillside and  fluttering in the winter wind.

  Even on the grayest days they create depth in our other wise two dimensional winter woods.

They look especially beautiful back lit on a snowy winter's day. 

This morning I noticed this beautiful beech in full marvelous marcesence outside the Radnor Lake visitor center.

Early settlers used the springy beech leaves to stuff their mattresses 

The leaves still had streaks of  summer green and were dry, yet, springy to the touch.  Out of curiosity I tried to tug one of them from the branch; it would not budge.  I've noticed this same  springy quality to  the clinging leaves on my Dancing Tree (seen in first photo) and on several of the witch hazels in my garden. 

I love the  Dancing Tree's marvelous clinging leaves and  American Beech's leaves are so attractive that I will plant one  or two in my garden,  but, I wish the witch hazel,  Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane' did not hang so stubbornly to  her leaves.  Only once has 'Diane'  dropped her leaves before blooming and  that time it took several  arctic blasts to freeze dry the leaves right off her. Barring extreme winter weather,  there are two choices open to me.  I can accept the leaves or I can cut them off!  I haven't decided which it shall be.  But, if you're driving by this weekend and notice someone up on a ladder, that will be me, cutting away those marvelous marsescent leaves.

Last winter with marscecent leaves still clinging

A girl's gotta do what she's gotta do for beauty!

xxoogail

Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone."