Lammas Growth

[Gary Prentice]

Watching the responses to recent wildfires I came across this oak sapling. With much of the foliage lost to the fires, the new leaves are quite extraordinary in their length and width, compared to the surrounding foliage produced in the spring. The arrowed new leaf is twice as wide as a 'normal' leaf and almost half as long again. 

 

Just posting it up cos I found it interesting and I'm assuming that it's the trees attempt to create the largest photosynthetic capacity possible from the limited number of buds still available. Ain't trees wonderful?

[fagus]

 I think it is more practical; in that in the time without leaves the build up of food in the plant remains, probably increased as the roots are unharmed. When conditions are good again there is a flush of nutrients into the available buds. Bit like a fallow period in a field where nitrogen from rain builds up until the new crop gets hold of it-leading to an improved yield than before.

[Gary Prentice]

Food for thought, but  that suggests that a high nutrient store over-rides the genetics that says oak leaves are this size. If you gave a young tree a big dose of the correct liquid fertiliser as the leaves were flushing you wouldn't expect a lot larger leaves. 

 

I don't honestly know. I've seen some defoliated trees (by insects/drought) that have flushed again later in the year, but can't recall that the later leaves were particularly larger than average. 

 

Anyway, it's good to hear peoples thoughts. 

[Island Lescure]

I imagine you would get the same with coppices? Definitely seen it on small trees chopped to the ground that come back.

We had a tree here that was unintentionally coppiced (as it survived). The leaves were massive and juveniles (different in this case). We then transplanted it and removed quite a few roots (lets see what happens sort of thing) (the stem/branches were not more than 3cms in dia)  and it is now finally producing normal leaves again after 8 months or so of being in the new location.

 

So I don't know if it is the reserves or if it is the stress. I can't imagine there were many reserves left.

[Mark J]

1 hour ago, Island Lescure said:

I imagine you would get the same with coppices? Definitely seen it on small trees chopped to the ground that come back.

We had a tree here that was unintentionally coppiced (as it survived). The leaves were massive and juveniles (different in this case). We then transplanted it and removed quite a few roots (lets see what happens sort of thing) (the stem/branches were not more than 3cms in dia)  and it is now finally producing normal leaves again after 8 months or so of being in the new location.

 

So I don't know if it is the reserves or if it is the stress. I can't imagine there were many reserves left.

I've noticed larger than usual leaves on the regrowth from poor/ill advised pruning cuts. I think stress does play a part.

[Gary Prentice]

That's the beauty of walking the dogs, no stress and time to actually observe little changes in things, even if you don't comprehend the causes. The fires were annoying (arson) but even watching the herbage layer starting to regrow and how the trees are responding is educational. I'll see what the spring brings.

[Mark J]

7 minutes ago, Gary Prentice said:

That's the beauty of walking the dogs, no stress and time to actually observe little changes in things, even if you don't comprehend the causes. The fires were annoying (arson) but even watching the herbage layer starting to regrow and how the trees are responding is educational. I'll see what the spring brings.

It's good to notice the little things, when you notice them, you notice more of them.