Improve Your Winter Tree ID Skills With This Seasonal Clue

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[@b_uppy]

I have a hypothesis: Marcescence protects vital soil by lessening the rate of speed (and power) of falling rain. It thus provides more protection from erosion. This protecrs less established roots from soil loss.

[@clarsach29]

Witch hazel coming into flower is such a welcome sight in winter. Where I live in UK Hammamelis tend to flower in January and into February, and they are wonderfully fragrant, a sign that Spring isn't too far away.

[@ablanccanvas]

Beautiful sign of Spring! 😌♥️🌟

[@FarmerDrew]

I love winter for tree ID and tree health diagnosis here in the Dayton, Ohio area. My favorite is the black walnut that shows up late and leaves early, making the ground toxic around it. Such an ornery fellow

[@joshuagibson2520]

I lived in the Dayton area for decades. Moved to Tn 6 years ago. I really miss the Great Miami River smallmouth.

[@MikeOrazzi]

Nice, we have a few black walnut trees growing on our property.

[@BecomingVT]

Every single time I watch your video, I learn so many new things. Thank you for sharing in such a positive way, educational way.

[@richstone2627]

I learned a new word. I can't wait to use the new word when out in the woods with someone or sitting around a fire drinking. Thank you.

[@LeadwithNature]

Great way to approach winter tree ID in a bite-size fashion.

[@imok4149]

I live in east TN and I’ve noticed that a large portion of my young sugar maples keep their dead leaves on until late winter.

[@Vastafari34]

YAY!! Merry Christmas! Thanks for the new video!

[@docjohnson2874]

Good to see you in our wonderful Penn's woods.....beautiful fall color is now gone but our trees are still awesome .....thanks for sharing your knowledge....have a great holiday season.

[@walkofftrail]

Beech trees look awesome over the winter months. Thanks for covering this topic!

[@rebeccamihalcik1344]

One of my favorite parts of walking the trails in the winter season is to hear the wind mix with the beech leaves creating a light and pleasing percussion. Now I know it is marcescence!

[@rodeleon2875]

good talk adam. i own a small regenerating piece of property in western pa and have been enjoying going around and ID'ing all the trees and plants. i'm amazed at the diversity of plant life for such a small plot. i'm gearing up to tackle all the invasives that are taking over.

[@TheJohnFry]

Invasives are everywhere. I estimate that I have personallyremoved over 20,000 imvasive plants over the years. The general public has no clue about how many there are. Privit, multifloa, japanese barberry and honeywuckle are the big ones around Ligonier. Japanese knotweed is also very common and the hardest to get rid of. Nearly impossible.

[@TheJohnFry]

Yes on the autumn olive and the vine I find is oriental bittersweet. I used to run around with lots of guys from Waterford. And who can forge the waterford fair?@@rodeleon2875

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Good luck with rose, honeysuckle and spice bush. They are here to stay.

[@augusthavince8909]

_Marcesence..._ I've noticed this about oaks for a long time. I always imagined the new leaves popping off the old ones as they came out in spring. I mean, they must fall off at some point. Winds blowing through marcesent oak leaves sound like they are saying that inclement weather is coming. I also imagine that squirrels are thankful for oak twigs covered in the curling oak leaves for building their nests. Now I will be looking out for the other trees mentioned, especially the witch hazel.

[@eugenehudders5231]

WOW!!! I was just looking at my 25' tall white oak and have noticed this for years and just this morning I was curious about why they do. Thank you Adam!!

[@monicareid8858]

My hypothesis is that it’s another form of allelopathy- In the sense that the leaves fall and may smother out new growth of competitors under the tree in spring when other species might sprout and grow. Beech especially tends to support sapling growth of its own kind under its canopy-so it might deter the growth of outsiders while assisting the growth of its offspring Nice video! Thanks☀️

[@stabbrzmcgee825]

That is an interesting idea, at least when it comes to beech. I have noticed that the leaf cover around beeches can be fairly thick in spring and seems to delay sprouting of other plants, and of course, as I found out when I lived next door to a neighbor with beech, the spreading underground is fairly pronounced (lots of spring raking and sprout cutting into the ground was required at that house). Thick leaf detritus preventing other growth and favoring beech sprouts instead makes sense. Not proof, but anecdotal support.

[@ForagerLife]

I was about to write the same thing, but I checked to see if anyone else had said it 😊

[@franksirianni8045]

I see beech and oak saplings by the millions in cleveland ohio , north chagrin reservation park.

[@lewisward4359]

Thank you for sharing several hypotheses on why trees retain their leaves. Very interesting. When I studied pomology and botany they taught the cause was juvenility. Also when trees are cut and the stump sprouts, those suckers retain their leaves especially in the species mentioned.

[@TgWags69]

Another common one seen here in western PA is Boxelder. I love Beach trees. I call them "The Grey Lady of the forest" always loved how even in winter how pretty they are. It's no wonder it's named Grandifolia.

[@LearnYourLand]

Do you see the leaves of boxelder hanging on through winter, or just the brown fruits? I never see the leaves, but I commonly see the fruits persisting through winter.

[@TgWags69]

@LearnYourLand now that you say that, I realize you're right. I never paid that much attention. I knew they were box elders and saw them hanging on but never went over close and inspected them.

[@poemme]

Thank you so much for this! We always learn something new and intriguing from your channel.

[@TheZigZiggy]

Amazing how every hypothesis implies intelligent design 😎

[@phillipmerritt1428]

I am your mailing list that shows me this tree 🌲 Identification video in the winter. Really appreciate the videos. Sorry I’m little shy about responding. Keep them coming. I really do enjoy it. Thank you.

[@oldmanpatriot1490]

Blessings Adam... I hope you and your family have wonderful celebrations for the reason for the season. In Love, The old man.

[@patricksenn8533]

We had a Pin Oak growing in the front yard when I was growing up. We always joked that it typically dropped it last leaf around July 4th.

[@ForestFound]

I love the hypothesis mentioned at 6:54, that they hold their leaves and support over wintering wildlife populations, trading shelter for excrement :) Marcescence! I learned a new word today. When I lived in Minnesota I always noticed that the oaks held their leaves for an abnormally long time, but haven't yet keyed in on the marcescent species here in the PNW...

[@gosmoothgolight7567]

Great skill set to learn! I really have appreciated all your content ... Thanks for making the time to share what you know with us :) Looking forward to your next post ... God Bless

[@deansherwood7468]

Another excellent video. I took general ecology in Western New York during the winter semester. I learned tree ID in January. The presence of leaves was not a major factor the instructor stressed. We learned to key buds and bark. I appreciate this all the more because of that.

[@provolonecp7526]

Great video! It’s also hunting season I advice to wear orange or bright colors for your own safety!!

[@riverbender9898]

Your information is always welcome and much-appreciated. Thank you.

[@CleoHarperReturns]

I don't comment often enough but I really love this channel.💜 Thank you for sharing a passion of mine that seemingly no one else in my daily life does. Perhaps together we can change that.

[@chrisk1669]

Awesome! Now i understand why my hybrid chestnut trees hold there leaves here in eastern Pennsylvania.

[@lindsaymckenna4682]

love the info he gives...what a great education....nice guy!

[@dougphillips5686]

Just went outside to look at the trees in North East Ohio, Only the Cleveland pear tree has it's leaves (and a lot of them all over the tree).

[@tonystewart7624]

Thank you for a great video.😊

[@Digrrr]

Thank you Adam. Learned something new today!

[@stevefiorito5379]

I'm living on the West Coast ... up in the forests of the PNW. I've spent a lot of time hiking up here and have tried to improve my tree-ID skills. I still find it difficult sometimes to use a field guide to ID a species of some trees. Sometimes, the bark of a tree could look very different with its age. Sometimes, on a broadleaf tree, the leaves and branches don't always follow their prescribed arrangements (alternate, opposite, whorled). Practice makes perfect and videos like yours do help .... thanks.

[@Coopdog1911]

Something I have always considered a weak point in my knowledge. Mushrooms has even more of a learning curve, and learning my trees is important for positive ID of the edible mushrooms.

[@brandyD33]

Here on the Olympic Peninsula the diversity of tree species is vastly understated by most field guides and reference materials I've used. For example, the Pacific Madrone is considered a coastal-only tree that's native to my specific area and yet I have found them hiking at 3,000+ ft elevation in the mountain forests, 20+ miles inland at times. Birds love the berries and we all understand how that works, but the trees are flourishing in habitats that aren't considered benefitial to that particular species. I've also come across black walnut in every county of western Washington state, in the wild -- not transplanted. Supposedly that's not a native tree here but time has clearly changed many things. Often the officials fail to recognize the natural changes that take place over time. All that to say, hands-on learning is the greatest resource we have.

[@o1ecypher]

with all the war and all the ugly in the world right now, this is a great video that brings peace to mind. thanks, oh and i am not a bot lol

[@jackhui2812]

I can always tell where all the many oak trees are around the hills and mountains here where I live in NY. The tell tale copper colored leaves are all still on the trees. I wondered why, learned a new word for it thanks to you Adam. The splotches of copper color amongst the bare trees and white snow looks pretty if nothing else.....

[@pinkytaylor5845]

Thank you. I moved to Tennessee and dont know the trees here as well as I would like. This is helpful and i will be walking my land to use what you have taught me here today. So far so good. Keep up the good work. AND I learned a new word!

[@isaiahglynn3622]

Good day, Adam. Your videos and emails are very insightful. In the spring of 2024, I am going to back up all my gear and move into the woods. I was wrongfully confused of a crime and did my time in prison and I have been seeing and observing what the world has become and I just don't agree with society and what is expected from the people and governments of the world this is why I am doing this and have been preparing for the last 5 years for. The world is stupid, and for my sanity, I need to do this. I am 41. I will be 42 in March, and in May, I will be heding into the woods of Nova Scotia. I will not have any electronic or solar, just me and nature living life peacefully. It will be hard for the first couple of years, but I have been preparing myself mentally physically and capable of living off the land. Until then, I will keep looking up more reasons to do this, and videos on KZbin and tiktok are a great resource to see how bad and stupid society and governments have become. I am Canadian, so the Wording is different in some cases. And I am literate, so i'm relying on speak to chat.

[@paavoviuhko7250]

We call Ostrya virginiana Ironwood in my area, northeastern Ontario. We don't have any Musclewood, or Carpinus caroliniana. No Beech or White Oak either. As a forestry student quite a while ago, we collected tree and shrub branches using a twig key. We had to be able to identify them by the buds and leaf scars. I no longer possess that kind of fluency but the hardwood species here are so limited that they don't present a lot of difficulty.

[@johns3106]

I grew up (and went to forestry school) in Pennsylvania, where we knew Ostrya virginiana only as “ironwood”. I now work for a tree service in Vermont where most of the locals call the same tree “hardack”, although some will call it “hop hornbeam”. I always tell folks, “That’s why we have scientific names!”

[@paavoviuhko7250]

@@johns3106 Thanks for that info. I sure do appreciate it.

[@laneherrlinger7478]

I flippin love these videos!! Keep ‘em coming! Thank you!!

[@ConnieSue1]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I have purchased books on trees and medicinal purposes, especially with wild edible plants for identification. Things to look out for that are toxic that are similar, ways to prepare it and things that it helps medicinally and I’ve been doing this for over 30 years. I appreciate you and all the information that you try to give to others to help them better their lives, and I have asked God to bless you for it.

[@Manyfires_BurningBrightly]

I have tons of musclewood and witch hazel trees along my property and they do still have their leaves!! Lol I also have three chestnut trees-two are over 50 years old and a volunteer who sprang up about 7 years ago. They all three still have leaves hanging onto them. I think they are American chestnut because they produce abundant fruits that are incredibly tasty and this years harvest produced nuts the size of pingpong balls! I was amazed!! I've never seen chestnuts this big before, in all the years the trees have been here. I hope this isn't an indication that we are in for a bad bad winter! I live in western PA as well. Thanks for the great video Adam!

[@henrymorgan3982]

Thank you for the information. I think we have a white oak right outside our door!

[@cynthiataylor644]

Thank you Adam. Your smile and knowledge bring me joy as I enjoy my morning herbal tea. I love identifying plants and I have learned a lot from you. Happy holidays 🍀

[@dbstewart4496]

My observation is that marcensence is more often seen in younger and smaller trees of the species mentioned. A non-scientific observation is the subtle copper brown of retained leaves is a lovely burst of color in the winter landscape. I really enjoy your channel. So thank you. Happy Holidays.

[@marknaglreiter9330]

I grew up in Beaver and miss the smell of the hardwoods when the leaves are dropping. Lets see some squirrels. Thanks.

[@tygerlily1700]

Thank you-God Bless you ❤🙏🕊

[@jeremiahhowe5943]

Thank you Adam for all the awesome educational content. Cheers!

[@johnaspect481]

I never would have believed 2 years ago, that i would know what i do now. Thank you for sharing this valuable knowledge friend!

[@jen4316]

Another one is scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea)! The property I moved to this year has three scarlet oaks, but I didn't manage to positively identify them until 2 of the 3 revealed marcescence this fall. The other oak on the property is a white oak - also marcescent! So, given the other trees in the yard are confiners, almost every tree on the property is either evergreen or 'ever-green-or-brown'.

[@lukesayers5850]

My dad could tell you what tree is what in the dead of winter just by their shape and bark. He was a bad ass!

[@gigistrus490]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@wildniagara]

In southern Ontario we refer to Hop Hornbeam as Ironwood. Musclewood is also known as blue beech.

[@anissaferringer4965]

❤ I appreciate your tone of optimism that even I could recognize tree species without their leaves. (Which I find impossible except larch, lol)

[@Lioness_of_Gaia]

Thanks, Adam!

[@lornabartlett2744]

Magnificent BEAUTIFUL BOUNTIFUL MESSAGE. Well spoken 👏motivated by learning to apply lessons of trees 🌳

[@chrisblevins5143]

Great video! Didn't know this. Thanks Adam!

[@mox3909]

I wonder how much environmental factors play a part. On my property the american beech leaves drop 100% of their leaves while the oaks still keep a bunch. But I was certainly surprised to see beech on this list based on my specific experience in Southern New England. Love the video as always.

[@LouiseAdie-zm2jf]

Small beech tend to hold their leaves while the very mature ones do not. Hope this helps.

[@RicMoxley]

my theory about why some hold on to their leaves: it's psychological, just like people hold on to the past even when there's no value in it. :)

[@RampageJackson-bb9hu]

This guy is awesome. Being in Mi there are similarities to what we have here. I apperciate this man thank you Adam.

[@tegerusgardens1]

Today is my woodys walk lab final and it’s on the snow so this definitely helps! Thanks!

[@seattleareatom]

As a commercial gardener by trade I think maresins can be a bane dropping leaves through the winter into spring human ordered landscapes. In nature maresins a good thing. But maresins does make for more work and income. 😀I live in a forest in PNW. I'm jealous of the look of forests in PA. Here I can't see much of anything whereas in PA I can see huge swaths of the forest in these videos. Walking in western Washington forests almost require a chainsaw to do any exploration.

[@Elizabeth-arb22]

Thank you for this video, Adam. I learned a new word - marcescence . I have what I believe is a Kwanzan cherry tree - a small tree that is old, but not tall (only about 20 ft. tall) that shows marcescence each year. Now I know the word for this, thanks to you. Your other ID information is very interesting, as are all your videos.

[@katiekane5247]

Where are you located? In north Georgia, the Kwanza cherries defoliate in late summer and if we have warm days, may produce some flowers. Being a non native tree, they're often used as ornamentals where they're too big, have surface roots and don't live very long. With so many good native plants and trees to use, they're worth it to grow something that is well adapted and long lived.

[@subtropicalohioplants267]

I've noticed that after an early season freeze, non-native trees (or shrubs) that are late to change color - such as the Amur honeysuckle, Callery pear, European buckthorn, and Norway maple - sometimes retain dead leaves into the winter. It's almost as if the leaves freezing too soon makes them stick to the twigs for longer.

[@sapelesteve]

Very interesting and informative video Adam! Hope that you & your family have a wonderful Holiday Season! 👍👍🌲🌲

[@user-jc2ed2ch9u]

Thanks to this video and marcescence, I was able to ID my first American Beech tree!!!

[@carolthomas770]

I have many shingle oak in my forest. I'd never seen oak leaves like that! Naturalist told me what it was😊. Leaves hang on all winter.

[@abbysimons2788]

Thanks! I wondered why and now I know.

[@Cobbmtngirl]

Another excellent video. I’m not a new subscriber, having only watched a few of your videos, but I’m binge watching now. 🙂

[@spinderella3602]

Learned something new. Thank you🎉

[@ron95754]

Wow amazing, thank you so much for bringing this information to light for me. Enjoyed.

[@pat2383]

You are a great teacher, I always look forward to your videos and recommend your channel to everyone! :)

[@patrickdriscoll9962]

Another instructive vid from master Adam. Perhaps in a future vid you could review and show on a screen and comment on each of the tree identification apps which you can use on your cell phone, and which if any you prefer, and how accurate they are.

[@sharonfrattarola8854]

No Teeth marcescence with you, Adam! Love Them!

[@kevinbown424]

Ya learn something new everyday. "Marcescence"...I always wondered why the Beech, always held their leaves.

[@nighttrain1565]

It's interesting you made this video when you did because I just noticed this last week and the one common trait that I noticed between every tree still retaining some of its leaves was that they are all at the ends of the branches. So my hypothesis is that it is vascular lol. It must have something to do with the flow of water through the tree and the density of its core. It just doesn't shut off the water delivery and it must be able to circulate water at a fast enough speed to keep it from freezing in freezing temperatures. That's my hypothesis lol. Interesting it didn't make the cut😅

[@jayburke1601]

My Tree loving Jedi Brother your depth of knowledge is Amazing ! You explained so many possibilities as to the reason of marcescence ! It is such a fascinating question ! What about the oak trees that only drop a bumper crop of acorns about every seventeen years? It's almost like they have some type of awareness lol

[@tomeddy3971]

You are certainly quite the educator . . . Thank you.

[@TurboLoveTrain]

I wish you'd come to the PNW and do a whole series of the forests around here.

[@bahumbert59]

On the chestnut buds you’ll stick, Buds of beech are sharp and prick, Buds of ash are always put In tidy pairs as black as soot. In a jumble oak buds grow A most untidy twig they show. Reddish -brown are buds of plane, On the elm tree look again. See the leaf buds, small and brown, Growing up the twig and down, Flower buds you’ll see as well Brown and bead- like as they swell. Buds of sycamore show green, A big one at the top is seen. But smaller down the twig they grow. Lime buds ruby red will glow. Poplar buds in single line Down the twig in crimson shine. Thus may all the trees be known In winter by their buds alone. Author Enid Blyton.

[@Manyfires_BurningBrightly]

Very cool!! Thanks for sharing this!!

[@stevepatzer7044]

Thank you Adam. Happy Holidays to you and all the gentle souls that enjoy your knowledge. Trees are definitely easier to identify in the Winter. Subtle clues such as the way the sun glints off the upper branches can help to see similarities once you id one. Lack of leaves beneath (walnut) and rings of suckers (basswood) are other examples. Every outing brings new knowledge and the satisfaction of being closer to nature. Enjoy!

[@user-up5yb8kv4y]

I love this one color it's such a beautiful color it would look so good with your gorgeous eyes

[@theresalee9392]

Heavens to Betsy! Amazing!! Explains quite a bit!!

[@carolynblakeney966]

In my neck of the woods (Annapolis Maryland) my observations are the same, that the oak and beech species hang on to the leaves longer, but the fringetree/old man's beard shrub/tree can also slug on through a mild winter with some leaves intact, which is amazing as the specimen in my yard is far from mature. Climate change is real and is affecting life cycles all over the globe, and noticeably in the mid-Atlantic eastern U.S.

[@renatara9026]

Maybe some trees retain leaves longer because there is less wind or sun in this location or they are in the warmer microclimate, lets say in more sheltered area? It would particulary work for the smaller trees, which are sheltred under bigger trees.

[@SouthsideTile]

Western PA huh? Im in WNY, the ground is white just an hour or two north of you! Haha thanks for the good knowledge you always provide. This is going to come in handy when the grid goes down/gets taken out. To all the people of the world: PREPARE like your life depends on it, because it does. We are in for the most tumultuous year of our lifetimes (2024). God bless you all and may you learn new skills every day to keeo your family safe and healthy.

[@samwell2688]

Hey Adam, Great video as usual! I wanted to tell you I followed your advice from a few months ago and let the leaf fall tell me what trees I was standing under. Found a beautiful clumping Big Leaf Magnolia along a river in the Florida Parishes region of Louisiana. ~Magnolia ashei~ What a revelation!! Thanks for all you do!

[@DZ-rl8ut]

Wow, this was very timely, thank you

[@kbjerke]

I definitely learned something today. Thanks, Adam!

[@deminybs]

thanks for the knowledge 😁

[@northernmemaw4036]

Thank you so much for the information. I love your videos!😊

[@clarencerswann1360]

Awesome content. I always wondered about this and never knew that there was a term to describe it. Red Maple (Acer rubrim) is another genus I see here in south-central PA that displays marcescence, and like you mentioned, particularly among the less mature ones.

[@carolthomas770]

Yes, in S Ohio too. Red, black and scarlet oaks lose leaves, but some still hanging on. Shingle oak retains more.

[@clarencerswann1360]

@@carolthomas770 I have a hard time distinguishing black and scarlet oaks, but yes I also noticed that. I have a very large scarlet (or so I think it is) that not only drops its leaves much later than all the others, usually last with some hickories, but also it hangs on to some in the lower portion of the crown.

[@fatherofchickens7951]

Broad leaf deciduous trees. My new tounge twister😂

[@brucehuber4015]

Great topic and explanation. Hope all is well. Thank you.

[@quinntheeskimooutdoors6234]

Thanks, very good information 😊

[@kestrelfeather]

I learned a lot, beginning to end. Thanks for sharing your valuable knowledge. Cheers!

[@MikeOrazzi]

Nice info, thanks. We just spent a day tossing a few hundred acorns around our property while attempting to have something other than Maple, Ash and Cherry trees. Hopefully it works.

[@barrygraber9776]

Great video Thanks Adam. I certainly learned a few new things

[@Chad20109]

I have been trying to be better at identifying trees and your videos help a bunch! thanks!

[@Fernwald84]

Interesting implication of marcescence: I learned that the evolutionary reason for leaf drop was to protect the tree from snow damage caused by snow buildup on branches with leaves. You mentioned that marcescence is more common among younger, i.e. smaller, trees. These trees would naturally be more resistant to snow loading damage. Marcescence is a cool term, Adam. It's more scientific sounding than the poetic equivalent I got from my tree books, tardily deciduous. LOL

[@davidniemi6553]

For a good example of why dropping leaves in the winter can be a good idea, look no further than American Holly. It very often takes damage from heavy snowfalls and is often killed by it. It is simply not designed to grow farther north than the mid-Atlantic area. There is another side of this, on top of snow damage -- during the winter, when there is simply not that much sun to photosynthesize in temperate-to-northern latitudes, but high winds can tear down even large trees that still have leaves on. Dropping the leaves early or letting them blow off easily reduces this risk a lot; though perhaps the heavy snow problem is more decisive.

[@dougvogt8058]

Great information!! I learned a lot, including a new vocabulary word. I've always been aware of Ironwood and Hornbeam, but I never knew that they were in the birch family. Very interesting.