One of the biggest challenges for trees in winter is not so much the cold and snow but rather the dry conditions. Available water freezes in winter, creating desert-like conditions for plants.

Nature News: Squirrels aren't so bad after all Typical deciduous trees that lose their leaves every winter create a separation zone (abscission layer) between the leaf stem and the branch.

Figure 1. It may be winter, but these beech trees at Knox State Park in East Aurora, New York still have leaves on them. This is called marcescence.

Broadleaf, deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter to reduce water loss inside the trunk and branches. Most needle-leaved trees, known as conifers, which include pines and spruce, retain ...

The winter condition that often proves troublesome for plants, especially in a place like the Eagle River Valley, is the deep snowpack. Most would assume that underneath a thick blanket of white snow, ...

Gladu leads winter nature walks in the Midcoast region of Maine, where she points out the dark red of a Hemlock varnish shelf fungus, the spots where porcupines have stripped the bark off trees ...

Snow and winter rain may not be enough to keep trees hydrated during the colder months. Many types of garden plants need ...

At Friends of Trees, we apply the 3-3-3 rule to recently transplanted trees: Create a ring three feet in diameter that is three inches thick and at least three inches from the base of the trunk.

I write this article as I look out at a snow-covered landscape and give thanks for the warmth of my office. It is during these days that I’m reminded of the awesome adaptability of nature. Trees ...

The snow-covered pond outside Jeanette Henderson’s office in Calvin College’s Bunker Interpretive Center is surrounded by a forest of bare trees. Within a few minutes, the tree outside Henderson’s ...

Smelling the trees. Participants in “Naked Trees and Winter Twigs” will learn how to identify trees by sight, feel, and smell. Henderson explained: “When you’re outside exploring nature, it’s not ...