Memory vs. Reality

OK, if you live long enough you learn things you thought you already knew. Yes, I have long since known that the leaves of the trees main function is photosynthesis, and by using water, carbon dioxide and light they generate organic compounds and oxygen. I watched as they changed colors due to the Earth receiving less sunlight as winter approached and the air grew colder. I falsely believed this to be the tree’s survival technique to ward off the winter’s cold climate.

I now know that the cold is not what the tree fears. It fears death by drought. So, it seems that in order for the process of photosynthesis to happen, the leaves constantly sweat. And, because they have a large surface, they sweat large amounts of water. Because of this, the trees must shed their leaves in order not to dry up and die in the winter. When it is time to drop their leaves, they immediately seal the spots where the leaves are attached, preventing fluids from flowing in and out of the leaves, which changes the color and causes them to die and fall off. This is certainly not a romantic vision of Autumn.

Another false belief was that temperature triggers the beginning of the falling leaves. Obviously, it is just not so, in fact the tree seems to have an inner clock which is triggered by the length of the daylight. The shrinking daylight, not the temperature, is the trigger by which trees begin to shed their leaves. It seems that extremely warm Autumn weather will not stall the inevitable dropping of the leaves. The opposite is also true, warm winters will not trigger early renewal of leaves, the ole inner clock does it all. In fact, some leaves may have a genetic longevity, programming them to die after a certain period.

I have many memories of falling leaves, and they all have a romanticized image embedded deep in my memory storage system. Now, along comes information that turns my world upside down. I can no longer see a tree as saving it’s tender leaves from a bitter cold. I now envision the tree as savagely killing it’s leaves, through starvation, to selfishly stay alive. Not a pretty picture!