Don't let the winter chill fool you, beneath the frosted landscapes and bare branches, life is stirring in the form of tiny, resilient leaf and flower buds.
Jason W. Baker - Curator, Red Butte Garden
Don't let the winter chill fool you, beneath the frosted landscapes and bare branches, life is stirring in the form of tiny, resilient leaf and flower buds. So next time you see a seemingly lifeless branch, remember: it's not the end, it's just a pause. Within those tiny buds lies the promise of life awaiting to burst forth at the first sign of spring.
Find information to plan your visit here. Reposted from the Red Butte Garden blog. Photos by Glenn Eurick, Kaitlyn Kotar, Heidi M. Simper, and Jason W. Baker.
Prairifire Crabapple (Malus'Prairifire')
Stubbornly refusing to let go, last year's leaf petioles cling on just below this year's dormant bud.
Horse Chestnut buds are covered in a sticky resin. This resin creates a waterproof seal that lets the bud grow nice and big before they pop open later in the spring.
The soft hairs covering Magnolia buds insulate the delicate flower or leaf tissue inside the bud from the harsh winter elements, such as freezing temperatures and drying winds.
While hairs provide insulation in fuzzy buds, hairless buds often rely on other mechanisms like thicker scales, waxy coatings, or internal adaptations to protect themselves.