falling leaves

[Exeldama]

Today the leaves on an Oak tree in my garden fell off..............

Funny thing is they were actually last years and it didnt shed them til now.. same last year. Its a south facing tree about 15 years old in great nic..is this global warming aka climate change or is my tree lazy.

[Kentish Man]

I have a 2-year old oak bonsai which still has last year's leaves on it (dried, curled up and brown) - and I've been wondering the same thing. It appears to have some browny/orange buds on it that are still to break through. All the other oak bonsais I planted from seed last autumn/winter are already 6 inches high and have 8-10 vigorous leaves (all growing in the same spot). Perhaps my 2 y.o.and your tree are having a gap year...

[Twybill]

Oaks keeping dead leaves on until the new buds push them off is a common occurence, even in a hard winter. Younger Oaks keep more on but older ones, particularly in more sheltered spots and on the lower branches, also do this. Global warming is blamed for lots of things but is not responsible here.

This phenomenon is seen even better on Beech, which keep most of the dead leaves on smaller trees. In fact there is a cut-off height with Beech, above which all leaves are lost and below which all leaves remain. This is on young or older trees and it is quite a noticeable height line throughout a wood. Theories suggest it is the lower branches which are more prone to frost damage and the leaves may help protect against this.

There is one Oak which keeps its green leaves on all Winter, namely the Lucombe Oak, which is a hybrid between the Cork and Turkey Oak. This tree is seen more frequently in the South of England but there are some in the North. To see a tall Oak tree in midwinter with leaves still green is quite a sight.

[DaveTaz]

This is common with oak, beech and hornbeam when kept artificially small. ie as hedges. I was told what it was called many years ago but alas it's not in there any more!

[Exeldama]

Interesting...hmmmm i wonder why similar ones of same ish size apparent age in similar locales dont..is it just individual evolution..ie the additional protection of buds. ..

[carlight]

so , my thoughts;

seems to be totally random ,in young oak stands ,as to which ones keep their leavea/lose them . standard forestry blah is to refer to it as 'genetic variation' .

A pruned/clipped beech will keep it's leaves ,also ,if the branch has been brushed-by,by, human/deer/elephant.

Interesting to see the lucombe oak mentioned . 'Our' specimen fell over 2 years ago ,and provided ,i think,10-20 cube of firewood ,in the limbs .(really must get round to x-cutting/planking the butt ,b4 it turns to concrete!).It is believed that it was one of the original grafted stock produced by the impatient mr luc(c)ombe himself .

Any road ,far more common (south england), would be yer standard evergreen oak (holm oak /q.ilex /whatever ?) .They seem to have a one-off regeneration cycle ,losing alot of leaves in one go ,and getting new ones straight away .Happens about now ,just as the deciduous ones are turning green ,the evergreen turn sivery . Mind ,the latter are a bit silvery all year .

These evergreen oaks also appear to be hybridising . there again what doesn't .

sorry , gone on a bit ,and probably got lots wrong . please feel free to correct me .

[tracy]

Hi Enricoy

I think 6 inches in a year is pretty normal - oak is slow growing. They need lots of sunlight!