The other day I went for a walk along my favorite coastal Maine trail and heard a recurring comment from many hikers I passed; "It's too bad there are so many pine trees that are dying." There were a number of theories purposed as to why there is this great die off of trees which ranged from: "I guess they can't handle the salt water" to "they must have that bug like we do back home."
As I walked I tried to figure out just why people kept thinking that the pine trees were dying. Then it dawned on me as children we are taught, by well meaning elementary school teachers, there are two types of trees deciduous trees which loose there leaves every fall and evergreens which keep their leaves (pine needles) year round. However, most teachers fail to tell us that even though evergreens keep their needles year round they do in fact loose 50% of their needles each fall leading to that thick carpet of dead pine needles under every pine tree each fall. To conserve resources pine trees do in fact loose their needles. Once the lost 50% regrow in the spring the tree will loose the other 50% of its needles and begin to regrow them. So each year pine trees loose and regrow all of their needles.
Plus this time of year the tamarack trees put on one heck of a show by turning a yellowish gold and dropping all of their needles at once. Tamaracks are the only truly deciduous pine trees in North America.
Have no fear they pine trees are not dying they are merely getting ready for winter. Get out there and see of you can find some tamarack trees in your neighborhood.
pine trees shed needels
Hemlocks
No comments:
Post a Comment