Rewilding My Lot

This post describes two more trees that have put out new leaves for spring. (I am still waiting for Mexican Olive and Barbados Cherry to wake up.)

Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana). This was the first year for this young tree to bloom but the second year for it to grow leaves in spring. As the flowers were finishing, then new leaves appeared.

Live Oak (species unknown, planted by builder). There are two of these trees in front of the house. Live Oaks may appear to be evergreen. but they are in fact “tardily deciduous” in that they shed the previous year’s leaves in February or March as new leaves emerge. This year, as last year, the tree nearer the house is leafing out about two weeks ahead of the one nearer the street.

This is the tree that renews its leaves first of the two, and it has almost finished the process. There are only a few of the original leaves left in the center of the tree.

And this is the slower one. There are quite a few places where there are old and new leaves on the same branch, and the new leaves aren’t fully grown yet.