Reversing
the Flow
We all can remember the fierce winter weather, and perhaps memories of
last autumn have not yet faded. The process that creates the splendor
of autumn foliage is actually now in reverse. The sugar-rich sap that
left the upper twigs last fall for storage in the roots over winter is
now on its way back up the trunk to expand the buds and feed new leaves
and flowers.
Pictured are several sugar maple trees, which typically reveal colors
of yellow and orange in autumn. The spring color of these trees is a gentle
saffron yellow of the flowers which dangle on long threads and create
a hazy wash of color on forested slopes in early April. This is also the
"sugar tree" from which maple syrup is produced in late winter.
If you are sturdy afoot, a good place to see this tree in its natural
habitat is along Saddle Trail at WPC's Bear Run Nature Reserve, Fayette
County, or at WPC's Tryon-Weber Woods Natural Area in Crawford County.
A
good place to sample the sweetness of genuine maple syrup is the Pennsylvania
Maple Festival at Meyersdale, Pa. in Somerset County, which begins today.
Click here for more details.
E-mail Today's WPC Daily to a Friend!
Did you receive this WPC Daily from a friend? Want to get your own, every day? Click here to join the mailing list...