The moment of awakening: how the buds of different trees open. Research on the topic: "Why do trees need leaves?" Flowering shrubs in spring

Flowering of the European dogwood

After a boring winter with its icy conditions, early spring plants evoke an extraordinary feeling of elation, delighting the eye with their colors.

It is impossible without surprise to note their rapid growth and development. This is especially true for the flower. In some of the earliest flowering plants, it appears before the leaves, such as coltsfoot. In others, the flower blooms almost simultaneously with the leaves, like anemones and lungwort.
For rapid growth and development, herbaceous plants that do not have above-ground hibernating parts must have in the soil a sufficient supply of organic matter in the soil in roots, tubers and bulbs.

The trees are the first flowers to appear. And it's always like a miracle. But here is another clue.

camellia japonica

If the trees are wind-pollinated (birch, hazel, willow ..), then flowers appear first - catkins, and then leaves. Otherwise, the foliage will interfere with the transfer of pollen by wind from tree to tree.
The flowering of decorative tree species is not just a bright addition to their appearance This is their unique look. And if there are many flowering woody plants and they replace each other, then this is an unforgettable picture. Flowers on trees are always more impressive than in a flower bed.

Especially beautiful flowering woody plants on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, where they give a southern flavor to parks, gardens, squares and boulevards.

Beautiful flowering woody plants bloom there already in February: fragrant honeysuckle, fragrant daphne, Japanese camellia.

The main flowering of early spring flowering species occurs in March. On completely bare branches, buds of magnolia, jasmine, European dogwood and Mediterranean erica bloom of indescribable beauty.

Magnolia

Jasmine Holiflora

Coltsfoot

The tree that opens the flowering season is alder. Its inflorescences are inconspicuous, but nevertheless, during the period of mass flowering, they will certainly attract attention if we pass somewhere along the bank of a stream or near a ravine at this time, where alders are usually found. Even from a distance you can see the reddish tint of the tree crown. Coming closer, we will see a large number of drooping earrings, which, with the slightest tapping on the trunk or a breath of wind, will throw out whole clouds of yellow dust. In addition to these earrings, we will also find numerous black knobs on the alder. While the catkins are the male alder buds, these buds are last year's female buds that are still hanging on the tree and fall off only by early summer.

Almost simultaneously with the alder in early spring, when snowdrifts still lie in the depths of the forest, the hazel, or hazel, a common and well-known shrub in our forests, blooms on the edge, on the sun-baked slopes. However, hazel is popular only in autumn, when its fruits ripen; in the spring no one pays attention to him, especially when he stands in a leafless state. Meanwhile, just at this time, he is perhaps the most interesting in a biological sense. Hazel blossom is taken by some phenologists as the beginning of the third period of spring, which at this time finally comes into its own.

First flowering shrub
Almost simultaneously with alder in early spring, when snowdrifts still lie in the depths of the forest, hazel, or hazel, a common and well-known shrub in our forests, blooms on the edge, on the sun-baked slopes. However, hazel is popular only in autumn, when its fruits ripen; in the spring no one pays attention to him, especially when he stands in a leafless state. Meanwhile, just at this time, he is perhaps the most interesting in a biological sense. Hazel blossom is taken by some phenologists as the beginning of the third period of spring, which at this time finally comes into its own. At this time, warm sunny days are usually already set, the snow melts quickly and the awakening of the plant world becomes more and more noticeable every day. If the birch and maple, with the beginning of their sap flow, seemed to catch the first glimpses of the coming spring, then the modest flowers of the hazel mark its complete reversal, the final victory over winter.

Early flowering of hazel, as well as alder, is possible only thanks to the advance preparation of its inflorescences. Throughout the winter, on its branches, we observe male earrings, in which there are fully formed flowers. They endure thirty-degree frosts, but as soon as they begin their development, they already become much more sensitive to lower temperatures and during the flowering period they often suffer from frost. The structure of male hazel earrings at first glance resembles the already familiar alder earrings.

The development of a flower earring in spring occurs with exceptional speed. As soon as the sun warms and the temperature rises, the earrings begin to crack, and the stem on which the flowers sit stretches and grows almost before our eyes. So, for example, on a cut branch of a hazel in a humid chamber, the stem of a male earring elongated by as much as 3 cm in a day. The rate of anther cracking is closely dependent on the degree of air humidity. In a humid atmosphere, the opening of the anthers is delayed for several days, but if the earring is moved to a dry place, it occurs in half an hour. This circumstance is of great importance in the life of the plant. It allows him, as it were, to wait out rainy weather and postpone flowering until a more favorable time. However, in rainy weather, the already opened gaps of the anthers have the ability to close again. It also significantly reduces waste of pollen. The amount of pollen released by hazel trees during the flowering period is enormous. One earring of it gives about 4 million pollen grains, and if we assume that there will be at least a hundred such earrings on an average bush, but in fact much more, then one can imagine what a colossal amount of tiny dust particles is carried in spring in the air in our forests. Let's turn now to female flowers hazel. Unlike males, they are hidden in the kidney in winter and become noticeable only in spring, when purple tassels of stigmas appear from the scales.

Does the intense red color of the stigmas have any biological significance? Many probably paid attention to the fact that young leaves developing from buds in spring, or sprouts of herbaceous perennials are bright red in color. It is clearly visible on large sprouts. horse sorrel or on young leaves of maple, cherry or oak. This red color is due to the presence in plant tissues of a special pigment - anthocyanin, dissolved in cell sap. We will dwell on it in more detail in the chapter on leaf fall, and now we will point out that anthocyanin is currently ascribed the role of an additional trap from the wind. By absorbing the green and blue rays of the spectrum, it contributes to an increase in the temperature in the cells, which in the cool spring time has great importance. It is believed that the intense pink color of the stigmas of hazel, as well as the purple color of the female alder inflorescences, thus accelerates the germination of pollen on the stigmas, which occurs more vigorously under conditions of elevated temperature.

When buds are laid at the hazel
Deployment of leaves in hazel occurs much later than its flowering. Only after the male earrings have dusted off, darken, dry up and begin to fall off the branches, the buds begin to bloom, covering the shrub with a delicate green haze. Why do leaf buds open much later than female flower buds or male catkins? Why is the development of our shrub proceeding with such a regular sequence, first opening its huge flowers, and then dressing in its green attire? It can be assumed that in hazel, as well as in most of our other trees and shrubs that bloom before leafing out, the development of flower and the development of vegetative buds are different stages, for the onset of which different temperature conditions are required. The deployment of vegetative buds requires much more heat than the development of flower buds. Hazel buds, having begun their development, subsequently bloom extremely quickly, since all the necessary parts have been laid in them since the previous year. This bud formation takes place much earlier than is usually imagined, and already in the middle of summer, in most of our trees and shrubs, fully formed buds can always be found on young shoots. So, for example, on May 25, buds consisting of 6-10 scales were observed on young growing shoots of hazel. On June 10, there were already 12-14 scales on these buds, but leaf primordia were not yet noticeable among them. They appeared in the buds in early July, first in the amount of one or two, and by August 11 the next 2-3 leaves had developed.

It is remarkable that already at that time in the axils of these tiny leaves, under strong magnification, small buds of two to four scales could be found. These bud primordia must therefore overwinter twice before they begin their development. This is how long the hazel buds go through before they become noticeable or we pay attention to them!

What are kidney scales
In most plants, for example, in willow, hawthorn, wild rose, etc., in adult leaves, we can distinguish three main parts - the leaf blade, which serves for light nutrition of plants, the petiole, which supports the leaf blade and attaches it to the stem, and, finally, stipules. Stipules usually look like two small leaves located at the base of the leaf petiole, and their purpose is not always clear at first glance. However, the significant role that they play in plant life becomes clear in the spring, when the buds on the trees begin to develop. It turns out that in hazel, as in most of our trees and shrubs, the bud scales, which play such a significant role in the life of plants in winter, are nothing more than stipules, which in the bud significantly outstrip the corresponding leaves in their development. At the hazel, the stipules fall off, having fulfilled their purpose, immediately after the shoot develops, and in the summer it is no longer possible to find them on the shoots. In linden, this fall of stipules at the time of leafing out is so noticeable that in linden forests in spring all the soil under the trees is strewn with pinkish or slightly greenish bud scales. In other trees, stipules persist throughout the life of the plant. They turn green and take part in assimilation. However, one should not think that in all our trees and shrubs the kidney scales are formed by stipules. The currant is completely devoid of stipules, and in its buds the scales are expanded leaf petioles. At horse chestnut kidney scales are modified leaf blades. This is not difficult to verify at the moment of blooming of its large buds, where you can easily observe all the transitions between bud scales and real leaves. We now know what the bud scales of the hazel are. Let's see how they are arranged. There is one interesting detail here. If we make a transverse section through the kidney scale and look at it under a microscope, we will find a special cavity inside. This cavity is filled with air, which is known to be a very poor conductor of heat. As a result, the protective role of scales increases, which protect delicate leaf primordia from sudden temperature fluctuations.

After the shoot of the hazel finishes its development - flowering, deployment of growth buds, growth of shoots and the laying of new buds, we will not notice further significant changes. Nevertheless, important processes of seed maturation in fertilized ovaries and the deposition of reserve substances in leaf buds and flower male catkins take place in summer, which ensures their development next spring.

Seed ripening in hazel is extremely slow. Despite the fact that this shrub blooms extremely early, its fruits fully ripen only by September. In this it differs sharply from our other trees and shrubs, the fruiting period of which is much shorter. It is especially curious that the period of fruit ripening in willow and aspen usually does not exceed a month, while in hazel it averages four months. It is difficult to say what these features of the fruiting of various plants are connected with, however, in the future we will partially return to this issue.

Our willows in early spring
In early spring, among our wind-pollinated trees and shrubs, hung with modest, nondescript catkins, flowering willow bushes attract attention from afar. At this time, against the gray, still transparent background of the forest, bright yellow willow inflorescences stand out sharply, densely covered with sticky pollen and emitting a delicate and pleasant aroma. However, long before flowering, many willows, especially red willow, become quite noticeable due to their graceful fluffy inflorescences, known as "lambs". The sudden appearance of these "lambs" in the middle of winter, in January or February, is one of the most curious phenomena in the life of our spring nature. However, before getting acquainted with the vital characteristics of willows, it should be noted that we have a large number of species. In total, in the flora of the USSR, there are currently about 170 species of willows, and in the Moscow region alone, their number reaches 40. With such a variety of species, willows have the ability to give hybrids with each other, and often double and triple. At present, even five and six hybrids are known, which are extremely difficult to understand. We will have in mind only some of the most famous and common willows among those that bloom in early spring before the leaves bloom. This includes the well-known red willow, or red willow (Salix purpurea), common in the south of the European part of the USSR, reaching in the north to the southern border of the Moscow region and introduced into culture; goat willow, or bred willow (Salix caprea), ubiquitous in forests, and ash willow (S. cinerea), growing in damp places in most of the USSR. Other willows that are widespread in our country, such as the white willow (Salix alba) or the brittle willow (Salix fragilis), growing along the banks of ponds and near dwellings in the form of large weeping trees, bloom much later, simultaneously with the development of young leaves.

When willow flower buds awaken from their winter sleep
The dormant period of our early willows lasts until mid-January. Until this time, their kidneys are densely scaled and do not show any noticeable changes. However, starting from the end of January, flower buds begin to show undoubted signs of incipient development. The caps crack at the very base and, not being able to embrace the swelling flower earring, gradually move towards its top or to the side, and then completely fall off. However, this process proceeds at an extremely slow pace and usually ends completely only by the second half of March.

The dropping of caps in our early willows is an extremely interesting phenomenon. In February, there are the lowest temperatures, twenty-degree frosts often crack and the soil freezes to the maximum depth. Nevertheless, the swelling of flower catkins undoubtedly indicates the beginning of the development of plants, their exit from winter stupor. The life of our trees in winter has not yet been studied enough, but there is reason to believe that during periods of thaw and on warm sunny days, sap flow begins in individual branches of willows. In them, the transformation of spare substances takes place and they move to the kidneys from various parts of the crown and trunk.

Let us now follow further the development of flower catkins in the willow. Having thrown off their caps, they look like elegant, fluffy white balls, similar from a distance to small tufts of cotton wool. What do their numerous hairs represent? It is best to answer this question at the time of flowering willow. At this time, it is easy to see that willow inflorescences are of two varieties: both male and female, and they are located on different bushes in such a way that on one bush there are only male earrings, and on the other - female.

Male willow flowers are built very simply. They are devoid of perianth and are covered with only one scale in the axil, in which there are usually two (some willows have more) stamens. The scales are usually two-colored: yellowish-green below, blackish above. The upper part of the scale is covered with long numerous hairs, which give the unflowered earring a characteristic fluffy appearance. The significance of these hairs in the life of the plant is quite clear. Dressing the buds like a fur coat, they give them the opportunity to endure low temperatures and its sharp fluctuations without any harm at a time when the caps covering them fall off. Female willow flowers have a similar structure, except that instead of stamens there is an oblong ovary thickened downwards, resembling a bottle in shape. This ovary at the top passes into a style with a bifid stigma, the sticky surface of which catches the pollen that falls on it. In addition to scales, stamens and pistils, in male and in women's colors willows have special nectaries at the base of the covering scales that secrete sweet juice-nectar. Willows, unlike most of our other early-flowering trees and shrubs, are pollinated with the help of insects, which are attracted, on the one hand, by fragrant nectar, and on the other, by a large amount of pollen, densely sticking to flower earrings during the flowering period.

Such a simple structure of flowers in our willows, devoid of any trace of perianth, somehow does not fit with their method of pollination; in addition, all the rest, by the way, more ancient representatives of the willow family - various poplars and aspens - are typical wind-pollinated plants. Therefore, it is now believed that willows are secondarily adapted for pollination with the help of insects, and this adaptation could have arisen in relatively recent times. This is indicated, among other things, by the large number of species of insects that visit willow flowers, reaching up to eighty. Among them we will meet bumblebees, ordinary and earthen bees, butterflies and some flies. This diverse range of pollinators indicates that willows do not have a particular specialization in this direction, while the flowers of most other entomophilous plants are strictly adapted to a particular species or group of insects. We will explore some of these devices in the next chapter.

It is also interesting to note that at present there is reason to believe that the ancestors of our willows had bisexual flowers, as indicated by the not so rare appearance of special freaks in the goat willow in the form of flowers that have both a pistil and a stamen. It is possible that the transition to dioecy gave willows a number of advantages in terms of protection against self-pollination. However, all this still remains in the area of the most remote assumptions.

Autumn leaf fall

Autumn leaf fall - unusually bright and amazing phenomenon nature that amazes with beauty. Looking at the golden leaves flying around, which are spreading with soft carpets, the question certainly arises: how does this process work and why, in fact, do the leaves fall in autumn?

Many tree species are shedding their leaves to survive adverse weather conditions. In the tropics and subtropics, the leaves fall off at the beginning of the dry season; in temperate regions, trees lose their leaves in the fall when cold weather approaches. Trees that shed their leaves at certain times of the year are known as deciduous trees. Trees whose leaves do not fall are called evergreen trees.

Most species of deciduous trees have broad leaves that fall off in cold or dry weather. Evergreen trees, unlike deciduous trees, grow in humid, warm climates or have weather-resistant needles.

Interesting fact: Evergreen trees retain their leaves throughout the year because their foliage is covered with wax to keep out the cold, and their cells contain antifreeze agents. chemical substances, which do not allow the tree to freeze at low ambient temperatures. Deciduous trees, on the other hand, are very susceptible to cold.

Evergreen trees retain their foliage throughout the year

Reasons for leaf fall:

daylight hours;
leaf damage;
arid climate;
cold climate;
tree pollination.

day length

Destruction of chlorophyll in the leaf with a reduction in daylight hours

In autumn, daylight hours gradually decrease. As exposure to daylight decreases, the production of chlorophyll, the green pigment that the plant uses to absorb sunlight and then convert it into nutrients, decreases; and the process of photosynthesis (which is carried out with the participation of chlorophyll) slows down until it stops.

Interesting:

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As a result, the production of sucrose, which plants use as food, stops, and, consequently, the supply of nutrients to the tree is limited. To reduce the need for nutrients and withstand cold or drought, trees shed their leaves.

Interesting fact: It has been observed that forest trees shed their leaves faster than urban ones. This is due to the fact that the city has more lighting, including artificial (lanterns, light from windows, cars, etc.).

Leaf damage

By the end of summer, the leaves are damaged by insects, disease, or general wear and tear and are ready to be renewed. With the arrival of autumn, the trees are faced with low ambient temperatures, cold winds and other conditions that also damage the leaves. For these reasons, the leaves fall off. In addition, in addition to nutrients, the leaves collect harmful substances(metabolites, excess mineral salts). Therefore, getting rid of the leaves, the plant is cleansed.

arid climate

Deciduous trees shed their foliage during dry spells to avoid desiccation

In hot weather, the leaves evaporate a lot of moisture. The roots of the tree, supplying the leaves, lose a large amount of water. Coniferous foliage, so-called. evergreen trees do not fall off, since their needles, occupying a small surface area, require less moisture compared to deciduous trees. Thus, deciduous trees shed their leaves during the dry season to reduce their need for moisture and avoid desiccation.

cold climate

In autumn, trees, feeling the reduction of daylight and the decrease in air temperature, begin to prepare for the cold. To conserve sufficient water and energy resources for winter period, plants accumulate nutrients and get rid of leaves. This process occurs cyclically and does not harm the plant. This is how autumn leaves fall.

Interesting:

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Accumulation of nutrients

Trees collect valuable nutrients (nutrients) from the leaves and store them in the roots for further use. Chlorophyll (the pigment that turns leaves green) is the first to break down into nutrients. By the way, in connection with this, the leaves change color in autumn from green to orange, crimson, gold.

Separating the leaves from the tree

A separating layer of cells separates the leaf from the branch, resulting in the process of leaf fall.

Leaves are sheared from the tree with a sheath that forms at the point where the stem of the leaf joins the branch, and is a collection of cells. As the autumn days shorten, this layer clogs the vessels on the stem of the leaf, which move water into the leaf and nutrients into the tree. After the stem is clogged, the layer becomes dry and scaly and, as a result of decomposition, separates the leaf from the tree. In the spring, new stems appear in place of fallen leaves and leaves grow.

Trees, getting rid of the leaves, enter into a state of suspended animation, which is compared to deep sleep. At this time, the plant uses the nutrient reserves deposited in the summer.

Benefits of fallen leaves

Fallen leaves continue to benefit trees

Fallen leaves do not lose ecological significance. When decomposed, their beneficial substances flow into the soil and feed future generations of plant and animal life. Thanks to this, the tree receives the necessary nutrients to grow new leaves. In addition, a layer of discarded leaves covering the soil warms the tree and protects it from freezing in the cold season.

Ulanova L. A., Jordan S. O. Guidelines for organizing and conducting walks for children aged 3-7 years.

Target- repeat the names of the trees. Discuss the structure of a tree (trunk, branches, leaves).

Progress of the walk

Observation: Pay attention to the fact that after winter sleep, each tree comes to life. Spring juices rise up the trunk to the branches, fill the buds, and they swell, swell, just about ready to burst. Consider the buds on the branches: in poplar they are long, sticky, fragrant, and in birch they are round, small. Look closely at the leaves that have appeared. On the birch - shriveled, sticky, accordion-like, dark green. On poplar - shiny, sticky, dark green. Considering the kidneys with children of older groups, explain that some trees wake up earlier, others later. To tell about healing properties birch and pine buds. Touch the leaves, find similarities and differences. Watch the leaves grow. Observe the planting of trees and shrubs, digging the earth. Explain why this is being done.

Related verses:

Noisy warm winds
Spring has been brought to the fields.
Earrings are fluffed on a willow,
Furry, like bumblebees.
Ya.Akim

The snow is already melting, streams are running,
Spring blew through the window ...
The nightingales will soon whistle,
And the forest will be dressed in foliage.
A. Pleshcheev

A little sun warmed the slopes
And it became warmer in the forest,
birch green braids
Hung from thin branches.
V. Rozhdestvensky

Got out of the kidneys
The first leaves
Rejoice in the sun
They will not understand from sleep:
- Is it really...
Is it summer?
- No, it's not summer yet.
But it's already spring!
V. Danko

Yesterday, the whole krokovnik shone -
He was cheeky and funny.
And now it has immediately blossomed,
It stands under the greenery.
E. Blaginina

Puzzles

I open my kidneys
In green leaves
I dress the trees
I water the crops.
Full of movement
My name is ... (spring).

The pillars are white
They have green caps.
(Birch)

Mother-spring I am in a colored dress,
Stepmother in winter - in a shroud alone.
(Bird cherry)

Above the water
Stands with a red beard.
(Kalina)

Proverb

May the forest dresses up, summer awaits for a visit.

Didactic games

"Review and Describe"- children examine and describe the plants proposed by the teacher. The goal is to consolidate children's knowledge about changes in nature in the spring. Learn to observe nature, to see the beauty of the landscape. Cultivate respect for nature.

"What leaf"- children describe the leaf of the tree proposed by the teacher. The goal is to use relative adjectives in speech.

Exercises for the development of fine motor skills of the hands

Lay out the leaves from the stones.
Fastening the leaves with a sprig, make a belt or wreath, hat.

Labor and individual exercise

Clear the ground of old foliage. Plant a tree or shrub.
Jump to the leaf (high jump).

Outdoor games

Gawker. The goal is to develop attention, practice throwing and catching the ball. Game progress: Children stand in a circle and begin to throw the ball, calling by name the one who should catch. The one who drops the ball stands in a circle and, on the instructions of the children, performs 2-3 exercises with the ball.

"Hunter". The goal is to practice throwing and throwing the ball. Game progress. One is chosen "hunter", all the rest - "game". "Hunter" plays the ball, the rest at this time walk around the court. After 3-4 exercises, he shouts: "Game!" Everyone stops, and he stains one of the children from his place. The tarnished becomes the hunter's assistant. The game continues until a certain number of assistants (3-5 people) appear.

In this article, we have collected material on the topic "tree leaves" and "tree structure". Acquaintance with the tree begins for the child in his earliest childhood.

Each yard has its own good-natured giant, who will gladly shelter from the scorching sun, rain, share fallen leaves and dry twigs for all kinds. However, many children perceive trees as nameless satellites, not thinking about the fact that each of them has its own name, has a complex structure and performs important tasks. Therefore, with a deeper study of trees, kids make many discoveries for themselves.

For example, children will be interested to know what parts a tree consists of. To do this, we use a schematic image of a tree and talk about each part of it:

The roots of a tree are its foundation. They feed the tree by absorbing the nutrients dissolved in the water, and also keep it upright. The larger the tree, the richer its root system.
The trunk of a tree is, as it were, its body. All the substances extracted by the roots pass up the trunk, while branches begin to depart from the trunk. It is important to note that a real tree has one trunk, but shrubs have several, even large, trunks.
Tree branches - support for leaves; it is on the branches that buds are formed, from which leaves and flowers then appear. Nutrients also pass through them. Over time, the branches become wider and harder (woody), and new branches appear from them.
The foliage of a tree is an organ that allows the tree to exchange substances with environment. Thanks to the leaves, the tree absorbs carbon dioxide harmful to humans from the air, here organic substances are formed from it under the action of sunlight, and through the leaves the tree releases the oxygen that we breathe.
All the leaves and branches of the tree form its crown - a lush hat that gives shade and shelters us from the rain.

Having studied the structure of a tree, you can proceed to the next stage - to find out how it comes into being. Where and how do trees grow? The answer to this question can be represented in the form of a circular diagram.

So, let's take it all apart life cycle fruit tree:

A seed is the source of life for every plant, including a tree. It contains a small germ and the initial supply of nutrients that the germ needs in order to germinate through the seed coat. Once in the soil, the embryo begins to actively develop, pecks through the shell, grows and puts out roots, with which it absorbs the substances necessary for its growth from the ground.

After many years, the embryo turns into a tree, which, having reached a certain age, acquires the ability to reproduce its own kind.

In spring, buds form on the branches of a tree, in which an organ of amazing beauty and smell develops - a flower.

The flower of a fruit tree is arranged in such a way that when pollinated (by wind or insects), a small rudiment of the fruit is formed in it.

The beginning of its development and rapid growth occurs in the spring, when buds are actively formed on the branches, from which leaves and flowers subsequently appear. No wonder it is said that in spring the trees come to life after a winter sleep.

In summer, the trees appear before us in all their glory. They constantly interact with the outside world, feed, replenish the reserves of substances necessary for their life. The leaves of the trees are constantly working in the summer, turning into a real factory for processing carbon dioxide, and producing oxygen and nutrients from it.

All vital processes in the tree are on the decline: daylight hours become shorter, and the amount of sunlight is not enough to form new chlorophyll molecules in the leaves, so the foliage gradually changes its color and falls off. Leaf fall not only saves the tree's strength, which it will need to survive the harsh winter, but also saves tree branches from breaking off, which can occur under the weight of the fallen snow.

The tree seems to freeze. It economically spends the reserves accumulated over the summer and is looking forward to the arrival of the first spring warmth.

But not all trees go through such a cycle of transformations, but only those that have leaves, that is, deciduous ones. But the trees, whose branches are covered with needles - needles (coniferous) all winter look the same as in summer.

The most famous coniferous tree is. Of course, it became famous thanks to the Russian tradition of decorating spruce branches on New Year's Eve. Spruce reproduces with the help of cones that form during the summer.

But of the deciduous trees, the most common are:

- a tree with bright berries and beautiful jagged foliage, which looks especially impressive in autumn. There is a version that it was called mountain ash because its leaves are quite small and, when the wind blows, they tremble, causing ripples in the eyes of the one who looks at it.

Birch is a symbol of Russia, unique tree with white bark. Its very name comes from a Slavic word meaning "shine, turn white." The birch is also interesting for its flowers, which look like earrings, and the fact that its branches are very long and thin, they seem to hang down.

Poplar is a frequent companion of human habitation. Poplars are planted near houses because they grow quickly - which means they start to purify the air early and absorb well excess moisture. In the wild, poplar is often found in wetlands, for which it got its name, which in translation from Slavic means "marshy place, swamp." Poplar fruits are boxes from which seeds are spilled, covered with many silky hairs - poplar fluff. This fluff gives people a lot of inconvenience, so poplars are often cut off, leaving only non-fruitful branches at the top.

Oak - a tree - a giant, especially revered by our ancestors. Its fruits - acorns - were used to make a drink that replaces coffee, but oak bark and wood, which is distinguished by its strength and beautiful color, have found even greater use among people.

Maple is the owner of the most beautiful leaves with sharp edges. A sweet aromatic maple syrup is obtained from its juice.

Elm is a tree, wood, branches and bark of which people have used for the manufacture of furniture, tools and even weapons since ancient times. Elm bark (bast) is strong and flexible, it was tied various items for which the tree got its name. Shoes were woven from bast.

Chestnut is a tree with unusual fruits, the core of which resembles a nut. It is believed that the word "chestnut" has the same root with the word "porridge", since chestnut fruits were often eaten.

Willow is a tree with unusual long branches and narrow leaves. Its name comes from the word "twist", which is explained by the main use of willow branches - baskets were woven from them, furniture was woven.

In order to better remember the names of the trees, you can play a simple game: shuffle the cards with the image of the leaves and the trees themselves, and then match them and name them.

From the leaves you can make a very interesting visual aid for children. To do this, you need to collect leaves different types and laminate them.

Cut out the leaves slightly stepping back from the edge.

We get a living manual for the study of leaf types.

Print on a separate piece of paper the names of the trees from where you collected the leaves. The name of the tree is compared with the leaf itself, studying and memorizing its shape and structural features.

Images of leaves are more visible in coloring pages, where you can see their contour and give color depending on the expected season and shades characteristic of a particular tree.

birch coloring page