Why do the leaves fall off?
Every autumn we admire the golden leaves, we walk along the rustling fallen leaves. And why do the leaves turn yellow and fall off?
Let's find out the reasons for the fall of the leaves, not only in trees in forests and parks, but also in houseplants.
Why do we need leaves?
In nature, nothing happens by accident, and leaveson trees also have their purpose. Leaves are needed for the tree to be able to breathe and receive the extremely important substance for it - sucrose. Under the influence of bright sunlight, falling on the surface of the leaves, they produce sucrose, which is necessary for the growth of the tree and ripening of the fruit.
Also, the leaves participate in air exchange with the environment, absorbing and processing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.
Why leaves fall yellow?
Autumn is the natural period necessary for trees and bushes to recover. This is the time of rest when the tree is somehow asleep, preparing for the spring dawn and renewal.
With the onset of autumn, climaticconditions. The nights become longer and colder, and the light day is shorter. As fewer sun rays reach the surface of the leaves, photosynthesis slows down. The tree begins to feel the lack of nutrients, and gradually slows down all processes of life.
The color of the leaves also begins to change: Instead of the collapsing green chlorophyll, other coloring pigments are activated: carotene, anthocyan, xanthophyll. They paint the leaves in yellow, orange, and crimson.
Why fall leaves fall?
Nutrients through the leaves comes allless, and they do not need a tree. Gradually, the connection between the tree and leaves weakens. The leaves of the leaves stick to the tree worse, gradually fleeing from it from the slightest gust of wind.
The fall of leaves has another important significancefor a tree. It is in the leaves during their life accumulate a variety of harmful substances. By dropping them, the tree gets rid of dirt so that in the spring it will grow new, clean and healthy leaves, ready to perform their important work again.
In addition, in winter the tree lacks not only food, but also moisture. The leaves take a huge amount of liquid, so a natural fall leaf helps the tree save water.
Also, scientists found that the absence in winterleaves protects the branches of the tree from damage. After all, in the cold season on the leaves would inevitably accumulate snow, which could lead to breakage of branches.
The fallen leaves themselves also bring considerable benefits to the trees: from them a remarkable layer of fertilizer is formed, feeding the tree.
Why do leaves fall from houseplants?
Flower growers know that the leaves can turn yellow andfall not only in forest and park bushes and trees, but also in house plants, which, it would seem, do not care what the weather outside the window. Here are a few common reasons for this process:
- Some plants lose their leaves because of their natural obsolescence. Old leaves fall off, new ones grow on their place.
- Falling leaves from houseplants are often a sign of poor care. Maybe the plant is not properly watered or it does not get enough light.
- The plant begins to lose foliage aftertransferred stress, it's a reaction to shock. Some plants can fall not only leaves, but also buds. Stress can cause a strong draft, a transplant from one pot to another, an unpleasant neighborhood with another plant and even a move from one window-sill to the next.
- There is a kind of deciduous house plants, for which in principle it is characteristic to discard the leaves in winter. For example, they include garnet and figs.
Also you might be interested in the article Why the leaves turn yellow.
