Almost Turkey Time.

11-24-25 SHORT HILLS: The Japanese maples are still clinging to some leaves. Oaks and beeches are holding on to brown leaves, as they do for most of the winter. Why they do this is unknown, but theories include protection of next years buds. Marcesence is the name of this phenomenon. 

I first noticed it, marcesence, while waiting in line for gas in the pre-dawn during that crisis years ago—all the oak street trees had lots of brown leaves in winter. Usually it is assumed that any trait offers some advantage to the species, but this one is a puzzle.

November continues to be mild. I don’t think there has been a hard frost here, and we’re getting rain now. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Japanese maple with autumn color late in the season. The leaves are green in summer.

Another one with red fall foliage.

One more with red foliage.

A Japanese maple without the red. They all have green leaves in summer.

One of several pedestrians on our street.