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Sensory joy

Orangegnome

I have just returned from a walk round where I live, and it’s windy and quite bright, I’ve got my sunglasses on, but no headphones today. I just walked past this large hedge covered in dry brown leaves, and it made the most exquisite noise as I passed ( it was the wind rustling the leaves). I felt such joy hearing it so clearly, it really made my day. That’s it really. 

Parents

  • Aspen, a type of tree, has unusual flattened leaf stalks (petioles), the bit the connects the flat leaf blade to the branch. Instead of being round, the flat shape allows the leaves to wobble in the breeze. It gives a distinctive appearance to the tree.

    I first encountered it in the US and Canada. But there is a European Aspen too. I am fortunate that there is a stand opposite my workplace, on a bank by the side of the road. They are allegedly common, but I have not seen them elsewhere.

    I look at them every day. I am waiting for the leaves to come back. I love looking at them. I point them out to everyone else, but they don't seem to enjoy them as much.

    They also go a lovely yellow in the autumn, sometimes with pinks and oranges too.

Reply

  • Aspen, a type of tree, has unusual flattened leaf stalks (petioles), the bit the connects the flat leaf blade to the branch. Instead of being round, the flat shape allows the leaves to wobble in the breeze. It gives a distinctive appearance to the tree.

    I first encountered it in the US and Canada. But there is a European Aspen too. I am fortunate that there is a stand opposite my workplace, on a bank by the side of the road. They are allegedly common, but I have not seen them elsewhere.

    I look at them every day. I am waiting for the leaves to come back. I love looking at them. I point them out to everyone else, but they don't seem to enjoy them as much.

    They also go a lovely yellow in the autumn, sometimes with pinks and oranges too.

Children
  • in reply to Stuart333

    If you want another interesting feature of aspen, they appear to be able to spread by suckers, i.e. shoots that sprout up from their roots.

    There is one in Utah with 47,000 stems. All are genetically identical (clones,) and convected to each other by roots.  It is over 9000 years old. 

    It even has its own name, Pando, is protected and has a Wikipedia page.

    en.wikipedia.org/.../Pando_(tree)

    Trees can exchange food and chemical messages with each other through their roots. Even ones that are not related and are separate plants 

    There are other interesting tress. I spent a year learning about them when I was out of work a few years ago.

  • in reply to Stuart333

    Oh that's really cool fact, I'd heard the phrase but didn't know the science. 

    There was a woodland planted in a valley in a rewinding project I know of, I think there might have been some Aspen (I'd noted as I'd always thought they were American, I hadn't known we had a variety). It's been a while since we went last, I wonder if they've grown enough to see it. Maybe a trip for summer.

  • in reply to Stuart333
    Stuart333 said:
    Instead of being round, the flat shape allows the leaves to wobble in the breeze. It gives a distinctive appearance to the tree.

    Populous tremula.

    I was reading a novel set in the US last night and there was a reference to the Aspens trembling.

    Until your post I hadn't understood so thanks for that.

    I read that they are being planted in Scotland.