Backyard and Beyond

Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.

As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”

Beech

Leaves and flower of European beech, Fagus sylvatica. I don’t think this is one of those purple beeches (all the fancy copper, weeping, cut-leaf, etc. varieties stem from F. sylvatica), just that the new leaves are initially full of red. Not uncommon for just-budded leaves. Anthocyanins seem to protect the tender leaves from too much harsh UV light.

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