Their foliage

The foliage of plants in all its forms

The foliage of a plant is extremely adaptable. It can take the form of needle-like leaves to limit water evaporation, spines to defend itself or to collect dew; it can trap insects in carnivorous plants; it can become a storage organ in tropical succulents; it can be transformed into tendrils to hang on to in exotic climbing plants; it can float in aquatic plants... We find all kinds of exotic leaves, especially in tropical plants: heart-shaped leaves (Turtle plant), round leaves (Buddha belly plant), graphic foliage (Hardy tapioca),very small leaves (Myrthes), large leaves (Strelitzia nicolai). But also sensitive leaves that fold to the touch (Sensitive), velvet leaves (Hawaiian baby woodrose). Or even fragrant leaves (Bigaradier), colored leaves with beautiful autumn colors (Gingko).

What is the purpose of plant foliage?

The foliage of plants is primarily used to feed the plant. The leaf will capture CO2 from the air and sunlight and thanks to the water in the soil, the plant will be able to produce carbohydrates. A part will be consumed and another part will be stored in the trunk. It is also the leaf that makes the sap circulate in the plant: by "transpiring", i.e. by rejecting the water present in excess, it will create a phenomenon of suction which will make the sap of the roots rise.

Deciduous or evergreen?

Do some trees never lose their leaves?

It is often believed that a deciduous tree loses its leaves, while an evergreen tree keeps them. But all trees lose their leaves! Simply a deciduous plant will lose all its leaves at the same time in the fall, when the days get shorter and the light weakens. On the other hand, evergreen plants will renew their foliage little by little, sometimes over several years, giving the impression of an unchanging foliage. Some plants can be deciduous in some climates and evergreen in others. They can also be evergreen in some years and deciduous in a drought year for example.

Should I choose an evergreen plant in winter?

We tend to think that we must eliminate deciduous foliage in order to enjoy an evergreen hedge to hide our neighbors, or an evergreen climber to decorate an arbor, or an evergreen tree to rest under its shade. But don't forget that in winter, there are few of us in the garden, and that we would be depriving ourselves of all the variety of deciduous plants!