Liquidamber has to be one of the best trees for the small garden in autumn and winter.
It develops the usual colours associated with autumn but holds onto its leaves and the colours get more and more intense as the season progresses.
So for this post I shall regularly take pics of our Liquidamber to illustrate how they change.
The first three photos were taken in October, at which time greens were still bright and frequent amongst the yellows and oranges.
Early in December the colours are richer and not much evidence of green remains.
In mid-December a rim of frost decorated each leaf, emphasising their palmate shape and adding depth to the tints of fire.
By January the leaves are beginning to look dry with browns becoming the commonest colours.
Now in mid-March I would normally be able to enjoy the deepest of red leaves it is possible to imagine and they would be clinging onto their stems until new season leaves force them to release their grip and drop to the ground.
This year this eagerly anticipated redness has failed to appear and the remaining leaves are just crisp and dull brown. Half have already fallen and the others look as if they will soon give up their grip.
Once spring arrives and instigates budburst I shall start taking photos of our Liquidamber once again and follow the progress of its leaves throughout the year.
6 replies on “The ever changing colours of Liquidamber”
Dear Malc and Jude
Just to keep you up to date.
Dick went into Shrewsbury Hospital on Tuesday for his bowel operation. It was a longer op than expected, done traditionally, where they’d hoped to do it as a keyhole. He lost about 30 cms of colon and his appendix and has ended up with a ‘bag for life’ colostomy.
He was weak and weary yesterday, but is sounding a bit brighter this morning. Your ramblings are interesting and informative – but as the only poor old bugger to still be at work, I don’t get to read them often! I’ve got 2 weeks off to look after Dick so I might get round to some in between donning the nurses’ outfit!
Hope all ok for you and the families. B x
Hi Barbara Sorry to hear Dick is in hospital. How long has he got to stay in for? Malc
Love the photos with the frost but I’m really looking forward to when you take the pictures of the new buds because that will mean we’re all outside getting our hands dirty. 🙂
Any day now I shall post some pics of crocus opened by the brightness of the sun. Malc
I agree it’s hard to beat Liquid Amber to add color to a small garden. Wonderful pictures.
They have the added benefit of growing neatly columnar too.