New Leaves

Some people “ooh” and “aah” over babies.  I feel that way about new leaves.  Miniature versions of the mature leaf are just so darn cute!  Some of them have bronze colored new growth that fades to green as they grow, and some are very shiny.  All of them are fresh and new and as yet unspoiled by any of the hazards yet to come.  Here is a collection of new leaf pictures from this spring in my yard and neighborhood.  You can enlarge any picture by clicking on it.

Some oaks: Shumard oak, Post oak, Swamp Chestnut oak, and White oak:

Quercus shumardii

Quercus stellata

Quercus michauxii

Quercus alba

Here is the 'Forest Pansy' cultivar of Eastern Redbud (it looks almost plastic!) and Southern Catalpa.

Cercis canadensis

Catalpa bignonioides

Some compound leaves: Bottlebrush buckeye looks like stars, Hickory leaves arch gracefully and Green Ash leaves remind me a bit of poison ivy!

Aesculus parviflora

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Carya sp.

Two shiny ones that lose that shine at maturity and a favorite viburnum (I do really like leaves that have opposite arrangement like this viburnum!):

Diospyros virginiana

Oxydendrum arboreum

Viburnum acerifolium

And one of my favorite trees, Bigleaf Magnolia:

Magnolia macrophylla

Spring has been so beautiful! Next week's post will be about native Spring Perennials.