Woodlands...first to leaf?

[Jack]

Ok chaps,

It is that time of year where the woodlands start to show growth activity, the woodlands are starting to come back to life after the winter. Of course they never sleep and this process has being going on for many months without anyone knowning and it starts just before Christmas

I love this time of year in our ancient woods and down here in the south you will see the following plants coming out in leaf way before anything else;

Honeysuckle
Hawthorn
Elder

Once I have seen these guys coming out in leaf then I know that Spring is well and truely on its way.

What is first to leaf in your local woodlands?

Cheers.


Jack.

 

[Toddy]

I was thinking the same thing today Blackcurrants and gooseberries are already open buds and leaves beginning. Lilac, elder, wild rose, gean and honeysuckle are all sprouting growing leaves, but the hawthorn is just round buds as yet. Strawberries are full of new leaves and the garden is full of flowers from spring bulbs, heather and lungwort.
It's been a good day

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[torjusg]

A way of predicting the summer weather on the order of the leaves appearing on the trees (haven't tested it though, no oaks where I live):

Eik før ask gir plask (oak before ash gives rain)
Ask før eik gir steik (ash before oak gives sun)

Another (though off topic) about predicting the amount of snow in the winter (seems to be right):

Lots of berries on the rowan tree gives little snow in the winter (since the rowan doesn't carry double load).

Still a while, before there will be any leaves here.

Torjus Gaaren

 

[Salix]

The hawthorns are now bursting into lovely fresh green leaves, buds are developing on most of the others.

Mark

 

[pierre girard]

Ok chaps,

It is that time of year where the woodlands start to show growth activity, the woodlands are starting to come back to life after the winter. Of course they never sleep and this process has being going on for many months without anyone knowning and it starts just before Christmas

I love this time of year in our ancient woods and down here in the south you will see the following plants coming out in leaf way before anything else;

Honeysuckle
Hawthorn
Elder

Once I have seen these guys coming out in leaf then I know that Spring is well and truely on its way.

What is first to leaf in your local woodlands?

Cheers.


Jack.

Alder brush (wonder if that is similar to your "elder?").

PG

 

[Toddy]

Our elder is Sambuccus niger;
http://www.first-nature.com/trees/sambucus_nigra.htmit produces plate sized heads of tiny scented sweet flowers followed by dark purple coloured berries. Alder, Alnus glutinosa, grows well wet, cut the bark and it will quickly turn red. The alder produces catkins
http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/forest/species/alder.html

Chers,
Toddy

 

[QDanT]

A way of predicting the summer weather on the order of the leaves appearing on the trees (haven't tested it though, no oaks where I live):

Eik før ask gir plask (oak before ash gives rain)
Ask før eik gir steik (ash before oak gives sun)

Over here we say -Ash before oak,We're in for a soak.
Oak before ash,We're in for a splash.

Ask før eik blir steik
og eik før ask blir plask

 

[pierre girard]

Our elder is Sambuccus niger;
http://www.first-nature.com/trees/sambucus_nigra.htmit produces plate sized heads of tiny scented sweet flowers followed by dark purple coloured berries. Alder, Alnus glutinosa, grows well wet, cut the bark and it will quickly turn red. The alder produces catkins
http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/forest/species/alder.html

Chers,
Toddy

"cut the bark and it will quickly turn red." sounds familiar. Our alder brush does the same. I don't know what "catkins" are, but the alder brush has some funny little clusters on the limbs, that get stiff and become a nuisance when traveling through alder in late fall and winter.

PG

 

[Toddy]

Have a look at the alder link I posted; there's good photo of the catkins about half way down the page.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[Fallow Way]

the Holly has been out for ages round my way

​

 

[Toddy]

the Holly has been out for ages round my way

​

Funny that , it's the Ivy round here

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[locum76]

the blackthorn has been in blossom here for a week now, and isn't holly an evergreen?

 

[Fallow Way]

lol yes it is, check the lower right hand side of my message

 

[locum76]

phew... that's all right then

 

[Mooney]

A way of predicting the summer weather on the order of the leaves appearing on the trees (haven't tested it though, no oaks where I live):

Eik før ask gir plask (oak before ash gives rain)
Ask før eik gir steik (ash before oak gives sun)

Over here we say -Ash before oak,We're in for a soak.
Oak before ash,We're in for a splash.

Ask før eik blir steik
og eik før ask blir plask

Can anyone remeber which was first this year? i was sure it was ash but with the the weather at the moment

 

[Dunelm]

The last week of rain has brought most trees into leave - except the ash which is still bare and only just beginning to bud.