I am new to this group and to the study of trees in general, but I was
wondering if anyone could help answer a few questions about deciduous
trees.

1) When a leaf is shed by the tree at the start of the dry/cold season,
does a leaf ever grow back from that exact same point on the tree --
i.e., are there additional leaf promordia in that location, or will
that area always remain a scar?

2) As I understand, immediately adjacent to the spot where the leaf was
shed there is a lateral bud that has the potential to sprout into a
shoot. If the answer to question 1) is yes, can some points on a
branch that lost their leaves resprout leaves, while others develop
shoots (and still others retain their buds in dormancy)?

Thanks,
Dan

As far as I know a leaf scar will always remain a leaf scar.
PvR


schreef
I am new to this group and to the study of trees in general, but I was
wondering if anyone could help answer a few questions about deciduous
trees.

1) When a leaf is shed by the tree at the start of the dry/cold season,
does a leaf ever grow back from that exact same point on the tree --
i.e., are there additional leaf promordia in that location, or will
that area always remain a scar?

2) As I understand, immediately adjacent to the spot where the leaf was
shed there is a lateral bud that has the potential to sprout into a
shoot. If the answer to question 1) is yes, can some points on a
branch that lost their leaves resprout leaves, while others develop
shoots (and still others retain their buds in dormancy)?

Thanks,
Dan

wrote:
I am new to this group and to the study of trees in general, but I was
wondering if anyone could help answer a few questions about deciduous
trees.

1) When a leaf is shed by the tree at the start of the dry/cold season,
does a leaf ever grow back from that exact same point on the tree --
i.e., are there additional leaf promordia in that location, or will
that area always remain a scar?

2) As I understand, immediately adjacent to the spot where the leaf was
shed there is a lateral bud that has the potential to sprout into a
shoot. If the answer to question 1) is yes, can some points on a
branch that lost their leaves resprout leaves, while others develop
shoots (and still others retain their buds in dormancy)?

Thanks,
Dan

No there will not be a new leaf at that exact spot, again. But yes,
there are lateral buds, located just above each leaf scar, which may
grow in the spring to produce a new branch, which will have its own set
of nodes, each of which gets a leaf and a new lateral bud. So in the
spring, all of the leaves will be on new stems which did not exist the
previous year, and the tree becomes a bit taller/wider. If the lateral
bud in question doesn't grow, it may remain alive, so if you pruned the
branch back to that point, even many years later, the bud could resume
growth, allowing the pruned branch to recover.