At the moment here in southern Ontario, the maple trees here are bathed in a light almost fluorescent green which I always thought was the leaves emerging. But it's not, it's the tiny flowers of the maple trees, take a look below. Shortly the leaves will unfold, a darker green, providing the canopy.
The photos above are of a Sugar Maple. and by the end of the summer these will form the maple keys we're all familiar with. I never noticed these until someone pointed them out a few years ago. At the same time the leaves are starting to emerge and will transform our world into a green one within two weeks.
So next time you're walking past any maple trees, take a close look and see if you can see the tiny flowers!
I am loving the greens that we saw in the country today. So many shades and still some lightness to them although that stage is moving apace.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely time of year ... so nice to see your photographs.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Isn't is wonderful?! Such a relief to see the leaves out.
ReplyDeleteI find those flowers incredibly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGolden tassels, beautiful, and what a transformation from bare to beauty in springtime. Love those closeups, there is a 10 acre block planted with sugar maple trees inland from Oamaru in the South Island, no details if any syrup has been harvested.
ReplyDeleteThis is process that many people miss while observing the coming of new leaves.
ReplyDeleteThese are great photos. How many people take time to notice these flowers?
ReplyDeleteI love maple flowers! I think a lot of people ignore them because they aren’t traditionally pretty.
ReplyDeleteWe see these same flowers on our Manitoba Maple or Boxelder. My daughter had quite the discussion as she insisted that we only have male trees and therefore there are no flowers. I had to Google it to prove her wrong. :p
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