Why are some new leaves red? Different adaptations to survive in difficult places скачать в хорошем качестве

Why are some new leaves red? Different adaptations to survive in difficult places

Love these gorgeous red accents on the tips of these branches - but what the heck causes that?! Certain species of deciduous plants like these Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) and Salal (Gaultheria shallon) will have reddish hues to their newly sprouted leaves, especially when growing in more exposed areas, which is created by different compounds within the leaves. Normally we see leaves as green, which is attributed to chlorophyl which the plants use to photosynthesize and grow, as it tends to overpower all the other pigments in the leaves. However, another really common compound is athocyanin, which act as a 'sunblock' of sorts to protect the leaves from being broken down by UV rays and give the leaves a reddish hue. Normally we only see leaves as red like this in the autumn when deciduous plants and trees will draw back that chlorophyl to store it for the winter, exposing those other hidden pigments. In this case, these fresh leaves are more delicate and fragile that the established, mature evergreen leaves, and thus they contain more anthocyanin than chlorophyl as they develop, which gives them a reddish hue. As these leaves mature and thicken up, more chlorophyl will be created as they produce sugars, turning the leaves from red to green. Just a cool and unique adaptation these species have evolved that helps them survive and thrive in not the most hospitable places, which is pretty dang neat! If you’re enjoying these vids and want more of ‘em, you can help support their production by becoming a paid supporter on patreon or substack via the link in my bio 🤙