Pine needle drop

Credit: umd.edu

Pines, like any other tree, discard their old needles during the autumn. The difference between these “evergreens” and deciduous trees is that not all of the needles drop off; otherwise the tree would perish. To confuse things slightly there are “deciduous” needle-bearing trees like the larch also known as a tamarack and the bald cypress that drop all of their needles during the autumn.

Nature Note for 12/7/14