One of the most magical parts of spring is the almost instant switch between the bare branches of a winter tree and the explosion of new life. This phenomenon is called “budburst” – but how does it really work?
It actually starts the summer before. By late summer, while the tree still has plenty of energy from sunlight, it begins forming tiny buds at the tips of its branches.
Inside each bud is a tightly packed set of miniature leaves, already shaped and folded in on themselves.
As the days lengthen and temperatures rise, hormones inside each bud signal the cells to begin dividing and growing. Almost overnight, the buds swell and burst into bright green leaves, and spring arrives again like a breath of fresh air.
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