The Golden Leyland Cypress
My thanks to regular correspondent, Alban Cambe, for these excellent images. Which direction are we looking in the top picture above? Regular readers will spot…
Tag: phototropism
The ‘Escape from the Woods Effect’ in Trees
Have a look at the trees at the edge of any woodland and you’ll notice that the branches appear to grow away from the wood…
Why The Coconut Palm Points to the Sea
The coconut palm tree (Cocos nucifera) does something that very few trees do. It leans into wind. Most trees have trunks that will bend away…
The Avenue Effect in Trees
My thanks to Alun for sending in this photo of autumn colour near the Kitano Tenman-Gu Shrine in Kyoto. And the following question: “I saw…
The Curious Phototropic Journey of the Ivy-Leaved Toadflax
Keep an eye out for this marvellous plant on walls near you. The ivy-leaved toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis) is beautiful and intriguing. It grows towards the…
Phototropism and Gravitropism
There is a nice example of gravitropism and phototropism in action in this picture. Gravitropism – The orientation of a plant or other organism in…
Branches on the North Side of the Tree
The effect of the sun’s light on the way plants grow (phototropism) is often subtle and sometimes takes experience to read and decipher. However, occasionally…
Those ‘Clever’ Plants
Plants have no brain or central nervous system, so calling them ‘clever’ might sound a bit stupid. But… plants do achieve some remarkable things. Plants…
Monkey Puzzles
Natural navigation is at its most fun when it is a puzzle and a test of our senses. Have a look at this photo and…