| Such broad-leaf trees & shrubs include [[Maple]], [[Oak]], [[Elm]], [[Aspen]], and [[Birch]], among others. Periods of leaf fall often coincide with seasons: winter in the case of cool-climate plants or the dry-season in the case of tropical plants.<ref> Cundall, Peter. ''Flora: The GardenerâÃÂÃÂs Bible: Over 20,000 Plants''. Ultimo, NSW, Australia: ABC Publishing, 2005. ISBN 073331094X.</ref> | | Such broad-leaf trees & shrubs include [[Maple]], [[Oak]], [[Elm]], [[Aspen]], and [[Birch]], among others. Periods of leaf fall often coincide with seasons: winter in the case of cool-climate plants or the dry-season in the case of tropical plants.<ref> Cundall, Peter. ''Flora: The GardenerâÃÂÃÂs Bible: Over 20,000 Plants''. Ultimo, NSW, Australia: ABC Publishing, 2005. ISBN 073331094X.</ref> |
| + | In [[botany]], '''deciduous [[plant]]s''', principally [[tree]]s and [[shrubs]], are those that lose all of their [[leaves]] for part of the year. This process is called [[abscission]]. In some cases, the leaf loss coincides with [[winter]] in [[temperate]] or [[polar climate]]s, while others lose their leaves during the [[dry season]] in climates with seasonal variation in [[rain]]fall. The converse of deciduous is [[evergreen]]; plants that are intermediate may be called [[semi-deciduous]]. |
| + | Many deciduous plants [[flower]] during the period when they are leafless, as this increases the effectiveness of [[pollination]]. The absence of [[leaf|leaves]] improves wind transmission of pollen in the case of wind-pollinated plants, and increases the visibility of the flowers to [[insect]]s in insect-pollinated plants. This strategy is not without risks, as the flowers can be damaged by frost, or in dry season areas, result in water stress on the plant. Nevertheless, by losing leaves in the cold winter days, plants can reduce water loss since most of the water would appear as ice, and there is much less branch and trunk breakage from glaze ice storms when leafless (Lemon 1961). |