Tree Flowers in the Winter

When present, flowers on trees spend the winter as buds. Trees don't flower until they are mature enough.

Flowers are important. If there weren't any flowers, there wouldn't be any seeds. Without seeds, there wouldn't be any new trees.

During the winter, red squirrels and hares can cause considerable damage to trees: squirrels tear off the pine cones; hares eat the buds and bark.

If you want to store tree seeds over the winter, keep them cold. Otherwise, they may not germinate the following spring. Examine them carefully! Some tiny insects sleep the winter away in seeds. Some seeds, such as sugar maple keys, won't last much more than a year. Seeds from other species, such as the pin cherry, can remain vital in the soil for 75 to 150 years.