More Species of Trees with Naked Resting Buds than Previously Believed

The bud scales of resting buds (buds that form at the end of a growth season which lie dormant until the next growth season) of temperate trees are thought to provide essential winter protection. However naked buds (buds without bud scales) are often considered rare occurrences in temperate climates.

In a study in New Phytologist PhD candidate Kristel Schoonderwoerd (Friedman Lab) and Ned Friedman show that there many more species with naked buds in temperate climates than previously documented and that they are widely distributed, both taxonomically and biogeographically. Interestingly, the study did not detect an association between the distribution of taxa with naked buds and the severity of winter temperatures.