Final Tree Observations

Buds at the beginning of the semester.

When I "adopted" my tree this semester I was looking forward to seeing the changes it would make as we progressed in the semester. Unfortunately, spring came very late in the season leaving me with little changes to my tree. There were more changes in the weather in Keene than I had with my tree! At the beginning, my tree still had a few dead leaves clinging on to the branches but sudden changes in the weather left those falling to the ground where the rest of the leaves had done in the fall. The biggest change there was to my tree was the growing of the buds. When I first observed my tree, the buds were very orange-ish in color and small. As the semester progressed those buds transformed from the new 'skin' of the tree into actual bark and more buds formed off of the ones that were originally there.

Although we all had no clue how our trees would progress when we picked, as the semester passed I wished I had chosen a different tree. As we talked in class about how the oaks were flowering along with the flowering trees on campus it would of made my tree experience more lively if my tree had transformed thought the semester. Even though my tree did not change I enjoyed picking one right outside of my dorm to be able to view it when I left for class every day. I am also excited that I am living in the same dorm next year so although not much changed this semester I will be able to see how my tree will change though the next year at Keene.

Full picture of my tree currently.

Bud progression turning into bark
at the end of the semester. 

A different view of my tree.