The clothes we wear are like signposts, signaling clues about our personality; blending in or standing out, the fabrics we like, our colour palette, our style. And leaves are the plants clothes. They are signposts signaling clues about the plant's personality, why they grow where they grow, and do what they do. Their style choices give us clues to their personality.
When a plant flowers, they stand out from the pedestrian backdrop of green, we recognise them, hello you, good to see you again. But most of the year they aren't flowering, however, the fabric of their clothes tells us about that plant, rough or smooth, big and bold, soft and fleshy, spiky or friendly. Their clothes give us clues about how they like to live, the suburb they hang out in and who their mates are.
If we crush a leaf between our fingers, the scent will give us extra information about the plant, and with edible plants, the aroma will give us a clue to the taste. The picture above is of Sassafrass, and the leaves of this tree have a heavenly cinnamon nutmeg aroma. Walking in a Sassafrass forest is a treat for the senses.
When the leaves are small, thin and harsh, their clothes are indicating they spend much of their time in hot, dry conditions, and have adapted well, to this sun-drenched lifestyle. If their leaves are soft and fleshy, they live in the luxury of a fancy moist suburb, and don't like to venture out into the cold. And if the leaves are spiky and prickly, they are difficult characters, you don't want to mess with them, this is a bad neighbourhood.
But just as we misjudge people, there are always exceptions, and this makes them very interesting characters. It opens a whole pandora's box of why and how questions, such as, why does this delicate plant live in this harsh environment and how does it survive? Why is this plant surviving with its toes in salt water, and how does it still manage to look so beautiful, with its purple pom-pom flowers.
When we feel the fabric of the leaves and take notice, we get so much information about the life of plants. And plants like people, are only being true to their character, their lifestyle, and their community, by expressing themselves through their wardrobe choices.
When a plant flowers, they stand out from the pedestrian backdrop of green, we recognise them, hello you, good to see you again. But most of the year they aren't flowering, however, the fabric of their clothes tells us about that plant, rough or smooth, big and bold, soft and fleshy, spiky or friendly. Their clothes give us clues about how they like to live, the suburb they hang out in and who their mates are.
If we crush a leaf between our fingers, the scent will give us extra information about the plant, and with edible plants, the aroma will give us a clue to the taste. The picture above is of Sassafrass, and the leaves of this tree have a heavenly cinnamon nutmeg aroma. Walking in a Sassafrass forest is a treat for the senses.
When the leaves are small, thin and harsh, their clothes are indicating they spend much of their time in hot, dry conditions, and have adapted well, to this sun-drenched lifestyle. If their leaves are soft and fleshy, they live in the luxury of a fancy moist suburb, and don't like to venture out into the cold. And if the leaves are spiky and prickly, they are difficult characters, you don't want to mess with them, this is a bad neighbourhood.
But just as we misjudge people, there are always exceptions, and this makes them very interesting characters. It opens a whole pandora's box of why and how questions, such as, why does this delicate plant live in this harsh environment and how does it survive? Why is this plant surviving with its toes in salt water, and how does it still manage to look so beautiful, with its purple pom-pom flowers.
When we feel the fabric of the leaves and take notice, we get so much information about the life of plants. And plants like people, are only being true to their character, their lifestyle, and their community, by expressing themselves through their wardrobe choices.
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