CoachA deciduous tree in winter is not dead: next spring is already packed on its twigs as buds — tiny complete shoots, leaves folded small, wrapped in weatherproof scales. Spring’s “new” leaves were built the summer before; the bud is winter storage for them.
Examples
Example 38.5 (Opening a horse-chestnut bud)
The horse chestnut’s big sticky buds open well under a blade (a grown-up’s work): under the varnished scales, packed in cottony down, lie miniature folded leaves — perfect, pale, waiting. A twig cut in February and stood in water indoors “leafs out” weeks early: the shoots were finished; only warmth was missing.