Trees On a Windward Shore-Fukinagashi.

The pine trees on SailBoard Beach list five degrees off vertical it causes me to wonder and ponder and expound. The tree has made concessions because of incessant wind.

The word that describes a plant and it being effected by wind borne elements is called “flagging”.

The wind is so consistent in its South and Westerly direction that it has cause these fifty year old trees to lean.

In Japan and elsewhere people that grow bonsai trees refer to this windborne phenomena as fukinagashi.

It brings to mind other words that describe plants and the innate growth behaviors.

Today is when you learn your “TROPISM’S”.

The simplest is geotropism-a plants roots growing downward towards the earth.

The next is phototropism – plants growing toward the sun.

Next hydrotropism-roots growing toward their water source.

Thigmotropism-plants responding to touch (tendrils of a vine attaching to a fence of other object that helps cause stability)

Skototropism-is sort of a negative phototropism-growing toward or away from light/heat.

Aphototropism-opposite of phototropism-growth towards less sunlight.

Chemotropism- growth towards away or towards chemicals.

Thermotropism-growth towards heat

Heliotropism-growth following the sun (sunflowers)

The next time you turn your houseplant into the sunlight you’ll have a better sense of tropisms. www.billkeitel.com