In The Forest -- Mayflower (Epigaea repens)

Mayflower  (Epigaea repens).  January 24, 2025

by Helga Guderley

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In winter, most of our leafy plants have lost their leaves as a protection against the freezing, damage and desiccation that winter conditions bring.  But, walking in Nova Scotia's woods in winter shows us many leafy plants that keep their leaves.  For some, like Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolium), the leaves look a bit sad, hanging down as if they were thirsty and waiting for rain.  But for others like the Mayflower (Epigaea repens), the leaves are beautifully upright, looking ready to go, preparing for spring flower production.  Having a physiological bend, I wonder how Mayflower leaves keep so healthy and well over the winter.  They do have waxy, leathery leaves, and they are low to the ground, both means of limiting water loss.  Do they photosynthesize during warmer periods?  For that they need to exchange gases, and therefore risk water loss.  A close mycorhyzial interaction is crucial for the plant's health, making it difficult to transplant.  One thing is clear -- seeing these Mayflower plants reminds me that spring is soon to come.
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Helga Guderley is a retired professor of Biology, having worked at Université Laval for 30 years.  She has served as an adjunct at Dalhousie for 14 years. She is a founding member of the Healthy Forest Coalition, and has taken the health of Nova Scotia's natural environment, in particular its biodiversity and forests, to heart since retiring here in 2010.  

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