Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

19th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Sydney Peppermint tree recovering after fire

This Sydney Peppermint (Eucalptus Piperita) tree is responding to fire by putting out epicormic shoots. These shoots grow from buds lying underneath the bark. This tree had lost most of its leaves in the 'Black Summer' fires in Australia around Christmas 2019, but the epicormic shoots helped it to survive. The bright red/orange colours in the new leaves are due to anthocyanin, a pigment that protects the leaves from insect predation and from sun damage.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 02.2020
Date Uploaded: 11.2021
Photo Location: n/a, Australia
Camera: ILCE-7M3
Copyright: © Keith Horton