The two most beautiful women are—in descending order—my wife and Salma Hayek. Here’s the thing: neither of them would look more striking if wrung out from battling a case of influenza or afflicted with a discoloring rash.
Plants, to the contrary, may strike a
more gorgeous pose when stricken by sickness or the end of a growing cycle.
Consider a temperate-zone autumn:
maples igniting in red and orange before shedding bare for winter; aspens
fluttering gold in the light breeze; rushes swept into bronze by the season’s
chill breath.
And then there is chlorosis—the
yellowing of leaves due to a lack of chlorophyll. This condition is usually
triggered by nutrient deficiencies, particularly iron, though nitrogen,
manganese, and zinc may also be to blame. Poor drainage, compacted soil, root
damage, or an overly alkaline pH can further complicate a plant’s ability to
draw in what it needs.
Yet the result is often arresting.
While spiraling down a high mountain
road, Desiree and I spotted a thimbleberry whorl suffering from chlorosis. The
effect was striking—like seeing the plant rendered into a living x-ray. The
entire network of its hydraulic system glowed bright green, while the leaf
edges faded into soft yellow.
I felt compelled to take a
photograph.
—Mitchell Hegman
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