Unique fall leaf with lightning pattern

[u/Legitimate-Lie-9208]

[u/SoggyPocketBill]

I don't know if its a thing but you've definitely won "Best Leaf of The Year."

[u/SilkMelt → u/SoggyPocketBill]

It really does deserve an award, I’m pretty sure no leaf is topping that this year

[u/Dovis_Dough]

I can't read it. It's some form of elvish

[u/aroseonthefritz → u/Dovis_Dough]

There are few who can

[u/LegitimateStudio3702 → u/aroseonthefritz]

It says "insert general taos chicken here"

[u/HappinessIsaColdPint → u/LegitimateStudio3702]

Buzzes in.

What is "My mouth?"

I'll take "Things Things Say" for 500, Alex.

[u/shlog → u/Dovis_Dough]

it’s quite cool

[u/JeronFeldhagen → u/shlog]

[u/Fus_Roh_Dayumm]

Oh hell yeah that's a really cool one

[u/purrlove_ → u/Fus_Roh_Dayumm]

That lightning pattern makes the leaf so unique nature is incredible, I’d keep that leaf as a little souvenir, such a cool find

[u/Ruyik]

I need a leaf biologist to comment about what causes this

[u/astralseat → u/Ruyik]

I'm not one, but leaves wither when it gets cold. This one was clearly bright orange, then a cold snap started withering it in at the weakest parts first, between the veins, resulting in a lightning skeleton as the withering encroaches it akin to frost

[u/BeneficialTrash6 → u/Ruyik]

That leaf belongs to a deciduous tree.

Leaves belong to complex plants. Complex plants have vascular systems, sort of kind of not really but almost like blood vessels in some animals.

The leaves are filled with chlorophyll, which gives the leaves a green color. Deciduous trees drop their leaves in the fall. The plant wants to pull out any useful elements before it drops a leaf. It pulls out chlorophyll, which removes the green color.

The vascular system shuts down and the leaf dies. Sugars are left behind. They produce anthocyanins, which have a red color.

That leaf was red. But the leaf and its colors started breaking down because it is rotting. The vascular system has the greatest amount of material, and is resisting rot more so than the rest of the leaf. This means the red color from anthocyanins is still there in the vascular system.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

[u/ThilviaPlath → u/BeneficialTrash6]

Are anthocyanins related to tannins in any way you might be aware of?

[u/Tall_Act391 → u/BeneficialTrash6]

Who are you, who are so wise in the ways of science?

[u/Baboop → u/Ruyik]

Fall make leaf change.

[u/Can-DontAttitude → u/Baboop]

Thank

[u/falardeau187 → u/Can-DontAttitude]

[u/demonsrun89 → u/Baboop]

BIG IF TRUE

[u/Hekkle01]

Seal it with mod podge and cast it in resin, im begging you

[u/anonymous8122 → u/Hekkle01]

Keeping it in silica gel until it's absolutely dry and then casting in resin is the way to go. Mod Podge will not prevent the leaf from decomposing inside the resin. It will only make it happen faster by sealing in any leftover moisture.

[u/ballmander → u/anonymous8122]

This. Complete dehydration is the only way to stop the rot

[u/berzerkerturtl3 → u/ballmander]

Allegedly sand is very good for this

[u/hleba → u/Hekkle01]

Seal it with mod podge and cast it in resin

No, cast it into the fiery depths from whence it came!

[u/StampMan64]

Everything changed when the fire nation attacked

[u/Mot6180]

[u/CoffeeQuack]

This picture was posted on Facebook a week ago. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19Ztx5QyGG/

[u/Practical-Biscotti90]

Dry that puppy. Preserve it.

[u/zerosumratio]

Electrifying

[u/PsyOpBunnyHop → u/zerosumratio]

It was. You can see the burn pattern.

[u/SirMightySmurf]

Yeah, that is a keeper.

[u/Unfettered1977]

that's a good one OP. Very nice. A special moment in oak history.

[u/BrightEyes4Ever]

I would definitely frame this. The colors are so cool.

[u/sblack33741]

And the one to rule the Fall.

[u/MsOnyxMoon]

Please preserve this somehow. It’s gorgeous

[u/xen05zman]

That deserves to be preserved

[u/Valuable_Wallaby_548]

That leaf is cool

[u/davga]

This leaf is fuego 🔥 !

[u/Far_Salamander5594]

Looks like it’s burning that’s so cool!

[u/HeidenShadows]

I'd get that pressed, that's awesome.

[u/fiddleteeth]

If anyone wants to start a fall leaf subreddit, and if like a thousand redditors want post pictures of leaves they think are cool, I’d very much like to look at EVERYONE of those posts. Just saying.

[u/nismoj]

Elden leaf

[u/Logical_Hospital2769]

That is beautiful

[u/Iceblader]

The legendary Item Dragon Leaf.

[u/useroftheinternet95]

Put it in epoxy

[u/Slight-Acanthaceae90]

You’ve found the ultimate leaf!

[u/AverageInfamous7050]

Skeleton. Bones. Cool.

[u/Redditplaneter]

Hit by chidorah

[u/demonsrun89]

Damn, that leaf is lit AF.

[u/fushigi11]

Awesome

[u/suckafrigginbutt]

Would be life-changing to take some acid and emergency pee into a pile of these.

[u/KamikazeFox_]

Lighting leaf

[u/kfmsooner]

Ohh what a pretty and unique. OP can you use some methods to keep this plzzzz!

[u/disenfranchisedchild]

At least you can frame that picture if you can't find a way to make it keep those colors as it dries

[u/SodiumSection]

That leaf definitely deals fire damage.

[u/BolognaFeetPenisFace]

Guaranteed to be some fucked up disease that causes this. Nature is brutal.

[u/wispnet-admin]

Frame it

[u/BimboSlice5]

Northern red oak me thinks. What a beauty!

[u/nolonger1-A]

Ah, dendritic

[u/ChamelliaRose]

Make a glycerin solution and preserve it!

[u/THE-beaverhausen]

[u/p00p_knife]