Frans Fontaine Hornbeam Hedge - Holding Winter Leaves - December 2021

Today is the first day of December and I wanted to mark this entry in the [garden diary] and the [tree diary] to show that current state of our Frans Fontaine European Hornbeam trees.  It seems that each Fall/Winter, the trees have behaved differently in terms of going dormant and experiencing (or showing) foliar marcescence.

Here, below are a couple of photos showing the current state of all eight of these Frans Fontaine Hornbeam trees.  First, the five that are the furthest to the West.  On the edge of this Hornbeam Hedge is a Chanticleer Flowering Pear tree.  That, too, is still clinging to its leaves with foliar marcescence.  

And, here below, is a look at the other three (plus a partial view on the left of the fifth one from the photo above) showing the same thing:  they're holding their leaves on December 1st this year.  Also, capping the far end of the Hornbeam Hedge is ANOTHER Chanticleer Flowering Pear that is also holding on to its leaves: 

Below is a photo of a closer look of the leaves that have crinkled up and curled, but are still light green (not brown) and holding on to the branches.  You can also see a few buds that have been set.

I've tracked these trees dropping their leaves over the years.

• In 2021, all of the trees held their leaves past December 1st.  But they were curly and very crunchy. 
• In 2020, all of the trees had dropped their leaves by late November.
• Also, in 2020, the fourth tree from the left dropped its leaves by early November. The only one that started early.
• In 2019, in early December, I took a close-up look at some of the leaves - they weren't curled like they are in 2021.  
• In 2019, by late-November all of the trees held their leaves, but they were brownish.  
• In 2018, the fourth tree (same as 2020) lost all of its leaves by mid-November.