Can you tell a beech from a birch, or an oak from a walnut tree, just by looking at their leaves? If you think you can gather enough clues from leaves to tell one tree from another, you might have what it takes to ace this quiz!

You probably don't spend too much time thinking about trees on a daily basis. Sure, they might attract your attention in the fall as the leaves start to change color, and you may find yourself spending hours raking up fallen leaves as autumn turns to winter, but beyond that -- trees are pretty much just a part of the background for most people.

Yet while trees don't necessarily grab our attention, you might be surprised if you stop to notice just how different the leaves on various species are from one another. You'd probably be even more astounded to know that far from just hanging out on branches and changing color, leaves actually have an incredibly important role to play in both the life of the tree and the environment itself.

If you look closely at a tree leaf, you'll notice a series of veins, just like the ones that carry blood through your body. These veins transport water from the soil up throughout the leaves.This water combines with sunlight and carbon dioxide collected by the leaf through a process known as photosynthesis. The end product of this process is sugars, which feed the tree, and oxygen, which is released into the atmosphere for people and animals to breathe.

Who knew a simple tree could perform such a feat? Pay homage to these mighty oaks, elms and other trees by acing our quiz!







