Hoarfrost and silver maple

This is the Wabash River looking upstream from the pedestrian bridge at Lafayette, Friday morning, February 12, 2009. Everything is covered with hoarfrost.

Link to hoarfrost:

Link to Wabash River levels:


The branches are of silver maple (Acer saccharinum) trees in Tapawingo Park in West Lafayette. The twigs of silver maple trees grow in a distinctive fashion, upturned at the ends. You can see this best in the winter when the leaves have fallen. The branches are covered with flower buds. The silver maple trees will flower later this month or in early March. As maples are wind pollinated, the flowers are not showy. Most people don't notice them. But they release huge amounts of pollen into the air.

Link to silver maple (Acer saccharinum):