If you peel it, though, it won't grow back and the tree will suffer. To the right of the birches is a species that's very colorful in winter, the red osier dogwood . Though it's obviously leafless now, its branches are a brilliant red. Like all dogwoods, it has opposite branches that form Y shapes. Here's a rush growing right by the pond, and it's green even in winter.
Rushes differ from grasses and sedges in that their fruits are capsules.
The frozen pond is home to several kinds of hibernating animals like turtles and frogs . These cold-blooded animals bury themselves in the mud, lower their body temperatures and heart rates, and basically shut down for the winter. As we continue past the pond, you'll notice the flaming red fruits of the winterberry holly. Songbirds eat the berries. You might wonder why so many berries haven't yet been eaten.