Leaves, too As spring temperatures and soil water supplies begin to rise, the leaf buds begin to swell. The leaves inside the buds uncurl and fill out. Extra growth may be completed along the edges of the leaf blades. The outside of a leaf bud is covered with bud scales. These hard, tough scales help protect the baby leaves from water loss and physical damage.
Some bud scales have unique colors and coverings of various fibers and waxes.
Sometimes you can find these scales scattered across the ground under a tree that has fast expanded its leaves. And so on, and so on. . . These growing points could grow to be next year's flowers or leaves. If its leaf is damaged or knocked off, though, the growing point could expand into a new sprout this year. Trees have buds nested inside other buds.