Conifers: Conifer trees or rarely shrubs which do not form flowers or fruits, and are members of the order Coniferales which includes pines, cedars, junipers, redwoods and their relatives. Most of these plants have evergreen needles, although some have deciduous needles (for example larches, baldcypress, dawn redwoods). They have male cones which produce pollen that is wind dispersed, and woody cones where seeds are born.
Phenophases for Conifers:
First Needles : Report when new needles emerge from tips of buds, or are visible from the side of the buds.
First Pollen : Report the date when the plant starts releasing the powdery, yellow pollen from their cones or catkins (cone-like flower clusters). If there is pollen you should see the pollen dust in the air or on your fingers when you gently touch the flowers.
Full Pollen : Report the date when 50% of the flowers have pollen. If flowers are in clusters or stalks on a tree or shrub then there need to be flowers with pollen on at least 50% of the branches on the plant.
First Ripe Fruit : Report the date when you notice the first fruits becoming fully ripe or seeds dropping naturally from the plant. For conifers record when the cones turn brown and the scales expand (seeds should start dispersing shortly thereafter). If fruits are in clusters or stalks then record when stalks have ripe or dispersing fruit (or for trees and shrubs when 3 or more branches have stalks with ripe or dispersing fruit). Ripening is usually indicated by a change in color to the mature color, or by drying and splitting open (for dry fruits such as capsules).
