How do plants pack their growing leaves inside such small buds? There are four main methods: leaves can be folded, rolled up, coiled, or pleated. The way a particular species packs its leaves has less to do leaf size or shape than with the plant’s evolutionary history, says Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Natural Sciences Nathaniel T. Wheelwright, in this latest Nature Moments video.

If you want to make your own natural history observations, The Naturalist’s Notebook (Storey Publishing, 2017) by Wheelwright and Research Associate in Biology Bernd Heinrich, provides guidance and a systematic format, with 100 percent of royalties going to conservation and environmental education.

Check out more Nature Moments.