In the spring, when the soil gets warm enough and moisture is abundant, deep changes begin to take place in the dormant tree seed, already conditioned by the low winter temperatures. The embryo tree awakens from its sleep and begins to grow.

What causes this awakening of life is not exactly known, and what is known is complicated,
indeed:

• The growth hormone is activated; the enzymes, whose part is to direct and hasten living processes, start their work feverishly.
• The insoluble stored fats and starch begin to break down to soluble sugars, mainly dextrose.
• The stored proteins are split by the enzymes into some 20 soluble compounds called amino acids.
• Both sugars and amino acids are rushed to the growing points, where still different enzymes rearrange them into building material to be used by the germinating embryo.
• Proteins are formed again from the amino acids, and dextrose is partly used for building the body of the tree and partly burned up to provide necessary energy for the process.

Continue on to Growth of the tree embryo