Leaves play several roles in maintaining plant health.
- Leaves are the location of photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight (thermal energy) into sugars (chemical energy) that the plant uses for food.
- The underside of a leave contains many small openings called stomata. Water evaporates in the spongy mesophyll of the leave and water vapor exits the leaf through the stomata. This creates a vacuum within the plant that pulls water up through the plant from the roots.
- Many plant wastes are stored in the leaves. As the leaves die and fall off the plant, the plant is able to get rid of wastes.
Think of a Tree like a organic solar panel its leaves are cells basically what they do is turn the solar energy into food for themselves if the roots of the tree are too compressed the tree can get root rash and not have enough space to grow. It is important to always put trees in loose soil and let gravity do the work so that it will compact it at the right rate but, earthworms are a great way of fixing root rash because they will dig tunnels all around the roots for them to drink nitrates and nitrites in the soil for nutrients. The leaves turn a yellow color if the roots are that way or if there isn't enough phosphorus in the soil.
