differential emergence

bare bur oak
Microclimate, soil, genetics, on board afflictions. This Bur oak has yet to leaf out.

Fifty feet away is another individual who has had a flush of growth, producing new stems replete with leaves. Nature is an enduring mystery.

Tilly on the soapbox

dog on a box
A soapbox is a raised platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject. The term originates from the days when speakers would elevate themselves by standing on a wooden crate originally used for shipment of soap, or other dry goods, from a manufacturer to a retail store. – Wikipedia