Terminal bud scale scars on a twig indicate what?

• A. Current year's leaf count
• B. Height growth
• C. The location of the trunk
• D. Past growth years

Answer: (D)

Terminal bud scale scars are the marks left on a twig when the protective scales fall away after a new growing season begins. Each year’s growth produces a new scar around the twig, so you can count the scars to see how many past growing seasons the twig has experienced. This reflects past years of growth, not current leaf count, height growth in the present year, or the trunk’s location.