Scientists have known for some time that trees not only have a sex, but can sometimes switch between sexes. But they haven’t always known why. Now, as The Washington Post’s Amy Ellis Nutt reports, a ...

It's not often that a scientist reaches into fantasy literature for the perfect analogy. “Usually trees take a long time to respond to their environment,” botanist Jennifer Blake-Mahmud said.

Being female can be tough, even for trees. A study of the life cycle of striped maples – which can change sex from season to season – has revealed that healthy trees are more likely to be male, and ...