The plants that grow in dry areas, and the plants that don’t lose their leaves in autumn, have to protect themselves from drying out in hot summers and in winters when the water is frozen. There are several tricks plants can use to protect their leaves from drying out: making leaves into long thin needles, or curling leaves. Another way is to cover with a thick coat of protective wax, so the water stays trapped in the leaf. This protective coating of hard wax makes a shiny coat on the leaf, just like waxing a car.
Why are some plants glossy or shiny?
