Comparative freezing patterns in stems of cherry and azalea

Ice formation in stems, as determined by means of an electrophoretic mobility technique, occurs much more rapidly in azalea than in sour cherry. The difference is more marked in the bark than in the wood. Disrupting the structure of the tissues completely eliminates differences in freezing patterns, although gross anatomical differences do not appear to account for differences in species response. Microscopic examination of frozen stems indicated that little redistribution of water occurred during freezing in azalea, and the tissues were disrupted as these crystals developed. In cherry, on the other hand, water diffused to nucleating centers where crystal growth was not opposed, giving rise to "glaciers."