In message , Ann
writes
Bill expounded:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frost_flowers

Thank you! Info passed along (and followed up by me - fascinating!)


One year we had a long cold spell during a quiet autumn.
The University lake froze while there were leaves still on the trees,
the leaves dropped onto the ice, then frost flowers the size of teacups
slowly formed on the leaves. All this took weeks.

The water for them couldn't have come through the lake ice by capillary
action: presumably it was from whatever had evaporated locally during
the days, refreezing at night.

--
Sue ]