Abscission (noun)
ab-si-shun
The natural detachment of parts of a plant, typically dead leaves and ripe fruit.
Early 17th century: from Latin abscissio(n-), from abscindere, from ab- ‘off’ + scindere ‘to cut’.
Example sentences
“In the Northern Hemisphere abscission tends to start in early September and continue through the autumn and winter months.”