The branches and leaves of the big tree blocked out the sunlight.
Tips
usage
Beyond the literal 'branches and leaves,' 枝叶 is a common metaphor for 'minor or secondary matters', opposed to 根本 (root/fundamental). Saying something is 枝叶 implies it's not worth focusing on right now.
memory
枝 (branch) + 叶 (leaf), the parts of a tree that are NOT the trunk or root. That visual is the basis of the metaphor.
