Maple tree seeds are also called helicopters or whirly birds. These trees usually produce prolific amounts of seeds. An acre of maple trees may produce a million seeds. There are 14 different varieties of maple trees common in North America. They are each slightly different. It’s better to know the variety of the tree, then tell the tree variety by the seeds. Find out more about what you can do with these fun seeds.
Characteristics of Helicopters
Maple tree seeds are shaped like a “V”. The point of the “V” is the seeds. The legs are the wings. The wings help the seeds fly and twirl through the air. Each winged section is called a samara. They come in many different sizes depending on the species of maple tree.
Planting Maple Tree Seeds
Maple tree seeds can be germinated to grow maple trees. They like to be cold for a specific amount of time. Plant them in a container in an inch of moist soil. Place the container in a bag, then place the bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 months. After that, then place the containers in a warm location. The seeds will germinate into seedlings.
Are Maple Seeds Edible?
Animals love to eat maple tree seeds. They are a great source of food for them. People can also eat maple tree seeds. As always, when eating anything from nature make sure that you can 100% identify the seeds. Once you find the seeds, peel the wing and outer cover off. The seed inside is quite small. They are good raw or cooked.
Find Out More
First here is some information about planting the seeds. Next, if you want to find out about edible foods in nature, check out Edible Wild Foods.Finally, you can purchase maple trees at a variety of online vendors.