Have you ever experienced this: you are walking in the forest, maybe taking a short break on a bench and suddenly you hear a cracking sound coming from the treetops? Shortly afterwards, small seeds fly through the air. It is very likely that you are near a pine tree that is currently dropping its seeds. The opening seed cones of the conifer make the familiar sounds. Read more about pine seeds and their uses here.
What do pine seeds look like and how do they spread?
Pine seeds are 2-5 cm long, have small wings and come from the egg-shaped seed cones of the pine tree. They spread in dry conditions, can fly up to 2 km and are often distributed in full-fattening years when a particularly large number of seeds are produced.
Appearance of pine seeds
The pine seeds sit in the seed cones, which differ externally from the pollen cones. They are about three to six centimeters long and egg-shaped. A single pine tree can produce up to 1,600 such cones. The seeds themselves have the following properties:
- approx. 2-5 cm long
- have small wings (approx. 2 cm long)
- flat shape
Dissemination
Pine seeds only form after two years, as fertilization occurs in the first year. In order to provide the seeds with the best germination conditions, the cones only open when the air is dry. When there is moisture, they close again so that the seeds are never completely released. Some pine species only open their cones in extreme heat, such as that caused by a forest fire. They can then thrive on the ash-strewn soil. Thanks to their small wings, pine seeds can travel a distance of about two kilometers.
The full mast
So-called full fattening occurs every five to ten years. Then the pine tree produces up to 1,000 seeds in a year, which is much more than usual.
Growing pine trees from seeds
You want to raise a pine tree of your own. If you have pine seeds, this is possible without much effort.
Buy pine seeds
The best way to get pine seeds is to visit a nearby tree nursery or browse the Internet. If you don't want to invest any money, you can also collect pine seeds specifically in the forest. To do this, choose a dry day in spring. It's best to start your search at midday, as the humidity increases in the evening.
Sowing instructions
How to proceed with sowing:
- choose a suitable location
- dig a small hole with the spade
- put the pine seeds in the soil
- completely close the hole with soil
- water the area well
