Do you know what it's like to get caught up in a real flurry of snowflakes in the middle of early summer? Of course, we're not talking about real snowflakes here - but rather fluffy-white poplar seeds!
What are poplar seeds and how do they spread?
Poplar seeds are small, airborne seeds released by poplar trees in early summer. They are light, furry and have fine cellulose fibers that help them fly and swim. These properties allow poplar seeds to be dispersed by wind or water currents to enable germination and reproduction.
White sprinkles in the middle of June
After a nature walk in June you can definitely look like you've walked through the winter forest: all flocked in white. What's falling down there are of course not snowflakes, but most likely poplar seeds. However, the little fellows are definitely similar to the fall goods that children long for in winter: they are equipped with a white, fluffy forelock that makes them look like soft flakes.
Seeds with paraglider
The reason for this, as with all other anemochorous (wind-flying) plants, is that the poplar has chosen the wind as a helper for its generative reproduction. So she adapted her seeds to this external factor and equipped them with a kind of paraglider - in the form of a fine, white tuft of hair, with which the seed can fly a few meters away from the mother tree and try its luck at germinating.
The tuft also makes the seed quite buoyant, so with a bit of luck it can be transported much further in rivers or streams.
Ripe seeds ready to take off
The ripening of poplar seeds occurs in the capsule fruits of the fertilized female catkin flowers. The wind is also a mediator for pollination by male catkin flowers. When the poplar seeds are ripe, the catkin releases them on their journey towards the germination base. To do this, it opens the flaps of the capsule fruits and leaves the rest to the wind. He loosens them and creates the annual hustle and bustle.
Many seeds from many capsules
There are many capsule fruits and the seeds they contain on a female kitten. The individual seeds are not particularly well equipped for this and have a rather low chance of germination. When it comes to generative propagation, poplars rely on quantity instead of quality like other plants.
Due to the large number of seeds dancing through the air towards the ground, the overall reproduction rate balances out again.
What poplar wool can do
The poplar seed hair is made of fine cellulose fibers. In addition to helping them fly, these also have the purpose of absorbing moisture and causing the seeds to swell for better germination. Birds find the fluffy poplar wool a welcome padding material for their nests. People also used poplar wool to make precious paper.
