Redbud Tree

In early May, the Redbud tree produces tiny pink flowers that cover its branches. Each flower then produces a seedpod that is filled with seeds. By autumn these pods turn brown, and fall to the ground where the seeds are dispersed. The redbud tree produces so many seeds! It’s fun to open them up in the fall and count the seeds inside.

Ginkgo Biloba Tree

The beautiful ginkgo tree has “male” trees and “female” trees. This is a photo of a female tree heavy with fruit. In the fall, the ginkgo fruit fall to the ground, and, oh boy, are they stinky! However, once you peel off the malodorous flesh you will find a light brown nut inside. If you put it in some potting soil, you will find a baby ginkgo tree growing by January! You may notice many people collecting the fruit. They know that the ginkgo nuts, when roasted, are delicious! In China and other Asian countries, ginkgo nuts are considered a delicacy.

 
 


Musclewood Tree

The musclewood tree, named for the muscular look of its gray trunk and branches, has male and female flowers. The male flowers, known as catkins, produce the pollen, which fertilizes the eggs of the female flower. Those fertilized eggs become seeds. Look closely and you can see the samaras, or winged seeds of the musclewood tree. As they mature the hanging seeds separate from each other and twirl to the ground where the seeds are dispersed. Just the other day I watched two squirrels devouring the seeds within these samaras. That’s the other wonderful thing about becoming a tree-watcher. With some patience you get to see all kinds of New York City animals!


Northern Red Oak

Squirrels love them. So do wild turkey. Acorns, the fruit of oak trees, come in all shapes and sizes. The northern red oak acorn is large with a narrow cap. Although it takes two years before it will germinate, squirrels bury northern red oak acorns and then forget where they put them! If no one digs them up, a new red oak tree will start to grow. Thanks, squirrels!

Horsechestnut

These spiky seeds turn brown in the fall. Don’t pick them up unless you have gloves on! The spikes are sharp! Not for squirrels though. They rip them apart with their teeth to get to the large, shiny, brown nut inside.

Honeylocust

The long, curly seedpods will soon turn brown. Inside is a very sweet pulp, loved by birds, squirrels and other animals of our parks. Hidden within each seedpod are a number of small, brown seeds that look like coffee beans! When I taught Pre-K, I had the children collect the seedpods in late fall, when the seeds inside would rattle and we made musical instrument “shakers” out of them. You can also take the seeds out and plant them. After the winter you’ll have honey locust seedlings!

Catalpa Tree Seedpods

Catalpa seedpods are among my favorite. They can grow to be over a foot long and in the fall they look like long cigars hanging from these beautiful trees. When they fall to the ground the hundreds of tiny seeds inside are mature. Go ahead! Open one up and count the seeds.

Leslie Day is an environmental and life science educator at The Elisabeth Morrow School and an adjunct faculty member at Bank Street College of Education. Leslie created and taught the City Naturalists Institute for Teachers program for the Central Park Conservancy. She has a doctorate in science education from Teachers College Columbia University. Leslie Day is author of the Field Guide to the Natural World of New York City and writes a monthly column for Mommy Poppins educating families about the natural and wild life in New York. Leslie and her husband live in a houseboat on the Hudson River in Manhattan.  All Photos by Leslie Day.