Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured below:
The answer to last week’s mystery is American sycamore seeds, Platanus occidentalis, pictured below:
American sycamore is native to the eastern United States and is the largest deciduous tree in North America. Found most commonly in bottomland or floodplain areas, sycamores thrive in wet environments near rivers, streams, or abundant groundwater.
Sycamore trees are monoecious. They have both male and female flowers on the same tree. This tree reaches reproductive maturity rather young, and flowers profusely, producing numerous light, aerodynamic fruit. The fruit are round balls, around 1″ in diameter, and hang on slender stems.
The seed head persists through Winter, and doesn’t drop the hairy-tufted seeds until January–April. The brush-like structure of the seeds helps them catch the wind and potentially travel long distances.
Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.
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