Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 68

5 5. SYCAMORE
Sycamore pods are symmetrical V-shaped wings
with rounded ends that narrow towards the seeds.
The seeds themselves are 5-10mm in diameter and
the wings grow to between 20-40mm long. You'll
often see them fluttering to the ground in graceful
pirouettes, turning upside-down to allow the
heavier seed head to be the first point of contact.
8 6. BEECH
The seeds of beech trees are referred to as 'masts',
with particularly seed-heavy years known as mast
years. The seeds are shiny brown and triangular in
cross section, almost like a wedge, with one or two
contained within each prickly husk.
65 7. HORNBEAM
The common hornbeam is a deciduous, broadleaf tree
which has pale grey, fluted bark, and sometimes a short,
twisted trunk which develops ridges as it gets older. They
can live for more than 300 years.
The green catkins in spring give rise to the small-winged
nuts in the autumn. Hornbeam seeds are small, and are
cupped and surrounded by three-lobed papery wings.
8 8. ASH
Ash seeds, also known as 'samaras' or 'keys', develop
through late summer and autumn, and hang from branches
in large bunches until they fall from the tree during the
winter. Each 'key' is around 5cm long and turns the colour
of a brown paper bag when it's ripe. They have sometimes
been pickled and eaten throughout Europe and Asia.
65 9. ELM
English elms are hermaphrodites, meaning both
male and female reproductive parts are contained
within the same flower. Flowers are dark pink to red
and hang in tassels, appearing in spring.
Once they’ve been pollinated by the wind, the
flowers develop into tiny-winged fruits, known as
'samaras', which are then dispersed by the wind.
English elms once dominated the British landscape
but its population has been ravaged by Dutch Elm
Disease since the 1960s.
6 10. HAWTHORN TREE
The hawthorn is a thorny plant that produces berry-like
fruits, which are sometimes referred to as 'haws'. Haws
are not technically berries because they contain stones,
similar to plums. The haws can be eaten raw but can cause
mild stomach upset. They are most commonly used to
make jellies, wines and ketchups. The common hawthorn
fruits have a single seed, whereas the fruits of the Midland
hawthorn variety have two seeds.
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