Jun 25, 2024 · Samara fruit are also known as helicopter seeds. Here are 11 trees and shrubs with samaras, including Red Maple, Winged Elm, Tree of Heaven, and more.

A samara is a simple dry fruit, and is indehiscent (not opening along a seam). The shape of a samara enables the wind to carry the seed further away from the tree than regular seeds would go, [3] and is thus a form of anemochory.

Sep 13, 2022 · A samara is a dry indehiscent fruit with a casing or wall that extends to one side in a wing-like shape – in some plants the wing extends to both sides of the seed. Some samara fruits split into two wings, technically two samaras, while others simply form one samara per fruit.

Jul 17, 2023 · Most samaras have a wing-like appearance and spin around as they fall to the ground. This “whirly” rotating action is why samaras are called helicopter seeds. Other names for helicopter seeds are “twisters,” “whirligigs,” “spinning jenny,” and “whirlers.”

Mar 6, 2024 · Maple tree seed pods are called samaras and contain a pair of seeds attached to a “wing” that carries the seed a long distance when it’s windy. Maple tree seed pods look like a pair of wing-shaped papery structures joined in the middle. Each winged section is called a samara.

Samara fruits are crimson in hue and produce a two-winged helicopter seed. The easiest and most straight-forward way to distinguish samaras from the red maple tree is by the red color. The red maple helicopter seeds are the only ones that actually sport a red color.

May 29, 2020 · A samara is a type of fruit surrounding a seed in which a flattened wing of papery tissue develops, allowing the wind to carry the seed away from the parent plant. This helps trees like maples and ash disperse their seeds so they can thrive and grow.

Nov 18, 2024 · First, the technical term for this winged seed is samara, which refers to a specialized fruit that is designed to travel long distances from the parent tree. Some ash and elm trees also produce samaras, although the maple’s samaras are the very best at flying.

Mar 15, 2025 · Explore the structure, flight mechanics, and ecological significance of samara seeds, highlighting their role in plant dispersal and adaptation. Some plants have evolved ingenious ways to spread their seeds, and samaras are a prime example.

Mar 4, 2022 · More than one kind of tree has propeller seeds, aka whirlybirds or helicopters. These fascinating, hovering winged seeds, scientifically known as samaras, are a nostalgic part of many an American childhood.