I don’t usually show you the mystery seeds or fruit right on the plant, but in this case it might help.
Any ideas? The answer is now posted.
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Our orange-red fruited mystery seeds from last week were from a bittersweet plant, Celastrus sp.
Bittersweet grows as a vine that creeps up trees. It isn’t noticeable in the summer, but in the fall the bright orange berries seem to appear out of nowhere.
There are two species of bittersweet that occur in eastern North America.
The American bittersweet, Celastrus scandens, is an indigenous plant that is not harmful to the trees it uses as support. In contrast, the oriental bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus, is introduced from Asia and is considered to be an invasive weed.
Because the fruit capsule is deep orange rather than yellow and because the plant lacked thorns, I believe the plant in these photographs to be Celastrus scandens. The two species are known to hybridize, however, so I can not be certain.
Bittersweet is often used in fall floral displays.
Have you ever seen bittersweet growing where you live?
Are you looking for top-notch science books for middle-grade-aged children? Here are my picks for some of the best of 2012.
Sometimes a science book may have a lot of large color illustrations and look like a picture book. However, the text and reading level of these books are intended for children roughly 9-12 years old. (If you are looking for picture books for younger kids, try this previous post about science picture books.)
Note:Â “My review” links take you to full reviews of the books at Wrapped In Foil blog, many with suggestions for hands-on activities. “Related science activities” links take you to posts here at Growing With Science, often inspired by the book. Linked titles go to Amazon for further information.
2012 Science Books for Middle Grades:
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Awesome Snake Science!: 40 Activities for Learning About Snakes by Cindy Blobaum
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Albert Einstein and Relativity for Kids: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities and Thought Experiments (For Kids series) by Jerome Pohlen |
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A Black Hole Is Not a Hole by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano and illustrated by Michael Carroll |
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Sneed B. Collard III’s Most Fun Book Ever About Lizards by, you guessed it, Sneed B. Collard III
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Citizen Scientists: Be a Part of Scientific Discovery from Your Own Backyard by Loree Griffin Burns and Ellen Harasimowicz (Photographer) |
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Giant Squid: Searching for a Sea Monster (Smithsonian) (Smithsonian) by Mary M Cerullo and Clyde F.E. Roper
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Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Philip Hoose
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The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity (Scientists in the Field Series) by Elizabeth Rusch |
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The Plant Hunters: True Stories of Their Daring Adventures to the Far Corners of the Earth by Anita Silvey* |
* I do have a slight reservation about this book, due to a few errors (tigers are not found in South America, for example). Others, however, have been very positive about it.
Do you have any favorite science books for middle-grade-aged children that were published in 2012? We’d love to hear about them.
For more information, see Roberta Gibson Writes.