Tag: Seed of the Week (Page 13 of 142)

Mystery Seed of the Week 239

March 3, 2015 / Roberta / 3 Comments

Our mystery seeds this week are from a plant that is full of contradictions.

The seeds are some of the smallest we have featured, but the mature plant is fairly large.

These are the pods.

The plant is poisonous, containing a chemical that can be used as an insecticide, but it is grown as a crop in many parts of the world.

Do you recognize what contradictory plant these seeds are from? If you choose to, please leave a comment with your ideas.

Mystery Seed answers and new Mystery Seeds are posted on Tuesdays.

Edit:Â the answer is now posted.

February 24, 2015 / Roberta / 4 Comments

Last week’s seeds were large and from eastern North America.

This week’s seeds are much smaller and from the Southwest.

You probably won’t see them out like this, however.

The seeds are often hidden within small dried flowers.

Do you recognize what plant these seeds are from? If you choose to, please leave a comment with your ideas.

Mystery Seed answers and new Mystery Seeds are posted on Tuesdays.

Edit:Â The answer is now posted.

February 24, 2015 / Roberta / 3 Comments

Our mystery samaras last week were (as Sara suggested) from a tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera.

(Photograph in the public domain by P.Gibellini at Wikimedia)

The scientific species name means “tulip bearing” and refers to the stunning yellow and orange cup-shaped flowers…

although I have often thought the leaves look a bit like tulips, too.

Tulip trees are large, beautiful deciduous natives to the East Coast of North America.

They are so popular that they are the state tree of Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana.

Have you ever seen a tulip tree flowering? What do you think of them?