Pinecones on trees are the things that shelter the seeds. These are the feminine cones, with tiny seeds inside, the male cones are much smaller and short lived and soft. This is astounding - the male cones are lower on the tree, so when they release pollen, they cannot pollinate the seeds on their tree - the wind will carry the pollen to a nearby tree! Pinecones can stay on the tree for many years - when they fall to the ground, most all their seeds are gone. I do remember learning when I was doing a story on Yellowstone National Park aftrer the fires of 1988, that the trees depend on fire - the heat opens the pine cones and the seeds drop down. Perhaps those were a different type of connifer.
I have never looked closely at a pine cone, really, which is a shame. They are so interesting to study up close. This is a close-up of the top of the cone on the right-hand side in the photo above.
3 comments:
Very interesting info about the pine cones. I didn't know those facts.
I like learning facts about pine ones that I never knew. I have always liked all their different shapes. Betsey
I learn something new everyday. Thank you for pinecone lesson. I will look at them differently now when I see them on the trees or fallen on the ground. Joan
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