"Helicopters"

the collecter · Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:44 pm

Have you ever played with "helicopters" as a kid? It's those little green things which fan out at one end and have a seed at the other and when thrown they spin.

I think they're oak or maple or something...can any one identify for me?

Another question about these trees:
in the wild most have rather large leaves...but I've seen kinds with small leaves. What are they called as far as the diference in name than the larger leafed trees?

I'd like to bonsai one of these from seeds I've collected
How would I get these seeds to germinate?

thanks
all fedback is appriciated
~the collecter~

ynot · Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:13 pm

the collecter wrote:...can any one identify for me?

Not from what you've said so far, Is a picture possible?

If you have a ton of those seeds why not try to propagate them every way possible you can think of [Or find though research, Google, ect]
Collect some ideas on how to do this, Follow through on them, And take copious notes on the entire process so that when something actually grows...You know what happened to make it that way.

Good luck!

the collecter · Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:19 pm

Right now I have these seeds in a bowl in the fridge (most seeds are propagated this way then I guess I'll pot them and leave them there till they grow.

I think the seeds I am distribing is a maple but I'm not 100% sure on that. I remember as a kid I called them helecopters cause they would spin in the air when I threw them - they're green and when they drop fom the tree they turn brown they're native to N.America and grow everywhere

ynot · Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:27 pm

It may be in your best interests to try a variety of methods, Including google to try to both ID the trees they come from as well as tips for the best results from your seeds.
Good luck.

Gnome · Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:20 pm

Collector,

From your description I would think that your ID of some type of Maple is correct. Do they look like this?

[url]https://www.inh.co.jp/~hayasida/seedsize.jpeg[/url]

Some Maples drop their keys in the spring in which case they should be planted immediately. Some ripen in the fall and should either be planted out and left over the winter or stored moist, (not wet) and cold until Spring. They must not dry out.

Not all Maples are good subjects, some have large leaves as you noted. Look around your neighborhood for Japanese Maples and collect seeds soon. I collected some last October and stored them as described. This past Spring I planted them and got good germination.

Norm

drzaiusx11 · Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:32 pm

Concerning leaf size, one species to avoid is the "swamp maple" (I think thats a slang term, not sure... its what my dad used to call them...) I think the proper name is "Red Maple." They grow everywhere here in New England... Their leaves tend to grow up to 5 inches in diameter... Probably not the best tree for bonsai...

The way to check for this species is by the stem of the leaf. If the stem is redish in color, its probably a red maple. Their leaves can be red too, but thats not necessarily the case for all of them (some are green most of the year--until fall of course).

[img]https://casnov1.cas.muohio.edu/scienceforohio/SeedTour/images/MapleRd1.JPG[/img]

the collecter · Sun Oct 15, 2006 4:10 pm

Concerning leaf size, one species to avoid is the "swamp maple" (I think thats a slang term, not sure... its what my dad used to call them...) I think the proper name is "Red Maple." They grow everywhere here in New England... Their leaves tend to grow up to 5 inches in diameter... Probably not the best tree for bonsai...

The way to check for this species is by the stem of the leaf. If the stem is redish in color, its probably a red maple. Their leaves can be red too, but thats not necessarily the case for all of them (some are green most of the year--until fall of course).

This is the tree I'm talking about... there are species of this tree with small leaves... the leaves grow to be only a few inches in diameter...I don't think the smaller leafed trees grow wild considering I've only seen them in people's yards.

Can any one I.D these smaller leafed trees so I can go out and buy one and bonsai it?

Gnome · Sun Oct 15, 2006 5:29 pm

Collector,

You still have not given very much information or pictures, this make an ID almost impossible. I suspect that you are talking about Japanese Maples or Acer palmatum. Do they look like this?

[url=https://img265.imageshack.us/my.php?image=apalmleavesjd6.jpg][img]https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2195/apalmleavesjd6.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://img265.imageshack.us/my.php?image=apalmseedsvl0.jpg][img]https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6844/apalmseedsvl0.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Norm

the collecter · Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:07 pm

Gnome wrote:Collector,

You still have not given very much information or pictures, this make an ID almost impossible. I suspect that you are talking about Japanese Maples or Acer palmatum. Do they look like this?

[url=https://img265.imageshack.us/my.php?image=apalmleavesjd6.jpg][img]https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2195/apalmleavesjd6.th.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://img265.imageshack.us/my.php?image=apalmseedsvl0.jpg][img]https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6844/apalmseedsvl0.th.jpg[/img][/url]

Norm

Yes it's similar to this - what kind of tree is this?

ynot · Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:12 pm

...Collector, Gnome has answered this allready...

The collector wrote:Yes it's similar to this - what kind of tree is this?

Gnome wrote:Collector,

You still have not given very much information or pictures, this make an ID almost impossible. I suspect that you are talking about Japanese Maples or Acer palmatum. Do they look like this?
Norm

the collecter · Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:17 pm

ynot wrote: ...Collector, Gnome has answered this allready...
The collector wrote:Yes it's similar to this - what kind of tree is this?

Gnome wrote:Collector,

You still have not given very much information or pictures, this make an ID almost impossible. I suspect that you are talking about Japanese Maples or Acer palmatum. Do they look like this?
Norm

Sorry I don't know any more info than what I had already said

If you look at my last post you will see that these trees are similar to what I'm talking about....this is what they look like and since I don't really have any clue of what it could possably be I was asking every one if they had any idea of what I was talking about.....someone understands because there is now a pic of it and it was very helpful to me

I guess I'll figure out the rest on my own
thanks

ynot · Wed Oct 18, 2006 4:55 pm

Simply put: I have no idea what you are talking about.
I know you are looking for a tree ID but I am confused on one point:

In your post that was just before my last post...

1] You quoted Gnomes post with the pictures, [In that very quote he mentions the type of tree pictured.]

2] Your response to that quote was to ask what kind of tree it is. ??

Am I missing something?

Can you post a picture?

Please check your personal messages btw