I am new to this group but I think this is the proper forum to ask this
question. I live in northern RI and have a large Swamp Maple growing
in my front yard. I have been in the house only two springs, and each
spring my neighbor complains extensively about the "helicopters" that
fall on both our yards. While they don't bother me a whole lot, they
really aggravate him. I doubt it, but is there anything that can be
done to minimize the amount of seed pods a maple produces?

grodenhi [at] gmail.com wrote:
> I am new to this group but I think this is the proper forum to ask this
> question. I live in northern RI and have a large Swamp Maple growing
> in my front yard. I have been in the house only two springs, and each
> spring my neighbor complains extensively about the "helicopters" that
> fall on both our yards. While they don't bother me a whole lot, they
> really aggravate him. I doubt it, but is there anything that can be
> done to minimize the amount of seed pods a maple produces?
>
Certain varieties of maples have minimal production of helicopters. I
recently planted 3 Autumn Blaze on my property. I chose this variety for
fast growth, fall color,& and minimal if any seed pods. More about them
here:


http://www.hort.wisc.edu/mastergardener/Features/woodies/abm aple/abmaple.htm

Short of cutting your tree down & replacing it, there is not anything
you can do about the seed pods. Pray for winds from a favorable
direction to blow them to the least noticeable area.

I didn't think there was anything to stop the growth of seed pods, just
checking. I don't plan to take the tree down, it appears to have been
there a VERY long time and provides shade over the driveway and looks
nice in the yard. I was just checking for a happy medium (we get to
keep the tree, he doesn't get helicopters each spring), but in the end,
it's our land, and our decision. Thanks!!

I'm in Silver Maple central and how they produce the whirlybirds :0)
Once in a while they'll not be many of them but usually it is a full
blown gutter clogging week from hell :0(

I have leaf blown them into piles and run them through a grinder for
mulch. They heat up nicely, but if you don't gring them up, man do
they produce a stench!

Around here (SW Chicago area) just learned to live with 'em.

Me, I had 4 cut down this year - but had 6 trees put up in their place.
2 being Maples, but Red Sunset, not Silver!

Not knowing much about trees, mine is a RI Swamp Maple (so I've been
told).

grodenhi [at] gmail.com wrote:
> Not knowing much about trees, mine is a RI Swamp Maple (so I've been
> told).
==============
Red Maple - heck it looks like it is your official state tree :0)
===========
http://www.shgresources.com/ri/symbols/tree/
============

I was using the Silver Maple as a reference as we have them all over
the place. Whirlybirds be whirlybirds I guess.

In fact I have to clear some of those gutter cloggers out one of these
days ;0(

Oh boy!. . .I was seriously thinking of planting a Silver Maple, to
replace a mistletoe infested Modesto Ash. I want something disease
resistant, and not bothered too much by mistletoe or other pests.

I hadn't considered a problem with seed pod helicoptors. Let me ask a
stupid "blonde" question. . .Do trees come in male and female, and if
so, does one of them NOT have the seed pods??? And also, if they do
come in male and female, how do you tell the difference;-)

I know it sounds crazy, but I'm serious, and just had to ask!

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

On 26 May 2006 19:43:13 -0700
"Myrl Jeffcoat" <myrl_jeffcoat [at] yahoo.com> wrote:

> Oh boy!. . .I was seriously thinking of planting a Silver Maple, to
> replace a mistletoe infested Modesto Ash. I want something disease
> resistant, and not bothered too much by mistletoe or other pests.
>
> I hadn't considered a problem with seed pod helicoptors. Let me ask a
> stupid "blonde" question. . .Do trees come in male and female, and if
> so, does one of them NOT have the seed pods??? And also, if they do
> come in male and female, how do you tell the difference;-)
>
> I know it sounds crazy, but I'm serious, and just had to ask!
>

Myrl, not a dumb question at all. Maples can be either monoecious,
meaning having both male and female flowers on the same individual,
or dioecious, meaning individuals are either male or female, depending
on the species.

A. saccharinum (silver maple) usually but not always has both sexes
present, but isolated individuals often produce parthenocarpic samaras
(samaras are the helicopter like fruits). This means they contain no
seed.

There is no way to know whether you would get a rare dioecious example
of this tree. Fertile seed of the species germinates freely, so unless
you have it in a place where you can mow seedlings that could be a
problem.

None the less it is a very lovely tree, and well worth growing, and
I'd recommend it in the right situation.

-E

--
Emery Davis
You can reply to ibmemeryamazon [at] ebayadelkadell.applecom
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"Myrl Jeffcoat" <myrl_jeffcoat [at] yahoo.com> wrote:

>I hadn't considered a problem with seed pod helicoptors.

I have both a Silver and Norway maple. The Norway generates maybe a
third of the pods that the silver does.



--
If I had something to say, this is where I'd say it.

Well, I guess if they have both sexes present, that'd make them AC/DC.
Perhaps I'll research John's Norway Maple suggestion, and take a look
at that recommendation as well.

The tree is on a lawn area, and I'm not worried about the helicoptors
there. . .But, the tree will also shade over an area with many Azaleas.
And it could be an issue there.

Thanks!

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

On 27 May 2006 11:14:43 -0700
"Myrl Jeffcoat" <myrl_jeffcoat [at] yahoo.com> wrote:

> Well, I guess if they have both sexes present, that'd make them AC/DC.
> Perhaps I'll research John's Norway Maple suggestion, and take a look
> at that recommendation as well.
>
> The tree is on a lawn area, and I'm not worried about the helicoptors
> there. . .But, the tree will also shade over an area with many Azaleas.
> And it could be an issue there.
>

A. platanoides is a great tree too, with many lovely cultivars in different
sizes. As well as the species I have 'Drumondii' in my garden. Here's a
picture

http://www.esveld.nl/htmldia/a/acpdru.htm

The species is dioecious, but can be very invasive in some areas, so be
careful. Why not consider A. cappidocicum, the Caucasian maple? It's
a lovely big tree with dark green foliage that pushes out red to start, and
good fall color in most locations.

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to ibmemeryamazon [at] ebayadelkadell.applecom
by removing the well known companies