Going nuts

Most tree seeds are small, some however are very large and very heavy. We know these seeds as nuts. These heavy tree seeds often rely on animals for dispersal, only a handful are buoyant and can be carried away by water. Most of the nuts also need to be buried for optimal germination. The Jay burying acorns in winter caches is a well known example. Recent strong winds blew most of the nuts down from the trees. These now litter the pavements and roads. In some places Jackdaws gather by the roadside to feast on the nuts cracked by passing traffic. They are truly crafty little corvids!

Corylus colurna, the Turkish hazel (left) produces clusters of bristly husks with small very hard nuts. Acorns are easily recognisable for most people. In the middle some acorns of one of the American Red Oaks (Quercus rubra or Q. coccinea) with their little flat caps. The Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) produces large conkers with highly toxic seeds. Only deer can safely eat these nuts; despite the name they are poisonous to horses. The name Horse chestnut actually refers to the leaf marks that resemble a horseshoe.