NATURE
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TREE-MENDOUS CONES This October Peter Erridge has cast his experienced eye across the local landscape to investigate the humble pine cone, and offers his thoughts on the topic
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hildren and adults are impressed by the cones commonly found under pine trees but other needle bearing trees also have interesting cones. The big pine cones are often collected for interior decoration especially at Christmas-time or to create interest in an open fireplace. Cones are produced by trees over 20 years old, for seeds which are held by the scales of the cone. Most people can recognise
a pine cone by the shape and size of it. There are dozens of varieties of pines with smaller cones. Other cone bearing species have different cone shapes. For example; firs and spruce are cylindrical, cedars are barrel shaped, and cypresses have small cones. Fir cones are borne upright on the younger branches so as the tree grows the cones become more difficult to see from the ground. As the cone matures the colour fades. Another Young Fir feature is that after Cones shedding their seeds they disintegrate on the branch so are seldom found on the ground Spruce cones hang down from branches. The Norway spruce, commonly used as a Christmas tree, has large cones 9-17cm (4-8ins) which
Giant Redwood
Pollen is dispersed by the wind as a cloud can be found intact on the ground. True cedars – Cedar of Lebanon, Deodar and the Atlas cedar – have barrel shaped cones borne upright, which when young are an attractive green colour. Many species have small rounded cones such as Giant Redwoods. The cone we notice most prominently is the female, while the male is a much smaller ‘cone’ or flower. Male cones grow on the lower branches so the pollen does not fertilise the parent tree. This pollen is dispersed by the wind as a cloud, usually unseen, but for some people this is an intense irritant
October 2021 | SUSSEX LIVING 77
