Are Maples The Only Tree That Make Helicopter Seeds? How To Identify Seeds

Kim Williamson, Author 8 Billion TreesWritten by Kim Williamson

Forestry, Trees and Tree Planting | November 28, 2024

Woman observes helicopter seeds falling from a tree, considering the environmental role of seed dispersal and the connection to forest sustainability.

In late spring, it is a common sight to see helicopter seeds raining down, particularly on a breezy day.

These unique and easily recognizable tree fruits, also known as samaras, are characteristic of Maple trees, but many people will be surprised to learn that maple trees are not the only trees that bear the samara seed.

This article explores the different trees that grow samara fruit and guides readers through helicopter seeds identification.

What Types of Trees Have Helicopter Tree Seeds (Samaras Seeds)?

Helicopter tree seeds are usually a good indicator of a maple tree nearby.

These seeds are so named because their unique structural design creates a twirling effect as they fall to the ground, resembling the rotor motion of helicopters.

This movement allows the fruit to disperse much further from the base of the tree than they would normally travel.

Graphic of the major types of tree seed pods, including acorn, berry, cone, drupe, pod, pome, nut, and samara.

Helicopter seeds, also known as samaras seeds, are small dried fruit (seed) in a papery casing that extends out from the seed, creating a wing-like structure.15 Samaras are most often associated with Maple trees, members of the Acer genus,2 but several other tree species have some version of samaras seeds, including some ash and elm trees.6

The samara seeds of maple trees are most associated with the helicopter shape.

How Many Trees With Helicopter Seeds Are There?

For people wondering exactly how many trees have helicopter seeds, the answer depends on how the term ‘helicopter seeds’ is defined. Some experts use ‘helicopter seeds’ to refer exclusively to the seeds or fruits of species in the Acer genus, commonly known as maples.

The reasoning for this is that maples are the only ones that produce samaras in pairs, creating the true helicopter effect.11

Worldwide, there are about 150 extant species of maple trees; Kew Botanical Gardens lists 153 accepted species,1 but other sources contend that there are 158 or more. Of these, only 13 are native to North America.

All maple trees bear some type of helicopter seed. Maples are the most common trees with helicopter seeds, but there are several other trees that produce samaras in various forms.

For example, ash trees in the Fraxinus genus produce winged seeds (samaras) that resemble those of maples.25 The ash tree fruit is a single seed with a flat, narrow, papery week extending out.

Unlike maple trees, ash tree seeds do not grow in pairs but commonly hang in clusters. There are between 45 and 65 species of ash trees worldwide, of which 18 are North American natives.4,5

Elm trees, members of the Ulmus genus,26 produce a disc-shaped samara. Some people do not consider these helicopter seeds, but many still do as the papery disc twirls as it is carried on the wind in its journey to the ground below.

There are 35 species of elm tree and 8 are native to North America.21 Mahogany trees, belonging to the Swietenia genus,17 are often overlooked as bearers of samaras because their large, winged seeds are enclosed within a woody, pear-shaped capsule.

Thus, the seeds only become apparent when the capsule breaks apart. There are 3 species of mahogany tree, all native to North America and Central America.17

Within the Ptelea genus reside 3 species of trees known as Hoptrees,23 all native to North America.

The samaras of the Hoptree most closely resemble those of elm, with a rounded, papery disc. However, the Hoptree samaras contain two seeds.23

There are 2 species of tulip poplar, the Liriodendron genus,27 one of which is native to North America, which produces winged seeds in conical, flower-like clusters. The samaras become more recognizable as they dry out and break away from the cone.

The Ailanthus genus contains 6 to 10 species of trees native to Asia and Australasia.3 Its most well-known representative is the ‘Tree of Heaven’ (Ailanthus altissima),28 an aggressive grower that has become invasive across Europe and North America.

The samaras of these trees grow in clusters, but each samara is a single, oval seed centered in a long, two-pointed papery casing.3

The Tipu tree (Tipuana tipu),20 the sole species in its genus, is a native of South America. The Tipu samara most closely resembles those of the maple trees, with a seed at one end and a broad flat wing fanning out.

The winged pod grows up to 7 cm and may contain up to 3 seeds.20

The most comprehensive estimate of the number of trees with helicopter seeds is 269 total, with 46 species native to North America.

Types of Tree Seeds (Tree Seed Pods Identification)

All naturally occurring trees bear some form of fruit for reproduction. In some cases, the fruits may be edible while in other cases they are dried seeds.

Some of the most common types of tree seeds are cones, acorns, samaras, berries, nuts with husks, drupes, burs, pomes, and pods.

A pine cone rests on a the ground with dried grass.

(Image: Jocelyn Powell35)

Here are brief descriptions of the major types of tree seed:

  • Acorn: Poisonous (to humans) nut in a tough shell with a cap; no husk
  • Berry: Fleshy fruit without a pit
  • Cone: Woody, oval, or egg-shaped organ with many scaly seeds
  • Drupe: Fleshy fruit with a pit or stone
  • Pod: Long and flat casing containing many seeds
  • Pome: Fleshy fruit with an interior casing containing seeds
  • Nut: Fleshy fruit contained in a tough shell and sometimes exterior husk
  • Samara: Winged seed

The type of seed or fruit on a tree is one of the primary ways of distinguishing between various genera and species. For example, a tree bearing a cone fruit can be identified as a conifer; a non-flowering tree such as a pine or cedar.19

The following table guides readers through tree seed pods identification by illustrating how various types of trees can be recognized and categorized according to their seed-bearing behavior.

Seed Type Genera Notable Species
Acorn Lithocarpus (Stone Oaks) Japanese Stone Oak (L. edulis)
Notholithocarpus Tanoak (N. densiflorus)
Quercus Black Oak (Q. nigra)

Bur Oak (Q. macrocarpa)

Pin Oak (Q. palustris)

Red Oak (Q. rubra)

Southern Live Oak (Q. virginiana)

White Oak (Q. alba)
Berry Berberis Japanese Barberry (B. thunbergii)
Diospyros American Persimmon (D. virginiana)
Ribes Fuchsia-Flowered Gooseberry (R. speciosum)

Red Currant (R. rubrum)
Sambucus American Elderberry (S. canadensis)
Cone Cedrus Atlas Cedar (C. atlantica)
Pinus Ponderosa Pine (P. ponderosa)
Taxus English Yew (T. baccata)
Drupe Celtis Common Hackberry (C. occidentalis)
Olea Common Olive (O. europaea)
Prunus  American Plum (P. americana)

Common Peach (P. persica)

Japanese Cherry (P. serrulata)
A close-up of a Japanese Maple tree with winged maple seeds with green leaves in the background.

(Image: Susan Holt Simpson32)

Seed Type Genera Notable Species
Pod (Bean or Pea) Cercis American Redbud (C. canadensis)
Gleditsia Honey Locust (G. triacanthos)
Gymnocladus Kentucky Coffee Tree (G. dioicus)
Pome Cydonia Fruiting Quince (C. oblonga)
Malus Common Apple (M. domestica)
Pyrus Bradford Pear (P. calleryana)
Sorbus American Rowan (S. americana)
Nut Carya Hardy Pecan (C. illinoinensis)

Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata)
Castanea American Chestnut (C. dentata)
Juglans Black Walnuts (J. nigra)
Samara Acer Sugar Maple (A. saccharum)
Fraxinus American Ash (F. americana)
Ulmus Winged Elm (U. alata)

The table provided serves as an invaluable resource for understanding and identifying tree seed pods.

What Is the Function of Helicopter Leaves on Trees?

The primary function of helicopter seed pods (helicopter leaves) on trees is to aid in seed dispersal. Seed dispersal is a vital piece in the reproduction process of plant life.

Plants have evolved along many trajectories through the ages, developing many distinct methods of seed dispersal. Most plants rely on more than one mechanism, and some trees, such as the Quaking aspens have even evolved to create clonal copies of themselves by sending up root shoots.16

The primary mechanisms of seed dispersal utilized by plants are:8

Gravity

The most basic mechanism of seed dispersal is simply dropping the seeds to the ground, such as in the case of acorns or apples falling from the tree. Note that gravity alone does not allow for the spread of the seed far from the parent plant.

A cluster of acorn seeds attached to a stem.

(Image: Mike Erskine36)

This is why gravity dispersal is often supplemented by other dispersal methods.

Ballistic/Explosion

Ballistic seed dispersal is accomplished entirely by the parent plant which will expel dried seeds when pods or capsules burst apart forcefully.

This explosive mechanism serves to project the seeds several feet or yards from the parent tree. Ballistic dispersal is more common among tropical species.

Water

Water dispersal is useful for plants which grow near water and have seeds which are impermeable to water and float. The coconut is the ideal candidate for water dispersal as it can travel great distances by floating on the top of the water.

Fire

This unique type of seed dispersal is not extremely common, and seeds often remain dormant for years before a wildfire frees the seed from its resin-sealed casings. Note that fire dispersal typically destroys most plant life in the area and serves mainly to replace and replenish the natural flora in a fire-devastated area.

Animals

Animals, including humans, can be highly effective mechanisms of seed dispersal. Some seeds, such as nuts and those in fruits are eaten by animals and dispersed through defecation.

Other seeds, such as burs, can attach to clothing and animal fur to travel from one place to another.

Wind

Many trees’ seed dispersal is assisted by wind. Samaras, such as the winged helicopters of the maple trees, can be carried many yards from the tree, particularly when they fall to the ground on a windy day.

The cotton-tuft seeds of cottonwood trees can be carried miles from their parent tree on the wind. Long distance seed dispersal helps ensure the survival of a plant species by ideally carrying seeds far enough away that they won’t need to compete with parent plants for space and resources.

Does Every Maple Tree Have Helicopter Seeds?

Every maple tree growing in the wild bears samara fruits which twirl to the ground as helicopter seeds in the late spring.2

Closeup of a Samara Tree showing orange and yellow helicopter seeds with green leaves in the background.

(Image: Cbaile1933)

Though the maples which occur in nature all have helicopter seeds, there are many seedless varieties that have been grown in cultivation. Look for the Autumn Fantasy maple, the Brandywine Red maple, or the Celebration maple for some great seedless varieties.13

Identifying Maple Tree Helicopter Seed Pods: What Do Maple Tree Seeds Look Like?

Maple tree seeds are the prime example of helicopter seed pods. All 150+ Acer species produce the dried fruits known as samaras,2 or commonly: “helicopters,” “whirligigs,” “wing-nuts,” “keys,” and so on.9

There is considerable inter species variability for samaras, but all maple seeds share a few characteristics.29

Maple tree seeds:2

  • Are asymmetrical
  • Have a single, flattened and elongated wing
  • Are thinner along one edge of the wing than the other
  • Are joined in pairs at the seeds
  • Spiral or twirl as they fall to the ground

The samara seeds of maple trees can often assist in their identification as each species’ seeds are slightly unique. Note that when helicopter seeds fall also depends on the species.

The following table compares and contrasts the samaras of the most common maples in the U.S.10, 22, 24

Common Name Scientific Name Native Area Seed Description
Amur Maple Acer ginnala Asia
  • Paired samara, slightly diverging
  • Red-tinted wings, ¾ – 1 inch long
  • Green, oval seed body with irregular depression
  • Late summer to fall seed dispersal
Bigleaf Maple Acer macrophyllum North America
  • Paired samara
  • Wings 1.5 to 2 inches long
  • Triangular or oval seeds
  • Late fall to winter seed dispersal
Boxelder Maple Acer negundo North America
  • Paired samara, diverging slightly
  • Green to brown wings, 1 to 1½ inches long
  • Long, elliptical seed body
  • Fall seed dispersal
Japanese Maple Acer palmatum Asia
  • Paired samara, strongly diverging
  • Incurved wings, red-tinted, ¾ to 1¼ inches long
  • Rounded seed body
  • Fall seed dispersal
Mountain Maple Acer spicatum Eastern North America
  • Paired samara, diverging moderately, clustered in ascending groups
  • Pink to red-tinted wings, ¾ to 1¼ inches long
  • Roughly depressed (wrinkled) seed body
  • Fall seed dispersal
Norway Maple Acer platanoides Europe
  • Paired samara, diverging strongly almost 180 degrees
  • Brown to copper, leathery wings, 2 inches long
  • Flattened seed body
  • Fall seed dispersal
A bunch of maple tree seeds hanging delicately from a twig against a blurred background.

(Image: Danielle-Claude Bélanger34)

Common Name Scientific Name Native Area Seed Description
Paperbark Maple Acer griseum China
  • Paired samara, moderately divergent
  • Coppery brown  wings 1 ½ inches long
  • Very large seeds
  • Fall seed dispersal
Red Maple Acer rubrum
  • Paired samara, diverging slightly
  • Red-tinted wings, ¾ inch long
  • Oval seeds
  • Late spring/early summer seed dispersal
Rocky Mountain Maple Acer glabrum Western U.S.
  • Paired samara, strongly divergent
  • Red, glossy, showy, up to 1 inch long
  • Flattened and wrinkled seed body
  • Late summer to fall seed dispersal
Silver Maple Acer saccharinum
  • Paired samara, with one underdeveloped (often), moderately diverging
  • Incurved wings, 2 inches long,
  • Football-shaped seeds
  • Late spring seed dispersal
Striped Maple Acer pensylvanicum
  • Paired samara, diverging moderately, ascending clusters
  • Reddish-brown wings, ¾ inch long
  • Smooth, oval depression on  seed
  • Late summer/Fall seed dispersal
Sugar Maple Acer saccharum North America
  • Paired samara, U-shaped
  • Brown wings, 1 inch long
  • Very round, full seeds
  • Fall seed dispersal
Sycamore Maple Acer pseudoplatanus Eurasia
  • Paired samara, moderately divergent, in ascending clusters
  • Green wings up to 2 inches long
  • Fall seed dispersal

Samaras are winged seeds that can be carried far on the wind to aid in dispersal and reproduction for plant species. Although maple trees are most commonly associated with helicopter seeds, other tree species, including ash and elm, have their own version of samaras.

Explore this article for information on seed types and identification. Learn how to identify the helicopter seeds of many different maple trees!

Frequently Asked Questions About Helicopter Seeds

How Many Types of Maple Trees Are There?

The Acer genus which houses all species of maple tree is composed of more than 150 types of maple trees, yet only 13 of these species are native to North America.1,7 Some non-native maple species, such as the Norway maple, are actually considered invasive in some parts of the U.S.12

Are There Oak Tree Helicopter Seeds?

While some sources on the internet erroneously claim the existence of oak tree helicopter seeds, these claims are false; oak trees, members of the Quercus genus,14 do not produce samaras seeds. The fruit of the oak tree is the acorn, a fleshy brown nut.14

What Do Sycamore Seeds Look Like?

The myth that sycamores have helicopter seeds is continually reinforced by the existence of Acer pseudoplatanus,30 the sycamore maple, which is commonly confused with sycamore trees in the Platanus genus.31

True sycamores, often called Plane trees, produce a dried fruit casing that is spherical or ball-shaped, containing several hundred achenes with individual sycamore seeds.18

How Can I Distinguish Ash Tree Helicopter Seeds From Maple Seeds?

Ash tree seeds, known as samaras, can be distinguished from maple seeds by the number of wings; ash seeds have a single wing, whereas maple seeds have a twin-wing structure. Ash tree samaras hang in dense clusters on the tree, and the individual samaras tend to be longer and more narrow than those of maples.

Learn More About Helicopter Seeds

References

1Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (2023). Acer L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/328248-2>

2Bracewell, R.(2005) Acer (Maple) Notes. Trees of Stanford. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://trees.stanford.edu/ENCYC/ACER.htm>

3Wikipedia. (2023, October 14). Ailanthus. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailanthus>

4Purdue University. (2023). ASH TREE IDENTIFICATION GUIDE NO! Purdue University. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/EAB/PDF/ashTreeIdentificationHandout.pdf>

5Harms, B. (2023). Fraxinus. Ash in N. Hays Co. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://w3.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/DigFlora/ASH/Hays-ash.html>

6Heath, S. (2022, April 6). 11 Types of Trees with Helicopter Seeds (Samara Fruit). The Spruce. Retrieved November 8, 2023, from <https://www.thespruce.com/trees-with-helicopter-seeds-samara-fruit-5186309>

7Nashville Tree Conservation Corps. (2023, September 13). How Many Kinds of Maple Trees Are There? — Nashville Tree Conservation Corps. Nashville Tree Conservation Corps. Retrieved November 8, 2023, from <https://www.nashvilletreeconservationcorps.org/treenews/how-many-maple-tree-varieties>

8Kueny, M. (2023). Seed Dispersal. Cornell University’s Naturalist Outreach. Retrieved November 12, 2023, from <http://calscomm.cals.cornell.edu/naturalist/Naturalist-Outreach-Seed-dispersal.pdf>

9Mellor, C. (2019, May 30). Which Trees Do Helicopter Seeds Grow On? Woodland Trust. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/05/helicopter-seeds/>

10Maine.gov. (2023). M* The Important Distinctions. Maine.gov. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/publications/handbooks_guides/forest_trees/pdf/Maples.pdf>

11Nolan, J. (2023, July 17). 14 Types of Helicopter Seeds (With Pictures) – Identification Guide. Leafy Place. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://leafyplace.com/helicopter-seeds/>

12New York Invasive Species Information. (2019, July 2). Norway Maple – New York Invasive Species Information. New York Invasive Species Information. Retrieved November 8, 2023, from <https://nyis.info/invasive_species/norway-maple/>

13The Davey Tree Expert Company. (2022, April 11). Plant These Seedless Maples Without Helicopter Seeds | Davey Blog | Davey Tree. Davey Blog. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://blog.davey.com/plant-these-seedless-maples-without-helicopter-seeds/>

14NC Cooperative Extension. (2023). Quercus (Oak, Oaks) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/quercus/>

15Wikipedia. (2022, December 18). Samara (fruit). Wikipedia. Retrieved November 8, 2023, from <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samara_(fruit)>

16Arizona Board of Regents. (2022). Seed Dispersal Mechanisms. Northern Arizona University. Retrieved November 12, 2023, from <https://www2.nau.edu/lrm22/lessons/seed_dispersal/seed_dispersal.html>

17Wikipedia. (2023, July 3). Swietenia. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swietenia>

18State of Missouri. (2023). Sycamore. Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/sycamore>

19Texas Forest A&M Service. (2023). How to ID. Trees of Texas. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <http://texastreeid.tamu.edu/content/howToID/>

20Tipu Tree, pride of Bolivia Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae) Origin. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://www.public.asu.edu/~camartin/plants/Plant%20html%20files/tipuanatipu.html>

21Webber, J. (2023, October 9). Elm. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elm>

22Hansen, S., Gunnell, J., Emmertson, A.(2021, May). Maples in the Landscape | USU. USU Extension Services. Retrieved November 9, 2023, from <https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/maples-in-the-landscape>

23Wikipedia. (2023, October 26). Ptelea. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 12, 2023, from <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptelea>

24Missouri Department of Conservation. (2023). Maples. Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved November 12, 2023, from <https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/maples>

25Oregon State University. (2023). Fraxinus. Landscape Plants. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from <https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/fraxinus>

26NC Cooperative Extension. (2023). Ulmus. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from <https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ulmus/>

27Wikipedia. (2023, February 27). Liriodendron. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liriodendron>

28Jackson, D. R., & Wurzbacher, S. (2020, November 2). Tree-of-Heaven. PennsylvaniaState Extension. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from <https://extension.psu.edu/tree-of-heaven>

29Storm, R. (2021, May 13). “Maple Seed” Helicopters. NASA. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from <https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/TRC/Aeronautics/Maple_Seed.html>

30NC Cooperative Extension. (2023). Acer pseudoplatanus. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from <https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-pseudoplatanus/>

31Wikipedia. (2023, November 1). Platanus. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 20, 2023, from <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platanus>

32Japanese red maple keys in our own backyard. These are beautiful signs of spring. Image by Susan Holt Simpson. (2020, May 4). Unsplash License. Cropped, resized, and, changed file format. Unsplash. Retrieved November 28, 2024, from <https://unsplash.com/photos/red-and-yellow-flower-in-tilt-shift-lens-zHp_umIzhLo>

33Ailanthus altissima, 2015-06-28, Three Rivers Heritage Trail, 01.jpg. Cbaile19. (2015, June 28). CC0 1.0 Deed | CC0 1.0 Universal. Cropped, resized, and changed file format. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved November 28, 2024, from <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ailanthus_altissima,_2015-06-28,_Three_Rivers_Heritage_Trail,_01.jpg>

34Fruit de l’érable qui se balance dans un vent d’automne. Danielle-Claude Bélanger. (2023, September 18). Unsplash License. Cropped, resized, and changed file format. Unsplash. Retrieved November 28, 2024, from <https://unsplash.com/photos/a-close-up-of-a-flower-on-a-tree-branch-TUGdW-oCIA0>

35A small pine cone sitting on the ground. Jocelyn Powell. (2021, October 5). Unsplash License. Cropped, resized, and changed file format. Unsplash. Retrieved November 28, 2024, from <https://unsplash.com/photos/a-small-pine-cone-sitting-on-the-ground-EuWS3wtG418>

36Green leaf with water droplets. Mike Erskine. (2020, July 20). Unsplash License. Cropped, resized, and changed file format. Unsplash. Retrieved November 28, 2024, from <https://unsplash.com/photos/green-leaf-with-water-droplets-dtvDF6WXCCQ>