#25 How Seeds Travel
What is a seed?
Plants have small origins. Each seed is a baby plant that has some built in food storage and the ability to sprout into something much bigger.
Even a towering Western red cedar, that can grow to 180ft started as a tiny seed packed inside a cone that is smaller than your fingernail. When the conditions are right, they open up to release tiny seeds that are carried away by the wind!
Why do seeds travel?
In order for the plant to spread to new areas, that might have more space, nutrients, and better growing conditions the seeds can travel!
Let's take a look at some seeds you can find around Tacoma!
Seeds are incredibly diverse, and have evolved so many different shapes, sizes, and methods of transportation.
Match the seed to the mode of transportation
Answers
Dandelion: Wind
Raspberries: Animals
Coconuts: Water and Gravity
Acorn: Animals and Gravity
Maple seeds: Wind
Cattail: Water and wind
Sandburs: Sticky
Fire Activated:
Some seeds have even adapted to forest fires and need small controlled fires to sprout!
Word Search
Click and drag on the letters below to highlight the words you have found!
Activity:
With your adult, go out and find some seeds in your neighborhood and draw it or do a texture rub of the seed!
Come take a walk with us!
Come take a walk with your adults and the Tacoma Tree Foundation to learn about local plants!
Bats flying at sunset
