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Maturity of Maple and Ash Seed

Seed of boxelder maple (Acer negundo L.) and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh) ripen in the fall. These seeds gradually change color from green to yellow or brown with maturity. However, seed collectors and nursery operators require a reliable measure of maturity for harvesting of seed from standing trees. Several studies have reported on the maturity of sugar maple seed (1,2,3), which was found to have a moisture content of 55 percent at time of natural seed fall (2). This article reports on exploratory study using moisture content of the seed to measure maturity and identify the time of seed collection for fall nursery sowings in the Plains region. Subsequent studies on storage and viability of maple and ash seed will be reported in the future.


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Author(s): W. H. Cram, H. A. Worden

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Volume 30, Number 4 (1979)

Section: general

Volume: 30

Number: 4