General Discussion

I remember as a kid deciding I was going to collect them in a grocery bag. What a weird kid I was.

My next door neighbor has a huge maple right up in front of his house. Our houses are only 10' apart and his tree had so many samaras (the scientific name for helicopters) the last two years and of course my luck is that the wind pattern is such that they land on my driveway and walkway up to my door. I had four of the brown kraft yard waste bags completely filled with them. I can tell the tree was planted incorrectly when the place was built because the crown of the tree is way above the level of the yard. This is huge! I've often thought that if that tree comes down it'll land on my house and it would actually crush the entire house and me in it. But he won't have it taken out.

I had a Norway maple that was 30 years old and had it removed and one in the backyard too. I planted two native trees in my backyard. I'm actually an Advanced Master Gardener and certified Environmental Steward. I've worked in nurseries and taken too many courses to even remember to retain my certifications.