Helicopter seeds: which trees do they come from?

In the UK, ‘helicopter seeds’ are so named because of the way they spiral through the air as they fall from the trees. Discover which trees have helicopter seeds, how to tell them apart, when helicopter seeds fall and where to find them.

What are helicopter seeds?

Helicopter seeds are really fruits. We tend to call the whole structure the seed, but the seed is contained in the small rounded bump at the bottom. When fruits have wings like this, they're called samaras.

The fruits have evolved this way to improve the chances of survival for the seeds they contain. As they fall from the tree, the whole structure rotates like helicopter blades, helping the spinning winged seeds float on the air before landing. They can travel further this way than if they fell straight down to the ground, giving them more space and a better chance of growing into a new tree.

Take a closer look at the four UK trees that grow them.

Seed and fruit appearance: pairs of symmetrical V-shaped wings with rounded ends that narrow towards the seeds. Sycamore tree seeds are 5-10mm in diameter and wings are 20-40mm long. The main difference between sycamore and maple helicopter seeds is that sycamore wings have a narrower V shape.

Where to find: sycamore is a broadleaved tree now widespread in woods after it was introduced to the UK in the 17th century.

When sycamore seeds fall: seeds and fruits usually turn brown and fall from the tree in autumn.

Seed and fruit appearance: seed is contained within one ‘wing’ which is 5-8mm wide and 25-45mm long. They hang together in bunches and are also known as keys.

Where to find: ash is native to the UK and a dominant species in the landscape – spot it in woods, streets and hedgerows. It’s the UK's third most common tree, but that may change as the deadly ash dieback disease threatens its future.

When ash seeds fall: seeds and fruits turn brown in autumn and fall from the tree in winter and early spring. 

Seed and fruit appearance: seeds grow in pairs with fruits on an almost horizontal line. They are green and can have a hint of pink. They tend to be shorter than ash and sycamore at around 20mm long.

Where to find: field maple is a native tree often found in woods, gardens and hedgerows on farms.

When field maple seeds and fruits fall: look for field maple helicopters on the ground in autumn.

Grow your own helicopter seeds! Buy a field maple tree for £12.99.

Seed and fruit appearance: Norway maple tree seeds grow in pairs of fruits on a wider angle than sycamore, but narrower than field maple. They are bigger than other helicopter seeds at approximately 10–15mm wide with 30–50mm long wings.

Where to find: this non-native tree is often found as a street tree and in parks and gardens.

When Norway maple seeds fall: seeds and fruits fall in autumn.

5 helicopter seed facts

1. Helicopter seeds are a valuable food source for wildlife, including small mammals and birds like bullfinch.

2. You can eat helicopter seeds. The seeds of ash, field maple, Norway maple and sycamore are all non-toxic. The young, green, immature seeds of ash are edible and have also been used in herbal medicine. Sycamore and maple seeds are best when young too – look up recipes for boiling or roasting them.

3. You can plant helicopter seeds and grow them into trees. Some are trickier than others, needing particular warm or cold conditions to germinate. If you’re thinking of planting helicopter seeds, make sure you have a plan for any saplings that grow.

4. Research into how helicopter seeds and fruits fall so slowly has found that they generate a tornado-like vortex that’s similar to the way insects, bats and hummingbirds hover by sweeping their wings back and forth.

5. In 2011, New Scientist reported that winged helicopter seeds and fruit like ash had inspired an attempt to build a single-bladed helicopter. Some model helicopters now fly on a single blade, although they don’t spin through the air like the seeds.