Which flowers spread their seeds by wind?

Plants in nature are diverse, and different plants have their own unique ways of reproducing. Some plants rely on animals for dispersal, some spread by wind, and others use water dispersal, ballistic dispersal, mechanical dispersal, and other methods. These different plants and their unique dispersal methods build a colorful natural world for us. So which flowers spread their seeds by wind?

1. Which flowers spread their seeds by wind

Common flowers that use wind to spread their seeds include fireweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius), thistle (Cirsium japonicum), hyacinth, and cornflower. These flowers generally have relatively light seeds, and the seed surface is smooth and dry, making it easy for them to be blown by the wind to a considerable height and a fairly distant place. It is estimated that about 1/10 of angiosperms are wind-pollinated. Most grasses and woody plants such as oak, poplar, and birch are wind-pollinated plants. With the help of wind, their seeds can rise with the wind to an altitude of more than 2 km.

2. Other methods by which plants spread their seeds

Different flowers have different methods of spreading their seeds, specifically: dispersal by animals, dispersal by wind, dispersal by water, and dispersal by ballistic mechanical means.

Plants that spread their seeds by water include coconut and water lily. After the coconut matures, the coconut fruit falls into the sea and drifts far away with the seawater; after the fruit of the water lily matures, it sinks to the bottom of the water. After the fruit skin rots, the seeds wrapped in a spongy outer seed coat float up and drift to other places.

There are also plants that rely on small birds or other animals for dispersal, such as cherry, wild grape, and wild ginseng. They all rely on small birds or other animals to eat the seeds into their stomachs; because they cannot be digested, they are excreted with the feces and spread in all directions. In addition, pine nuts are carried away by squirrels when they store food for the winter.

Some plants also spread by mechanical dispersal, such as garden balsam. After the fruit of garden balsam matures, it bursts open and flings the seeds in all directions. This is the method of mechanical seed dispersal. Many leguminous plants also use mechanical dispersal for their seeds.

The above are the main ways plants spread their seeds. The colorful animals and plants in nature are worth studying and protecting.