Cottonwood Seeds Flying In The Air: A Rare Occurrence?

Wondering how snow dropped at your doorsteps when it is just the end of May? Well, the white fluffy thing flying around is Cottonwood seeds dispersing from miles away.

The hair-like follicles of Cottonwood hold the seeds loosely, and when a slight gust of wind touches the head, they get easily blown away.

So, relish your eyes with the summer snow but better do it from indoors, away from the clingy seeds that can roll over your clothes and make them unsightly.

When Can You Notice White Fluffs Of Cottonwood Seeds?

The Cottonwood tree is a famously large and fast-growing deciduous tree found throughout the eastern to central United States.

Following the life of the Cottonwood tree, the plant has separate male and female trees responsible for producing pollen and seeds, respectively.

Here, the female Cottonwood tree completes its flowering and seed capsule formation by the end of the spring.

When the capsule matures and turns brown, they rupture to release the seeds, usually by the end of May, and gets carried away by the wind.

So you can say that these fluffy flying seeds in the air are a simple phenomenon, but it could be rare if you do not have nearby Cottonwood trees.

However, it is common for the people of Ohio, Seattle (Washington), Texas, Oklahoma, Montana, Missouri, and South Dakota.

Meanwhile, it could be dreadful for people with pollen allergies, as sometimes unpollinated pollen of Cottonwood could also follow the seeds.

How To Remove The Flying Cotton Seeds?

Watching the natural magic could be romantic to some. But some may start cleaning their yard and clothes angrily as the seeds can be sticky.

Although Cottonwood seeds perform it as a survival instinct to escape their continually shady parent roof, it does nothing good to the viewers except for the view.

So better to avoid its contact to prevent yellow stains from appearing on your car seats and clothes. Follow the steps if you have already encountered them.

• Struck your clothes against a pole or wall to shrug off the parachute-like seeds of Cottonwood.
• Collect seeds with the blunt side of a butter knife and pick them off.
• Also, you can wet your hands with water, rub them over the attached seeds, and repeat it.
• Taping the seeds out can also be a trick for you but a little time-consuming.
• Meanwhile, you can use baby wipes or wet face wipes to rub over the seat and clothes.