While on a walk in Gatineau Park in late September we noticed what seemed to be plants growing on the tops of spruce trees. We could not get close enough to get a sample, but here are a couple of photos. We thought it may be seeds sprouting in the cones, but they didn't look like little spruces. Anyone know what was happening? Thanks, Richard
Looks to me to be mature cones of some kind of Fir tree [Abies spp.] that have naturally broken apart thus dropping their seeds. However, I am not sure what the little round bits are at the tip of the former cones.
Balsam Fir Abies balsamea. Like all firs, the cones disintegrate when mature to release the seeds. The "little round bits at the tip of the former cones" are the small sterile apical scales, they often stick on but sometimes also come off. Pic below shows a whole fir cone (of Bulgarian Fir), the central stem of a disintegrated one, some loose scales (top right) and seeds (lower right).
Thanks Michael F and Carboniferous, I had never noticed the cones at the tops of fir trees like that before This was a very prolific year for cones and it was hard to miss them. Richard
Crops vary a lot from year to year - having put on a heavy crop this year, you'll likely find there will be none next year.
