Let’s Make and Fly Seed Models! Masters of Flight: The Ingenious Ideas of Plants (Pine, Ailanthus, and Alsomitra)
Here’s a quick quiz for you! How do the plants we see every day manage to spread their offspring all over the world?
The truth is, plants can’t walk or fly on their own. But to launch their seeds as far as possible, they’ve come up with some incredible and clever tricks. The plants that travel through the air on the wind are like tiny airplanes created by a brilliant scientist!
Today, I want to show you a workshop where you can explore the amazing wisdom of these plants using simple materials you have at home. Let’s make models of seeds from trees like the Ailanthus, Corktree, Pine, and Maple to see what kind of “flying performance” they put on in the air.
Let’s Mimic Flying Seeds!
To travel far on the wind, plant seeds each have their own unique “wings.” For example, a maple seed spins like a helicopter as it falls. This rotation slows its descent, making it easier for the wind to carry it farther. In scientific terms, this is called wind dispersal. This time, we’ll make paper models of these wind-dispersing seeds and carefully observe how they fly!
What You’ll Need
Origami paper, scissors, double-sided tape or glue stick, paper clips
1. Pine, Maple, and Corktree Seed Models
Pine seeds have small, wing-like attachments. Maple and corktree seeds also have unique shapes that cause them to spin gracefully in the wind. See for yourself how a real pine seed flies in this video!
How to Fold
- First, cut your origami paper in half to make a 15cm x 7.5cm rectangle.
- Next, cut that rectangle again into a thinner, 7.5cm x 2.5cm strip.
- Then, fold the strip diagonally as shown in the diagram.
- Finally, fold back about 1cm and secure it with a paper clip. That’s it, you’re done!
2. Ailanthus Seed Model
Ailanthus seeds have thin, flat, disc-like wings, allowing them to flutter down as they fall, almost like tiny UFOs. See how the real seeds are carried by the wind in this video, starting at the 19-second mark!
How to Fold
- First, cut your origami paper into a long, thin rectangle, about 1.5 cm wide (so it’s 15 cm x 1.5 cm).
- Fold this rectangle in half and apply a line of glue stick or double-sided tape down the center.
- Finally, stick the two ends together in the middle, and your Ailanthus seed model is complete!
3. The Alsomitra Seed Model: A Glider in Flight!
Referred to as the “flying jewels of the plant world,” the seeds of the Alsomitra plant look just like gliding airplanes!
Because the seeds themselves are incredibly light, they can ride the wind for dozens of meters. Be sure to watch the video to see their amazing flight for yourself!
The Alsomitra seed model will fly just like the real thing if you fold it into a paper airplane glider. Hints for how to fold it can be found on this website.
Now that you have all the instructions, I hope you’ll try making these seed models and flying them outdoors! You’ll get one step closer to uncovering the secrets of plants and understanding why they have such unique shapes and are so easily carried by the wind.
