Supported by

Seed Dispersal
Plants have developed different methods
to disperse seed

Wind
Seeds are equipped with wings or hairy
parachutes to keep them airborne longer.
Spinners curved wings catch in the wind
to move seed away from the parent plant.

Catherine Lewis
Parachutes and Windborne seed floats 1

away in the slightest breeze.

Catherine Lewis

3
Cecile Moisan

Spinners
1 Hosta species
2 Acer palmatum

Parachutes and Windborne

3 Anemone magellanica

4 Scabiosa species
RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262

5 Pulsatilla vulgaris (pasque flower)

Catherine Lewis

Catherine Lewis

4 5
Supporting
www.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening Sponsors
 Supported by

Seed Dispersal
Plants have developed different methods
to disperse seed

Self Dispersal

Katy Watkins, RHS

Slingers - use of explosive dispersal. 1

Pepperpots - A capsule containing many seeds

is produced on a flexible stem. The seed is
scattered through small holes in the capsule.

Katy Watkins, RHS

4
Katy Watkins, RHS

3 Slingers
1 Alstroemeria species (Peruvian lily)
Pod explodes
2 Geranium maculatum Seed
capsule separates suddenly,
sending seed some distance
Cecile Moisan

2
3 Lathyrus odorata (sweet pea)
Twisting action propels seed
Catherine Lewis

4 Ecballium elaterium
6
(squirting cucumber) Seed
is squirted out when ripe

Pepperpots
5 Nigella damascena (love-in-a-mist)
6 Papaver rhoeas (common poppy)
RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262

7 Digitalis ferruginea (rusty foxglove)

Katy Watkins, RHS

Katy Watkins, RHS

5 7
Supporting
www.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening Sponsors
 Supported by

Seed Dispersal
Plants have developed different methods
to disperse seed

Katy Watkins, RHS

Animal 1
Takeaways - fruits are eaten by birds and
animals but seed passes through unharmed.
Hitchhikers - seeds have hooks which attach
to animal fur or feathers.

Katy Watkins, RHS

2
Katy Watkins, RHS

Katy Watkins, RHS

3 4
Katy Watkins, RHS

Takeaways
1 Cotoneaster Coral Beauty

2 Ilex aquifolium (holly)

3 Gaultheria x wisleyensis

Hitchhikers
4 Dipsacus fullonum (teasel)

5 Stipa tenuissima
RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262

6 Acaena species
Catherine Lewis

6
Supporting
www.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening Sponsors
 Supported by

Seed Dispersal
Plants have developed different methods
to disperse seed

Water
Seed is adapted to float.

Fire
Before the seed can be released, a very high

Katy Watkins, RHS

temperature is required to split the seed pod. 1
This happens in some plants that grow where
natural fires occur.

Katy Watkins, RHS

Water
1 Iris species
2 Caltha palustris (marsh marigold)

Fire
RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262

3 Eucalyptus dalrympleana
Cecile Moisan

2
Supporting
www.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening Sponsors