Mast Years

[ottawagardener]

Gregarious flowering in bamboo got me thinking about cyclical nut (and other seed) production. Here is a good article exploring 'masting' in nut trees.

www.sierrapotomac.org/W_Needham/TheMastingBehaviorOfTrees.htm

I remember a mast year of our neighbours red oak. It rained acorns on our rooftops for weeks throughtout the day and night. You were worried about being pelted by one when you were in the garden. The squirrels just couldn't keep up!

[steev]

Interesting article. It's so remarkable how things cycle naturally. Here in the Bay Area one of the first such I noticed was the oak moths. About every five years, they go nuts and start multiplying like crazy. As the caterpillers become really numerous, you can hear their crap falling on the dry oak duff like rain as they try to turn every green oak leaf into caterpillers. Kids love it when you warn them not to look up with their mouths open. Nature, such fun!

[ottawagardener]

'Kids love it when you warn them not to look up with their mouths open. Nature, such fun!'

Caterpillar pop rain - my kids would love that.