When most people think of seeds, they picture the neat little ones you buy in packets—clean, dry, and ready to plant. But out in nature, seeds look very different. They hide inside all kinds of pods, fruits, and shells. Some are fluffy, some are sticky, some are buried inside berries, and others even explode out of their pods!
The main thing to remember: no flowers = no seeds. If you stop weeds before they bloom, you stop them from spreading.
How Plants Make Seeds (Quick Version)
Plants grow, bloom, get pollinated, and then their flowers (or cones) turn into fruits that hold seeds. Those seeds fall, blow, stick, or get carried around—starting the whole cycle over again.
Types of “Seed Vessels”
Here are the main ways weeds spread their seeds. Think of them as sneaky tricks plants use to get around:
🌬️ Wind Spread
Some seeds come with fluff, wings, or parachutes so the wind can carry them.
- Dandelions, thistles, ragwort – each “poof” has dozens of seeds.
- Grasses like reed canarygrass – fluffy seed heads on stalks.
- Maples – the little “helicopter” seeds that spin down.
Tip: Don’t mow once these are seeding—you’ll spread them everywhere. If needed, cut seed heads into a garbage bag and toss.
🐾 Animal (and Human) Spread
Seeds hitchhike by sticking to fur, clothes, boots—or they get eaten and spread in droppings.
- Blackberries & raspberries – one berry holds dozens of seeds.
- Rose hips – the fruit left after rose petals drop.
- Nightshade berries – small, colorful, but poisonous.
- Sticky weeds like cleavers (“sticky willy”) – barbed seeds cling to anything passing by.
Tip: After walking in weedy areas, brush off your shoes, clothes, pets, and tools.
💥 Explosive Pods
Some weeds literally pop their seeds out when touched.
- Policeman’s helmet – pods burst open and fling seeds.
- Scotch broom, peas, beans – dry pods crack open and shoot seeds.
- Herb Robert – pods “spring-load” and fire out seeds.
Tip: If pods are already formed, wait until next season. Pulling or mowing spreads them further.
🍂 Gravity or Dropping Seeds
Some weeds simply let seeds fall—or float away in water.
- Poison hemlock – umbrella-shaped seed clusters.
- Buttercups – small dry seeds fall around the plant.
- Yellow flag iris – seeds float downstream.
- Cones (like Douglas fir) – not weeds, but an example of how seeds hide under scales.
The Big Picture
- Best prevention: Stop weeds before they flower.
- If flowers are gone and seeds are forming, avoid disturbing them.
- Clean yourself and your pets before leaving weedy spots.
- Handle weeds early on your own property so they don’t spread to your neighbors or natural areas.
👉 Want to see more weed seed examples? Check out the full gallery at kingcounty.gov/weeds.
Bottom line: learn your seeds, spread fewer weeds.
