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THe Greenway Foundation Blog

Box Elder Fall Craft

10/31/2018

2 Comments

 
Have you ever thrown up a handful of maple seeds and enjoyed the show of dozens of helicopters spinning around you? There is a special specie of maple that grows along the South Platte River- box elder or boxelder maple. These trees produce helicopter seeds that are on full display in this time of year.
Picture
200 years ago, the Cheyenne tribe that lived in present day Denver would have used the bark of the box elder to make bowls. They would boil the sap into a candy as well. While today we may gravitate towards sweeter treats, we can still enjoy the beauty of a boxelder maple and we can repurpose box elder seeds into a fun, fall decoration!
Picture

​To create this festive craft go on a stroll along one of Denver’s river/creek parks and look for a box elder. These trees can be recognized by their lobed compound leaves containing 2-4 leaflets. This time of year, their seeds are most recognizable.You sill see boxelder seeds hanging from the trees in clusters and are winged shape- often with two seeds stuck together.
Picture

The leaves are made up of 2-4 leaflets in a distinct maple shape
Picture
The "helicopter" seeds are a distinct maple seed shape
When you find a box elder, pick a few paired seeds off the tree. To create bats, simply paint the box elder seeds with black or brown paint. Glue small googly eyes onto the dry painted seeds using hot glue or tacky glue. We used a paint marker to paint eyes on our bats. You can then use your bats to create a natural fall scene. Have Fun!
Picture
2 Comments
uk assignment link
9/3/2019 09:08:50 pm

It's cute and easy to do and it so happen that my grandmother has boxelder maple tree in her big yard. Boxelder is not a recommended tree to plant in your yard but has desirable unique qualities to keep in the landscape as a beautiful tree specimen. These trees help to shelter wildlife and stabilize stream banks. However, in urban areas, they are considered a type of weed. Well, since my grandmother has it in her yard might as well enjoy it and teach my younger siblings to do it.

Reply
best catfish rod and reel link
11/28/2019 08:07:19 pm

So cute, I want to try it too. Thank you for sharing such a good article

Reply



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  • About Us
    • About Us >
      • Greenway Current (Annual Report)
      • Flood of 1965
      • Greenway Videos
    • River & Trail Info
    • Blog
    • Success Stories >
      • 1970s
      • 1980s
      • 1990s
      • 2000s
      • 2010-2014
      • 2015-Future
    • Volunteer
    • Employment
    • Staff
    • Contact Us
    • Search
  • Education
    • SPREE >
      • SPREE Home Page
      • Just for Kids!
      • Support SPREE
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Field Trips >
      • Excursions By Grade >
        • ECE
        • Kindergarten
        • 1st Grade
        • 2nd Grade
        • 3rd Grade
        • 4th Grade
        • 5th Grade
      • Excursion Signup
      • Feedback
      • Excursion FAQ
    • Camp >
      • Summer Camp
      • School Break Camps
      • Leaders in Training
      • FAQ
    • Learning SPREE
    • After School
    • High School >
      • River Rangers >
        • School Internships
        • Summer Employment
        • Why Environmental Education?
      • Greenway Leadership Corps
  • Water Resources
    • The Water Connection >
      • About The Water Connection
      • TAP-IN Colorado
      • Clean Water Challenge
      • Nautilus Pilot
      • Gutter Bin Pilot
      • Minimum Stream Flow
  • Projects
    • River Vision Implementation Plan (RVIP) >
      • Johnson Habitat Park
      • Weir Gulch
    • Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project
    • USACE Feasibility Study
    • Clear Creek Greenway Design Effort
    • Cherry Creek Stewardship Partners
  • Events
    • Family Events >
      • Beaver Bonanza
      • Art on the River
      • Family Spring Stewardship Day
      • Family Fall Stewardship Day
      • Family Fishing Day
    • Spring South Platte Stewardship Day
    • Citizens for the River
    • Reception on the River
    • Rock the River >
      • Rock the River Catering
      • Rock the River Viewing Instructions
    • Gala on the Bridge
    • Bridge Party
    • Fall South Platte Stewardship Day
  • Donate
    • Colorado Gives Day
  • Email Sign Up