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THe Greenway Foundation Blog

Box Elder Fall Craft

10/31/2018

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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.
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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!
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​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.
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The leaves are made up of 2-4 leaflets in a distinct maple shape
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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
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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
  • Education
    • SPREE Homepage >
      • SPREE Home Page
      • Just for Kids!
      • Support SPREE
    • Youth Leadership >
      • River Rangers >
        • School Internships
        • Summer Employment
        • Why Environmental Education?
      • Greenway Leadership Corps
      • Leaders in Training
    • Field Trips >
      • Excursion Info >
        • ECE
        • Kindergarten
        • 1st Grade
        • 2nd Grade
        • 3rd Grade
        • 4th Grade
        • 5th Grade
      • Excursion Signup
      • Feedback
      • Excursion FAQ
    • SPREE Day Camps >
      • Summer Camps
      • FAQ
      • Holiday Camps
      • Leaders in Training
  • Water Resources
    • The Water Connection >
      • About The Water Connection
      • PISCES GRANT AWARDED FOR WORK ALONG THE HIGH LINE CANAL
      • Gutter Bins are in!
      • Clean River Design Challenge
      • Unprecedented
      • Letter to the Governor
      • Minimum Stream Flow
      • Innovative Practices
  • Projects
    • River Vision Implementation Plan (RVIP) >
      • Overland Corridor Improvements
      • Johnson Habitat Park
      • Weir Gulch
    • Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project
    • USACE Feasibility Study
    • Clear Creek Greenway Design Effort
    • Cherry Creek Stewardship Partners
  • Events
    • Spring South Platte Stewardship Day >
      • Family Spring Stewardship Day
    • Art on the River
    • Citizens for the River (combining with South Platte RiverFest)
    • Reception on the River
    • Gala on the Bridge
    • Bridge Party
    • Fall South Platte Stewardship Day >
      • Family Fall Stewardship Day
    • Family Fishing Day
    • Pioneering on the Platte
  • Support TGF
    • Donate
    • Planned Giving
  • Email Sign Up
  • Search