Elm tree seeds pile up in Regina once again thanks to drought

Regina Open Space Services Manager Russell Eirich explained the seeds are a result of the recent trend of drier-than-average weather.

It’s a seedy sight seen more than once in Regina in recent years.

Elm tree seeds are piling up like leaves on sidewalks, city gutters, rooftops and driveways.

And Regina’s resident tree expert, Open Space Services Manager Russell Eirich, says the arboreal abundance can be chalked up to a perhaps unlikely culprit — drought.

“What this really is is from last year,” Eirich told Global News Tuesday.

“The trees are saying it’s time to start to lay some seeds just in case they can’t make it through the drought, so they’re overproducing everything to try to ensure survivability in the long term.”

Regina spruce trees have been producing more pollen this season as well.

Eirich explained that the above-average seed production does come at a cost to these trees due to the energy required to produce them.

He said that while drought is cyclical and excess seed production is not necessarily dangerous on its own, the resources required for their production can leave the tree more vulnerable to other stressors like pests.