It’s Helicopter Season!

You may have noticed in the last couple of days, it’s “helicopter” season in your yard!

Those little things falling from  your trees, commonly referred to as “helicopters” or “whirlybirds”, actually have a name. They are called “sumara”. They are the fruit, or seeds, from the maple trees you have in your neighborhood. All maples produce samaras, but red, silver and Norway maples often produce the largest quantities. These things can also be found falling from elms, hoptrees, and bushwillows. Sumara’s even have their own Wikipedia page!

These little flying seeds can be quite a nuisance. They end up everywhere…on your sidewalks, roofs, gutters, patios and decks. They can clog your downspouts, and they can be really slippery if get they wet and there are a lot of them. You will also find these seeds sprouting up in your lawns and gardens. They are easily mowed down while cutting your lawn. They will have to be weeded out of your flower beds and gardens.

According to one source, these sumaras are also edible! When cooked, sources say they taste like a cross between peas and hominy. They can also be eaten raw or dried and thrown in a salad. For more information on consuming these things, here is a link from Wikihow on how to prepare them. (Eat at your own risk!) I think we will pass on adding them to our salads!

Cleaning Your Gutters…

If you end up with a collection of these “helicopters” in your gutters, Roof Cleaner offers Gutter Cleaning to make sure your gutters and downspouts are working to move water away from  your home.

We also offer other services to keep the exterior of your home looking nice during the summer months. From exterior washing of your home to cleaning of a variety of different kinds of roofing materials. We also clean brick and concrete and can remove rust stains. Give Roof Cleaner a call today for a FREE consultation. Our phone number is (616) 240-3465. Roof Cleaner is looking forward to helping you with many of your cleaning needs. We service the West Michigan area, including the cities of Grand Rapids, Holland, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Spring Lake, Ada, Caledonia, Lowell, Rockford and more.