Christmas Trees Have Pretty Bizarre Sex Lives

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The sex livesof Christmas trees are a lot more interesting than their wholesome image suggests.Not necessarily because theyre into kinky stuff, but because they are a certain type of conifer thatrely on the ancient practice of tree sex to reproduce.

There are many different types of trees used as Christmas decorations. The most common and original species is the Norway spruce. However, a whole range of spruces, pines and firs are also fairly widely used all of which belong to the conifer division.

So what exactly are those pine cones you hang up in your house around Christmas time? Theyre the conifer trees’ reproductive organs. Pine cones are the trees lady bits that hold all of their seeds. The males, on the other hand, create pollen that they distribute via either the wind or passing animals in the hope ofknocking up the female trees.

The pollen needs to get into the females pine cones to fertilize. If these trees manage to get lucky, the cones will close up until the seeds are fertilized and mature. Once ready, they will open again and release the fertilized seeds.

On a side note, theres even evidence that these trees can sometimes change sex they were cool with that millions of years beforehuman society was.

But whats the advantage of all this compared tothe method employed by flowering plants?This video from Deep Look provides some more insight into “the sex lives of Christmas trees”(dont worry, it is safe for work).

Read more: http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/christmas-trees-have-very-interesting-sex-lives

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