Cotton things that fly off trees?

Question

It looks like it's snowing outside because there are millions of cotton-like thingies that are flying off this tree. What's the name of the tree and what can you do about it?

Answer 1

Cottonwood trees are so named because both their male and female parts contain long fibers similar to cotton. The male 'cotton' fibers have pollen granules attached to them that blow in the wind, spreading pollen as they fly. The seeds later on are attached to 'cotton' fibers that blow in the wind, spreading the seeds around.
Cottonwood trees are not the only trees that produce cotton-like fibers, but they are the first that come to mind, and are the most common, growing along rivers, creeks, and some old irrigation ditches. They were planted back in the forties and fifties as fast-growing wind break trees, and are now common all over the Western U.S.
There is not a whole lot you can do about them, especially if you are near a big stand of trees or have one big one in your yard. The best you can do is make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors, keep the air filters and ducts clean in your a/c system, and maybe invest in those portable room air filters like the ionic breeze, especially if you have allergies. If it comes from one big tree and your allergies are especially bad, consider cutting down the tree and planting a less allergenic tree in its place, (such as a Chinese Evergreen Elm (Ulmus parvifolia), which grows quickly and provides nice shade at full height.). You can ask at your local garden center about trees for your climate that do not produce so much pollen or seeds that might affect your allergies.
Sight unseen, that's the best info I can offer.

Answer 2

Tree With Cotton Like Seeds

Answer 3

It's a cottonwood tree that's the culprit (and you can see why it's called that!) You can either just wait and when spring is over the cotton balls which contain the tree's pollen will stop flying.

Or, if you own the trees you can cut them down and replace them with better trees. Cottonwoods are short lived trees that are messy and not too attractive. (My apologies to the cottonwood tree lovers out there!) They are sometimes planted because they grow quickly, but in 20-30 years they are in pretty bad shape.

Answer 4

Climb the huge pine tree in my yard to peek at the robins' eggs. Run inside and climb on top of a dresser when a rat/possum/whatever-it-was was discovered in the shed. Slide down the stairs on my nose and wake up on the couch. Play cops and robbers with my siblings. Eat TONS of peanut butter. Make couch cushion forts. Play "lava" with my siblings. Furiously wave a pillow in the air while the older kids blew bubbles. Become the "chicken bar" champ in the third grade.

Answer 5

The tree is a "cottonwood" tree & the only way to be rid of the mess is to cut it down.

Answer 6

they are seeds and will disappear and a short bit. Sounds like a cottonwood.

Answer 7

sounds like cottonwood.. nothing you can do to stop it except chop it